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 SHIT: Stool, 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 Fever: 5W’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 treatment: SAUNA: 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: CHADSVASC: 1 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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