Mnemonics

Mnenonic seems to be misspelled with frequency. The correct spelling, I think, is MNEMONIC not PNEUMONIC.  It has to do with MEMORY, not compressed AIR. Here are some of my favorites from the first half of Quick Essentials: Emergency Medicine 1-minute Consult: feel free to add your favorites to comment section below

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Mine:

Procedure Setup: Sterile SHITStool, Hypodermic needles, Iodine, Towels

Procedure Setup: GLITCH: Gloves, Lidocaine, Iodine, Towels, Chair, Hypodermic needles

Head CT for trauma, indications: HEMATOMAS: HA (severe/worsening), Emesis (even once), Mechanism (see PECARN), Amnesia/KO >1 minute, Thin blood, Observed & worse, Memory, Age >65, AMS, Skull fx

Post-operative complications: PHOBIC: Perforation, Hemorrhage, Obstruction, Blood clot, Infection, Collateral damage

Hypothermia EKG changes: BASO: Brady, A-fib, Shiver artifact, Osborne J-wave

Chest pain red flags: RED-E: Radiation, Exertional, Diaphoresis or Emesis.

Syncope, serious causes: PHAINTS: PE, Hypotension, AAA/AS, Ischemia/IHSS, New med, Tachy, Stroke/sz/sepsis

PERC Criteria: ABCDEFGH and vital signs: Age <50, Pulse <100, SaO2 >94%, No unilateral Gam (leg) swelling, No Hemoptysis, No trauma/surgery in past Four weeks, No prior PE/DVT, No Estrogen, Exclusion criteria: Beta blockers, Cancer.

Clubbing causes:   CLUB: Congenital, Cardiac, Cirrhosis, Lung disease, Ulcerative colitis, Biliary disease

Petechiae causes: RED LIGHTS:  Rocky mountain spotted fever, Endocarditis, fat Embolism, Drugs/DVT/Dengue/DIC, Leukemia, ITP, meninGococcus, Hemolytic uremic syndrome, Thrombocytopenia/TTP,  Strangulation/Sepsis/Scurvy/Scarlet fever.      Others: Valsalva, pertussis, vasculitis

Food allergies top causes: BEANS:    Berries, Egg, Additives (tartrazine, benzoate), Nuts, Shrimp (#1 adult onset allergy. i = 2%)

Dental pain DDx:   TEETHS: TMJ, Eye, Ear, Trigeminal nerve, Heart, Sinusitis

DKA treatment: SPITS: Saline (NS then 1/2NS), Potassium (don’t drop it), Insulin, find Trigger, Sugar

Constipation causes:   BAD SHIT BLOCK    Botulism, Anal disease/pain, Drugs (below), DM, Dehydration, Diverticulitis, Stress, Hirschprung’s, IBS, Thyroid, Brain/stress, Lytes (­Ca, ¯K), Lactose, Obstruction, Cord/CNS, CA, CF, ¯K

GI Bleed treatment:  PITCHFORK:    Protonix, IV x 2,  Transfuse to keep Hb >7, correct Ca & pH for clotting,   (FFP, Octreotide 50mcg + 50mcgs/h, Rocephin for variceal bleed, vitamin K)

Hepatitis, meds causing: HEPATITIS: Haldol, Halothane, EtOH, EES, Ecstasy, Pill, Amiodarone, ABX, Tylenol, INH, Tetrachloride, Salicylate, Sz med, Steroid, Sulfa

Vomiting, tests to consider: PUKE Lip: Pregnancy, UA, KUB, EKG, Lipase

TTP pentad:  PATCH:    Pyrexia, Azotemia (Cr u<3), Thrombocytopenia (Plt<20k), CNS (AMS), Hemolysis (Hb<10)

Coma labs: T-COMA: Tox/Trop/TSH, Ca/CO2/CO, O2/Osm, Mg/Meds, Alcohol/Accucheck/Ammonia

 

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From Someone Else:

Post Operative Fever5W’s: Wind: pneumonia, Water: UTI, Wound: cellulitis, Walking: DVT/PE, Wonder drugs

Hypotension causes: SHOCKED: Sepsis, Hypovolemia, Obstruction, Cardiogenic, anaphylactiK, Endocrine, Drugs

HEART Score:  HEART  History, EKG, Age(<45,45-65,?65), Risk factors(0,1-2,?3), Troponin(nl,<3xULN, ?3xULN)

Pulmonary edema treatmentSAUNA:     Supportive care (O2, BiPAP), ACEI, Upright, NTG, Albuterol if wheezing, (Aspirin).  Note: up to 40% in pulmonary edema not fluid overloaded, just have fluid in the wrong place

Shock causes: SHOCKD: Sepsis, Spinal, Hypovolemia, Hemorrhage, Obstruction (PE & Tamponade), Cardiac, Compartment syndrome (esp abdominal), endoKrine, anaphylactiK, Drugs

Syncope red flags:   CHESS: CHF/CAD, Hb<10, EKG abnl, Exertional, SOB, SBP <90, Stenosis-aortic

A-fib & stroke risk factors: CHADSVASC1 point: CHF, HTN, Age 65-74, DM, Sex Category female, Vascular dz.  2 points: Age >75, prior Stroke/TIA

Rash on palms or soles:  MRS TECK: MGC,  RMSF,  Syphilis,TEN/tinea, Endocarditis/E. multiforme, Coxsackie(HFM), Kawasaki’s

Pancreatitis causes:  BAD SHIT: Biliary, Alcohol, Drug, Scorpion, Hyper (calcemia & triglycerides), ID, Trauma

 

 

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