Medical Mnemonics
CLINICAL
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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
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J A M A L H E K M A T