Medicine Mnemonics: Your Shortcut to Medical Knowledge
A
Acute LVF management: “LMNOP”
- Lasex (frusemide)
- Morphine (diamorphine)
- Nitrates
- Oxygen (sit patient up)
- Pulmonary ventilation (if doing badly)
- Author: Graeme Little University College London
Atrial fibrillation: causes of new onset: “THE ATRIAL FIBS”
- Thyroid
- Hypothermia
- Embolism (P.E.)
- Alcohol
- Trauma (cardiac contusion)
- Recent surgery (post CABG)
- Ischemia
- Atrial enlargement
- Lone or idiopathic
- Fever, anemia, high-output states
- Infarct
- Bad valves (mitral stenosis)
- Stimulants (cocaine, theo, amphet, caffeine)
- Author: Sam LaCapra, M.D., F.A.C.E.P. Emergency Physician
ARDS: diagnostic criteria: “ARDS”
- Acute onset
- Ratio (PaO2/FiO2) less than 200
- Diffuse infiltration
- Swan-Ganz Wedge pressure less than 19 mmHg
- Author: Fahed Al-Daour
Asthma: management of acute severe: “O S#!T”
- Oxygen (high dose: >60%)
- Salbutamol (5mg via oxygen-driven nebuliser)
- Hydrocortisone (or prednisolone)
- Ipratropium bromide (if life threatening)
- Theophylline (or preferably aminophylline-if life threatening)
- Author: Graeme Little and Gajan Rajeswaran University College London and Imperial College School Of Medicine, London
C
Coma causes checklist: “AEIOU TIPS”
- Acidosis/ Alcohol
- Epilepsy
- Infection
- Overdosed
- Uremia
- Trauma to head
- Insulin: too little or or too much
- Pyschosis episode
- Stroke occurred
- Author: Midnight Medic Paramedic in Texas
Coma and signicantly reduced conscious state causes: causes: “COMA”
- CO2 and CO excess
- Overdose: TCAs, Benzos, EtOH, insulin, paracetamol, etc.
- Metabolic: BSL, Na+, K+, Mg2+, urea, ammonia, etc.
- Apoplexy: stroke, SAH, extradural, subdural, Ca, meningitis, encephalitis, cerebral abscess, etc.
- Author: Steve Gust HMO, Gove District Hospital, NT Australia
D
Diabetic ketoacidosis management: “F*¢KING”
- Fluids (crytalloids)
- Urea (check it)
- Creatinine (check it)/ Catheterize
- K+ (potassium)
- Insulin (5u/hour. Note: sliding scale no longer recommended in the UK)
- Nasogastic tube (if patient comatose)
- Glucose (once serum levels drop to 12)
- Author: Graeme Little University College London
F
Fall: potential causes: “I’VE FALLEN”
- Illness
- Vestibular
- Environmental
- Feet/ Footwear
- Alcohol and drugs
- Low blood pressure
- Low O2 states
- Ears/ Eyes
- Neuropathy
- Author: Muhammad Asif Iqbal Resident, SLU, MO
I
Ipecac: contraindications: “4 C’s:”
- Comatose
- Convulsing
- Corrosive
- hydroCarbon
- Author: Vince Yamashiroya
J
JVP: raised JVP differential: “PQRST (EKG waves)”
- Pericardial effusion
- Quantity of fluid raised (fluid over load)
- Right heart failure
- Superior vena caval obstruction
- Tricuspid stenosis/ Tricuspid regurgitation/ Tamponade (cardiac)
- Author: Mohsin Maqbool Bahawal-Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur
M
MI: immediate treatment: “DOGASH”
- Diamorphine
- Oxygen
- GTN spray
- Asprin 300mg
- Streptokinase
- Heparin
- Author: Ken Hodson Medical Student, University of Bristol
Meningicoccal meningitis: complications: “SAD REP”
- Sepsis/ Shock/ Subdural effusion
- Ataxia/ Abscess (brain)
- DIC/ Deafness
- Retardation
- Epilepsy
- Paralysis
- Author: Richard Thompson Queens University, Belfast, NI
Miosis: causes of pin-point pupils: “CPR ON SLIME”
- Clonidine
- Phenothiazines
- Resting (deep sleep)
- Opiates
- Narcotics
- Stroke (pontine hemorrhage)
- Lomotil (diphenoxylate)
- Insecticides
- Mushrooms/ Muscarinic (inocybe, clitocybe)
- Eye drops
- Author: Sam LaCapra, M.D., F.A.C.E.P. Emergency Physician
Malignant hyperthermia treatment: “Some Hot Dude Better Give Iced Fluids Fast!” (Hot dude = hypothermia)”
- Stop triggering agents
- Hyperventilate/ Hundred percent oxygen
- Dantrolene (2.5mg/kg)
- Bicarbonate
- Glucose and insulin
- IV Fluids and cooling blanket
- Fluid output monitoring/ Furosemide/ Fast heart [tachycardia]
- Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/
N
Neurological focal deficits: “10 S’s”
- Sugar (hypo, hyper)
- Stroke
- Seizure (Todd’s paralysis)
- Subdural hematoma
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Space occupying lesion (tumor, avm, aneurysm, abscess)
- Spinal cord syndromes
- Somatoform (conversion reaction)
- Sclerosis (MS)
- Some migraines
- Author: Sam LaCapra, M.D., F.A.C.E.P. Emergency Physician
P
PEA/Asystole (ACLS): etiology: “ITCHPAD”
- Infarction
- Tension pneumothorax
- Cardiac tamponade
- Hypovolemia/ Hypothermia/ Hypo-, Hyperkalemia/ Hypomagnesmia/ Hypoxemia
- Pulmonary embolism
- Acidosis
- Drug overdose
- Author: Carl Roberts A.S.EMS, CCEMT-P, CFP US Army Special Forces
R
RLQ pain: differential: “APPENDICITIS”
- Appendicitis/ Abscess
- PID/ Period
- Pancreatitis
- Ectopic/ Endometriosis
- Neoplasia
- Diverticulitis
- Intussusception
- Crohns Disease/ Cyst (ovarian)
- IBD
- Torsion (ovary)
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Stones
- Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/
S
Shock: signs and symptoms: “TV SPARC CUBE”
- Thirst
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Pulse weak
- Anxious
- Respirations shallow/rapid
- Cool
- Cyanotic
- Unconscious
- BP low
- Eyes blank
- Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) causes: “BATS”
- Berry aneurysm
- Arteriovenous malformation/ Adult polycystic kidney disease
- Trauma (eg being struck with baseball bat)
- Stroke
- Author: Cusano and Mamta SGUSOM
Syncope causes, by system: “HEAD HEART VESSELS”
- CNS causes include HEAD:
- Hypoxia/ Hypoglycemia
- Epilepsy
- Anxiety
- Dysfunctional brain stem (basivertebral TIA)
- Cardiac causes are HEART:
- Heart attack
- Embolism (PE)
- Aortic obstruction (IHSS, AS or myxoma)
- Rhythm disturbance, ventricular
- Tachycardia
- Vascular causes are VESSELS:
- Vasovagal
- Ectopic (reminds one of hypovolemia)
- Situational
- Subclavian steal
- ENT (glossopharyngeal neuralgia)
- Low systemic vascular resistance (Addison’s, diabetic vascular neuropathy)
- Sensitive carotid sinus
- Author: Bill Young MD University of Kentucky Dept of Emergency Medicine
Shock: types: “RN CHAMPS”
- Respiratory
- Neurogenic
- Cardiogenic
- Hemorrhagic
- Anaphylactic
- Metabolic
- Psychogenic
- Septic
- Alternatively: “MR. C.H. SNAP”, or “NH CRAMPS”.
- Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/
U
Unconciousness: differential: “FISH SHAPED”
- Fainted
- Illness/ Infantile febrile convulsions
- Shock
- Head injuries
- Stroke (CVE)
- Heart problems
- Asphxia
- Poisons
- Epilepsy
- Diabetes
- Author: B Sylvester Surrey Ambulance Service (UK)
V
Ventricular fibrillation: treatment: “Shock, Shock, Shock, Everybody Shock, Little Shock, Big Shock, Momma Shock, Poppa Shock”
- Shock= Defibrillate
- Everybody= Epinephine
- Little= Lidocaine
- Big= Bretylium
- Momma= MgSO4
- Poppa= Pocainamide
- Reference: http://medicalmnemonics.com/
Vfib/Vtach drugs used according to ACLS: “Every Little Boy Must Pray”
- Epinephrine
- Lidocaine
- Bretylium
- Magsulfate
- Procainamide
- Author: Midnight Medic Paramedic in Texas
