CLINICAL MNEMONICS
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:
J A M A L H E K M A T