14 P’s: Arterial occlusion
P = Pain
P = Pallor
P = Pulselessness
P = Paresthesias
23 D’s: Beck’s triad (Cardiac Tamponade)
D = Distant heart sounds
D = Distended jugular veins
D = Decreased arterial pressure
3ABC/2: Volume of intracranial bleed of CT
A = Maximal diameter of the hematoma by CT
B = Diameter 90° to A, and
C = Approximate number of CT slices with hemorrhage multiplied by the slice thickness
Vol > 20 – 30 ml consider surgery
4ABCDE: Supraventricular tachycardia
A = Adenosine
B = Beta-blocker
C = Calcium channel antagonist
D = Digoxin
E = Excitation (vagal stimulation)
5ABCDEFGHIJK: Haematuria differential in children
A = Anatomy (cysts, etc)
B = Bladder (cystitis)
C = Cancer (Wilm’s tumour)
D = Drug related (cyclophosphamide)
E = Exercise induced
F = Factitious (Munchausen by proxy)
G = Glomerulonephritis
H = Haematology (bleeding disorder, sickle cell)
I = Infection (UTI)
J = inJury (trauma)
K = Kidney stones (hypercalciuria)
6ABC HELP: Causes of ST Elevation in ECG
A = AMI
B = Brugada
C = CNS Pathologies
H = Hypertrophy (LVH)
E = benign Early repolarization
L = LBBB
P = Pericarditis
7AEIOU TIPS: Causes of altered mental status
A = Alcohol
E = Epilepsy, electrolytes
I = Infection
O = Overdose
U = Urea
T = Trauma
I = Insulin
P = Psychiatric
S = Sepsis, shock
8APGAR: System to evaluate newborn’s condition
A = Appearance (color)
P = Pulse (heart rate)
G = Grimmace (reflex, irritability)
A = Activity (muscle tone)
R = Respiratory effort
9BATS: Subarachnoid hemorrhage causes
B = Berry aneurysm
A = Arteriovenous malformation / Adult polycystic kidney disease
T = Trauma (e.g., being struck with baseball bat)
S = Stroke
10BE FEVEER: Duke’s Criteria for Bacterial Endocarditis (BE)
Major Criteria
B = persistent Blood culture positive >2 times 12 hr part (each C&S taking should be one hour apart, and 3 samples should be taken)
E = Endocardial involvement from Echo
Minor criteria
F = Fever >/= 38C
E = Echo findings not fulfilling a major
V = Vascular (vasculitis) – Janeway lesions, mycotic aneurysm, etc
EE = Evidences from microbiological/immunology (2)
R = Risk factors/predisposing factors – drug abuse, valvular diseases (predisposing factors)
11CAT MUD PILES: Causes of High AG Metabolic Acidosis
C = Carbon monoxide, Cyanide
A = Alcoholic ketoacidosis
T = Toluene
M = Methanol
U = Uremia
D = Diabetic ketoacidosis
P = Paraldehyde, Phenformin
I = Iron, Isoniazid
L = Lactic acidosis
E = Ethylene glycol
S = Salicylates poisoning
12GET SMASHED: Causes of acute pancreatitis
G = Gallstones
E = Ethanol
T = Trauma
S = Steroids
M = Mumps
A = Autoimmune (PAN)
S = Scorpion bites
H = Hyperlipidemia
E = ERCP
D = Drugs (azathioprine, diuretics)
13HEADS: Stroke risk factors
H = Hypertension/ Hyperlipidemia
E = Elderly
A = Atrial fibrillation
D = Diabetes mellitus/ Drugs (cocaine)
S = Smoking/ Sex (male)
14HEPATICS: Hepatic encephalopathy, precipitating factors
H = Hemorrhage in GIT/ Hyperkalemia
E = Excess protein in diet
P = Paracentesis
A = Acidosis/ Anemia
T = Trauma
I = Infection
C = Colon surgery
S = Sedatives
15O NAVEL: Endotrachial tube deliverable drugs
O = Oxygen
N = Naloxone
A = Atropine
V = Ventolin (albuterol), Vasopressin
E = Epinephrine
L = Lidocaine
16SAD PUCKER: Structures in retroperitoneal space
S = Suprarenal glands (adrenals)
A = Aorta/IVC
D = Duodenum (2nd – 3rd, and 4th segments)
P = Pancreas (tail is intraperitoneal)
U = Ureters
C = Colon (only the ascending and descending parts)
K = Kidneys
E = Esophagus
R = Rectum
17SIMPLE: Criteria to define simple febrile seizure
S = Seizure of focal type
I = Intracranial infection
M = Multiple times a day
P = Past history of afebrile seizure
L = Last longer than 15 minutes
E = Examination abnormalities