CLINICAL MNEMONICS

By | September 14, 2023
  1. ABCDE – Assessing trauma patients: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure.
  2. APGAR – Neonatal assessment: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace response, Activity, Respiration.
  3. BRAT – Diet for diarrhea: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast.
  4. CAGE – Alcoholism screening: Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener.
  5. CASH – Features of metabolic syndrome: Central obesity, Atherogenic dyslipidemia, Systemic hypertension, Hyperglycemia.
  6. CRAB – Symptoms of multiple myeloma: Calcium elevation, Renal insufficiency, Anemia, Bone lesions.
  7. DOTS – Tuberculosis treatment strategy: Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course.
  8. FAST – Stroke assessment: Face, Arms, Speech, Time.
  9. GERD – Gastroesophageal reflux disease: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.
  10. HALLP – Risk factors for ovarian cancer: Heredity, Age, Late childbearing, Early menarche, Nulliparity, Personal history of cancer.
  11. HELLP – Severe pre-eclampsia complication: Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low Platelets.
  12. HEENT – Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Throat examination.
  13. I PASS THE BATON – Effective handover communication: Introduction, Patient, Assessment, Situation, Safety concerns, The background, Actions, Timing, Ownership, Next.
  14. MACBETH – Characteristics of malignant melanoma: Moles, Asymmetry, Color variation, Border irregularity, Evolution, Diameter >6mm, Firm or fixed.
  15. MARSHA – Symptoms of serotonin syndrome: Mental status changes, Autonomic instability, Restlessness, Seizures, Hyperreflexia, Agitation.
  16. MUDPILES – Causes of high anion gap metabolic acidosis: Methanol, Uremia, Diabetic ketoacidosis, Paraldehyde, Isoniazid, Lactic acidosis, Ethylene glycol, Salicylates.
  17. Mnemonic for Cranial Nerves: Oh, Oh, Oh, To Touch And Feel Very Green Vegetables, AH.
  18. NADH/NADPH – Coenzymes in redox reactions: Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (Reduced/Oxidized), Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (Reduced/Oxidized).
  19. OLDCARTS – Medical history-taking: Onset, Location, Duration, Characteristics, Aggravating factors, Relieving factors, Timing, Severity.
  20. PQRST – Chest pain assessment: Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time.
  21. SAMPLE – Medical history acronym: Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last oral intake, Events leading to present illness/injury.
  22. SOAP – Medical note structure: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan.
  23. SPICES – Common geriatric syndromes: Sleep disorders, Problems with eating/feeding, Incontinence, Confusion, Evidence of falls, Skin breakdown.
  24. TACOS – Causes of anion gap metabolic acidosis: Toxins, Aspirin, Carbon monoxide, Other drugs, Sepsis.
  25. TAILS – Evaluation of anemia: Type, Anisocytosis, Iron studies, Lifespan, Size.
  26. VIP – Causes of non-anion gap metabolic acidosis: Vomiting, Ingestion (hyperalimentation), Post-hypercapnia.
  27. WDEBT – Acid-base disorders mnemonic: Winter’s formula for expected pCO2: 1.5 x HCO3 + 8 +/- 2.
  28. WBC – Normal white blood cell count range: Within Body’s Capacity.

 

1. ABCDE: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (primary survey in trauma)
2. AEIOU-TIPS: Altered mental status causes (Alcohol, Epilepsy, Insulin, Overdose, Uremia, Trauma, Infection, Psychiatric, Stroke)
3. APGAR: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration (used to assess newborn babies)
4. ASHICE: Age, Sex, History, Injuries/Illness, Condition, ETA/Extra information
5. BONES: Benign, Osteomyelitis, Neoplastic, Endocrine, Traumatic, Stress
6. CAGE: Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener (alcoholism screening)
7. CHAMPS: Complaint, History of presenting complaint, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Social history
8. DABIGATRAN: Dyspepsia, Anemia, Bleeding, Interactions, Gastritis, Allergy, Thrombocytopenia, Renal failure, Alcohol, Non-compliance (side effects of dabigatran)
9. DVT: Discomfort, Visible swelling, Tenderness (symptoms of deep vein thrombosis)
10. FAST: Face, Arms, Speech, Time (stroke symptoms)
11. GALS: Gait, Arms, Legs, Spine (musculoskeletal examination)
12. HAM-D: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
13. HAM-A: Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale
14. HAM-N: Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression
15. Hs and Ts: Hypovolemia, Hypoxia, Hydrogen ion (acidosis), Hypo/hyperkalemia, Hypothermia, Tension pneumothorax, Tamponade (cardiac), Toxins, Thrombosis (pulmonary) (causes of cardiac arrest)
16. I GET PP SMASHED: Infection, Genetics, Endocrine, Trauma, Psychiatric, Pregnancy, Poisoning, Stroke, Metabolic, Autoimmune, Surgery, Hypoxia, Electrolyte, Drugs (causes of seizures)
17. IS PATH WARM?: Ideation, Substance abuse, Purposelessness, Anxiety, Trapped, Hopelessness, Withdrawal, Anger, Recklessness, Mood changes (suicide risk factors)
18. JVP: Jugular venous pressure
19. KISS: Keep it simple, stupid (principle of simplicity)
20. LAD: Left anterior descending (coronary artery)
21. LFT: Liver function test
22. LMNOP: Lasix, Morphine, Nitrates, Oxygen, Position (treatment for pulmonary edema)
23. MUDPILES: Methanol, Uremia, Diabetic ketoacidosis, Paraldehyde, Iron, Lactic acidosis, Ethylene glycol, Salicylates (causes of anion gap metabolic acidosis)
24. NAD: No acute distress
25. OPQRST: Onset, Provocation, Quality, Region, Severity, Time (symptom checklist often used by first responders)
26. PEARL: Pupils equal and reactive to light
27. PERRLA: Pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation
28. PRINCESS: Pain, Redness, Immobility, Numbness, Capillary refill, Edema, Swelling, Sensation (assessment of extremities)
29. RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (treatment for acute injuries)
30. SAD PERSONS: Sex, Age, Depression, Previous attempts, Ethanol abuse, Rational thinking loss, Social supports lacking, Organized plan, No spouse, Sickness (suicide risk factors)
31. SAMPLE: Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last oral intake, Events leading up to the injury (history taking in trauma)
32. SOAP: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan (format for progress notes)
33. SOCRATES: Site, Onset, Character, Radiation, Associated symptoms, Timing, Exacerbating and relieving factors, Severity (assessment of pain)
34. SPICES: Sleep disorders, Problems with eating or feeding, Incontinence, Confusion, Evidence of falls, Skin breakdown (assessment of geriatric patients)
35. STEMI: ST-elevation myocardial infarction
36. TACOS: Trauma, Alcohol, CNS pathology, Overdose, Seizure (causes of altered mental status)
37. TIA: Transient ischemic attack
38. TIPS: Trauma, Infection, Psychiatric, Substance abuse (causes of altered mental status)
39. TTP: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
40. VINDICATE: Vascular, Inflammatory, Neoplastic, Degenerative, Iatrogenic, Congenital, Autoimmune, Traumatic, Endocrine/metabolic (causes of disease)
41. WBC: White blood cell count
42. 5 P’s: Pain, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia, Paralysis (symptoms of acute limb ischemia)
43. 5 S’s: Swelling, Sepsis, Sanguineous drainage, Skin color changes, Severe pain (signs of wound infection)
44. 6 P’s: Pain, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia, Paralysis, Poikilothermia (symptoms of acute limb ischemia)
45. 7 P’s: Pain, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia, Paralysis, Poikilothermia, Prostration (symptoms of acute limb ischemia)
46. 8 P’s: Pain, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia, Paralysis, Poikilothermia, Prostration, Pressure (symptoms of acute limb ischemia)
47. 10 D’s: Drugs, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Diet, Diverticulitis, Depression, Divorce, Death, Dental problems, Domestic violence (causes of weight loss)
48. 10 F’s: Fat, Female, Forty, Fertile, Fair, Family history, Fibroids, Full bladder, Fever (risk factors for ectopic pregnancy)
49. 10 I’s: Infection, Inflammation, Infarction, Ischemia, Intoxication, Idiopathic, Iatrogenic, Inherited, Immunologic, Infiltration (causes of elevated liver enzymes)
50. 10 P’s: Pain, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia, Paralysis, Poikilothermia, Prostration, Pressure, Proximal muscle weakness, Prolonged capillary refill (symptoms of acute limb ischemia)
51. 10 S’s: Sepsis, Stroke, Seizure, Syncope, Shock, Spinal cord injury, Subarachnoid hemorrhage, Subdural hematoma, Status

Meckel’s diverticulum- rule of 2’s

2 inches long,

2 feet from the ileocecal valve,

2% of the population

commonlly presents in the first 2 years of life

may contain 2 types of epithelial tissue

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Pheochromocytoma-rule of 10s:

10% malignant

10% Bilateral

10% extraadrenal

10% calcified

10% children

10% familial

* discussed 10 times more often than actually seen

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Aphasia

“BROKen aphasia” (Broca’s aphasia-broken speech)

&”Wordys aphasia” (Wernicke’s aphasia- wordy, but making no sense)

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GET SMASH’D–Causes of Acute pancreatitis

Gallstones, Ethanol, Trauma, Steroids, Mumps, Autoimmune(PAN), Scorpion bites, Hyperlipidemia, Drugs(azathioprine, diuretics)

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(Multiple endocrine neoplasia) Each of the MENs is a

disease of three or two letters plus a feature.

“MEN I” is a disease of the 3 Ps (pituitary, parathyroid and pancreas)

plus adrenal cortex.

“MEN II ” is a disease of the two Cs (carcinoma of the thyroid and

catacholamines [pheochromocytoma]) plus parathyroid for MEN IIa or

mucocutaneous neuromas for MEN IIb (aka MEN III).

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Acute pneumonia caused by Pyogenic bacteria–PMN infiltrate

Acute pneumonia caused by Miscellaneous microbes –Mononuclear infiltrate

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Takayasu’s diz = pulseless diz, therefore when you have

Takayasu’s, I can’t Tak’a yu pulse.

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Argyll-Robertson Pupil–syphilitic pupil (AKA “Prostitute’s pupil” – Accommodates, but doesn’t react )

Accommodation reflex present, Pupillary reflex absent

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CAGE–alcohol use screening

1. Have you ever felt it necessary to CUT DOWN on your drinking?

2. Has anyone ever told you they were ANNOYED by your drinking?

3. Have you ever felt GUILTY about your drinking?

4. Have you ever felt the need to have a drink in the morning for an EYE OPENER?

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P-Q-R-S-T–eliciting and HPI and exploring symptoms

P–palliative or provocative factors for the pain

Q–quality of pain(burning, stabbing, aching, etc.)

R–region of body affected

S–severity of pain(usually 1-10 scale)

T–timing of pain(eg.-after meals, in the morning, etc.)

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The five W’s–post-operative fever

Wind–pneumonia, atelectasis

Water–urinary tract infection

Wound–wound infections

Wonderdrugs–especially anesthesia

Walking–walking can help reduce deep vein thromboses and pulmonary embolus

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ACID or “Anna Cycled Immediately Downhill”

classification of hypersensitivity reactions

Type I – Anaphylaxis

Type II – Cytotoxic-mediated

Type III – Immune-complex

Type IV – Delayed hypersensitivity

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WBC Count:

“Never Let Momma Eat Beans(60, 30, 6, 3, 1)

Neutrophils 60%
Lymphocytes 30%
Monocytes 6%
Eosinophils 3%
Basophils 1%

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A-P-G-A-R:

A – appearance (color)

P – pulse (heart rate)

G – grimmace (reflex, irritability)

A – activity (muscle tone)

R – respiratory effort

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Predisposing Conditions for Pulmonary Embolism: TOM SCHREPFER
T–trauma

O–obesity

M–malignancy

S–surgery

C–cardiac disease

H–hospitalization

R–rest (bed-bound)

E–estrogen, pregnancy, post-partum

P–past hx

F–fracture

E–elderly

R–road trip

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The 4 P’s of arterial Occlusion: pain pallor pulselessness paresthesias

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The 4 T’s of Anterior Mediastinal Mass:Thyroid tumor,Thymoma,Teratoma, Terrible Lymphoma

Treatment of Malignant Hyperthermia

Some Hot Dude Better Give Iced Fluids Fast!!!

S: Stop all triggering agents, give 100% O2

H: Hyperventilate

D: Dantrolene 2.5mg/kg

B: Bicarbonate

G: Glucose and Insulin

I: IV Fluids, Cooling Blanket

F: Fluid Output; Furosemide

F: Tachycardia, be prepared to treat V Tach

Oxyhemoglobin Dissociation Curve:
Think of exercising muscle for a rightward shift: Exercising
muscle is Hot, Acidic (Lactic Acid), Hypercarbic, Benefits from
oxygen unloading and has an increased 2,3 DPG. Also think Bohr
effect with a rightward shift(_CO2 = _O2). Realize that the
Haldane effect means (O2 =CO2 carried by Hgb).

 

Back Pain: DISK MASS

D == Degeneration: DJD, Osteoporosis, spondylosis

I == Infection: UTI, PID, Potts, osteomyelitis, prostatitis, Injury/fractur
e, compression fracture.

S == Spondylitis, ankylosing
Spondyloarthropathies (rheum. arthritis, Reiters, SLE)

K == Kidney stones/infarction/infection (pyelo/abscess)

M == Multiple myeloma
Metastasis from breast, prostate, lung, thyroid,
kidney CA

A == Aneurysm Abdominal pain referred to the back (see acute abdominal pain)

S == Slipped disk, spondylolisthesis

S == Strain, scoliosis/lordosis
Skin: herpes zoster.

CAUSES OF ACUTE PANCREATITIS:
“GET SMASH’D”
Gallstones, Ethanol, Trauma, Steroids, Mumps, Autoimmune(PAN), Scorpion bites, Hyperlipidemia, Drugs(azathioprine, diuretics)

A-P-G-A-R:
A – appearance (color)
P – pulse (heart rate)
G – grimmace (reflex, irritability)
A – activity (muscle tone)
R – respiratory effort

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia: Each of the MENs is a disease of three or two letters plus a feature.
MEN I is a disease of 3 P’s (pituitary, parathyroid, and pancreas) plus adrenal cortex
MEN II is a disease of 2 C’s(carcinoma of thyroid and catacholamines [pheochromocytoma]) plus parathyroid for MEN IIa or mucocutaneous neuromas for MEN IIB(aka MEN III)

Acute pneumonia caused by Pyogenic bacteria–PMN infiltrate
Acute pneumonia caused by Miscellaneous microbes–Mononuclear infiltrate

Takayasu’s diz = pulseless diz, therefore when you have Takayasu’s, I can’t Tak’a yu pulse.

CAGE–alcohol use screening
Have you ever felt it necessary to CUT DOWN on your drinking?
Has anyone ever told you they were ANNOYED by your drinking?
Have you ever felt GUILTY about your drinking?
Have you ever felt the need to have a drink in the morning for an EYE OPENER?

P-Q-R-S-T–eliciting and HPI and exploring symptoms
P–palliative or provocative factors for the pain
Q–quality of pain(burning, stabbing, aching, etc.)
R–region of body affected
S–severity of pain(usually 1-10 scale)
T–timing of pain(eg.-after meals, in the morning, etc.)

A-S-C-L-A-S-T–eliciting and HPI and exploring symptoms
A–aggravatiing and alleviating factors
S–severity
C–character, quality
L–location
A–associated sx
S–setting
T–timing
note: ASCLAST means let the patient talk first, then ask him/her specific questions

Argyll-Robertson Pupil–syphilitic pupil: Accommodation reflex present, Pupillary reflex absent due to damage at pretectal area. Also called the “prostitute’s pupil” (accommodates but does not react).

The five W’s–post-operative fever
Wind–pneumonia, atelectasis
Wound–wound infections
Water–urinary tract infection
Walking–walking can help reduce deep vein thromboses and pulmonary embolus
Wonderdrugs–especially anesthesia

Predisposing Conditions for Pulmonary Embolism: TOM SCHREPFER
T–trauma
O–obesity
M–malignancy
S–surgery
C–cardiac disease
H–hospitalization
R–rest (bed-bound)
E–estrogen, pregnancy, post-partum
P–past hx
F–fracture
E–elderly
R–road trip

ARTERIAL OCCLUSION:
pain
pallor
pulselessness
paresthesias

HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS: “Anna Cycled Immediately Downhill–Gell & Goombs” or “ACID.”
Type I Anaphylaxis
Type II Cytotoxic-mediated
Type III Immune-complex
Type IV Delayed hypersensitivity

WBC Count: “Never Let Mom Eat Beans” and “60, 30, 6, 3, 1”
Neutrophils 60%
Lymphocytes 30%
Monocytes 6%
Eosinophils 3%
Basophils 1:

Anatomy Mnemonics

Biochemistry
Mnemonics