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/