Aid To Medicine: mnemonics

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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

SIRS, Sepsis, Sever Sepsis, Septic Shock, Septicaemia, Bactiraemia Definition with Mnemonics

11:22 PM Diseases, mnemonics No comments

SIRS Mnemonics

SIRS is a pro-inflammatory condition which does not include documented source of infection.
Any two or more of the following signs indicate Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). Features of SIRS can memorize as HRT (hormonal replacement therapy) for Women.

H- Heart Rate >90 beats per minute
R- Respiratory Rate >20 beats per minute
T- Temperature >38 ^oc or <36 ^oc
W- White Blood Count >12 *10⁹ / L or <4* 10⁹ / L

Sepsis

Sepsis is systemic response to infection. It manifest as SIRS in the presence of infection.

Severe sepsis

Sepsis with evidence of organ hypoperfusion or altered cerebral function.

Septic shock

Severe sepsis with hypotension (systolic blood pressure less than 90mmHg) despite of adequate fluid resuscitation.

Septicaemia

Presence of multiplying bacteria in blood steam.

Bactiraemia

Presence of bacteria in circulation.

Pancreatitis Mnemonics : Causes, Severity

4:26 PM Diseases, mnemonics 1 comment

Pancreatitis : Mnemonics

Causes for pancreatitis : Mnemonics

Idiopathic
Gallstones (38%)
Ethanol (35%)
Tumours (peri-ampullary tumour, pancreatic carcinoma)
Scorpion venoms
Mumps
Autoimmune (SLE, Polyarteritis nodosa)
Surgery and trauma

Post surgical (cardiac surgery), Blunt trauma to abdomen, Penetrating peptic ulcer

Hyperlipidemia, Hypercalcemia. Hypothermia
ERCP or Emboli
Drugs

Azathioprine, Corticosteroids, Didanosine, Mercaptopurine, asparaginase, Estrogen, Methyldopa, Valproic acid, Acetaminophen.

Modified Glasgow criteria

Three or more positives within 48 hours indicates severe pancreatitis.

PaO2 < 8kPa (60mmhg)
Age > 55 years
Neutrophils (WBC >15 x109/l
Calcium < 2mmol/l
Renal (Urea > 16mmol/l)
Enzymes (LDH > 600 iu/L or AST > 200 iu/L
Albumin(serum) < 32g/l
Sugar (Blood Glucose >10mmol/L)

In the most severe form of pancreatitis the mortality rate is around 40% to 50%.

Chest x-ray - mnemonics - Pulmonary edema

10:33 AM Medicine OSCE, mnemonics, OSCE / Spots, X ray No comments

Chest x-ray - mnemonic - Pulmonary oedema

Alveolar edema (bat's wing or butterfly)

These are pulmonary opacities seen in bilateral perihilar areas. Outer third of the lung usually spared in pulmonary edema.

Kerley B lines

Kerley B lines are short (1-2 cm) horizontal linear shadows, perpendicular to the pleura, seen close to costo pherenic angles caused by thickened interlobular septae, due to accumulation of fluid (transudate). Other than pulmonary edema rare causes of kerley B lines are lymphangitis carsinomatosis, sarcoidosis, viral and mycoplasmal pneumonia.

Cardiomegaly

In normal individuals cardio thoracic ratio(CTR) is less than 50%. CTR is the maximum transevers diameter of the heart divided by the greatest internal diameter of the thoracic cage. In cardiomegaly CTR is more than 50%.

Dilated prominent upper lobe vessels

In a patient with congestive heart failure, the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure rises and the upper zone veins dilate and are equal in size or larger than lower zone pulmonary veins, also termed as cephalization.In normal individuals, the lower zone pulmonary veins are larger than the upper zone veins due to gravity.