Introduction

 Problems with many memory aids:

 1.        It is often almost as hard to remember many of the memory aids as it is to remember the original facts.

 2.        Most mnemonics contain excessive information rather than selecting the main facts.

 3.        The most important/common facts are often found late in a mnemonic with rarer facts featured more prominently because they fit in better with the mnemonic.

 4.        These mnemonics are often used excessively, including where understanding or logical frameworks are more useful.

An example of a mnemonic that I found useful as an intern is as follows: 

The treatment of asthma = ASTHMA

 A=      Adrenergics

S=      Steroids

T=       Theophyllines (althouigh not used as much now though)

H=      Hydration

M=      Mask

A=      Antibiotics if necessary.

This type of mnemonic exhibits the following important characteristics.

 1.        It is simple and easy to remember as the letters represent a word relevant to the issue in question.  It is therefore impossible to forget.

 2.        The mnemonic contains the important details only rather than nuances and trivial items relevant to specific contingencies.

 3.        The list of therapeutic options follows the sequence normally utilized in treating asthmatic patient's i.e.,

a.        Adrenergics (inhaled Salbutamol etc.) are the first line of therapy for mild asthma and also for more severe asthma in the form of nebulisations of IV therapy.

b.        A second line choice of therapy is steroids.  On an outpatients basis inhaled steroids represent second line therapy and of course systemic steroids are utilized in the emergency situation.

c.        Oral theophyllines represent another line of therapy in these patients and, in the emergency situation, intravenous aminophylline is utilized. These drugs are not used much now, but they form part of the original mnemonic, for illustration purposes.

d.        Hydration is essential to prevent inspiration of airway mucus in patients with asthma.  This is particularly important in the emergency situation where intravenous hydration is crucial.

e.        Using the word mask rather than oxygen reminds the attending physician that one should consider chronic CO2 retention and utilize a low flow (24%) oxygen mask in those patients who are at risk of hypoventilation if high flow oxygen is used.

f.        Infections commonly precipitate asthma and therefore antibiotics should be utilized if that situation is present.

 4.        The memory aids utilized here have the following characteristics:                      

1)       The are selected as being easy to remember.  They utilize either repetitive letters (e.g. AAA), or simples words (e.g. ASTHMA in the example above or LEAD for lead poisoning), simples poems (e.g. the six major causes of interstitial lung disease in section 2) or simple sentences where each word represents part of the relevant disease (e.g. the word "medical" causes of abdominal pain in section 3).  It is essential because of these facts these memory aids are simple and easy to remember, particularly in stressful situations such as exams, emergencies and out of hours consultations at times of busyness and fatigue.

 2)       These memory aids list only the major causes.  No all-inclusive list is ever required to be memorized.  In exams you will almost certainly be cut short after you get beyond the first three or four major answers to any question.  The major facts are what individual clinicians carry with them and, when they have exhausted this list (which they will by definition do only infrequently) they find it safer to consult the referenced text than to trust the deeper recesses of their memory.

 3)       In all of these examples of memory aids the most important facts are listed first.  Thus whether in an exam situation or a clinical situation you will not be thinking of less common answers first.

 4)       Memory aids are not listed here in those areas where understanding or logical framework are more useful.  There a clear understanding of the process is more helpful, that should be used instead of a memory aid.

          How to generate your own memory aids:

          Within the constraints listed above, you will no doubt find it useful to generate your own memory aids in different clinical situations.  You will find it most helpful to include names, faces and places with which you are familiar in your own memory aids.  You should also remember classical cases that you have seen and visualize these cases when you think of the relevant disease. If you create a mental image, make sure it has action - that is proven to make it easier to remember. So visualize an active scene, not a static one, and make it bizarre if possible.

           Within this document sufficient space has been allowed for you to make your own notes and diagrams and to add or subtract to each list.  This booklet does not include exhaustive lists of causes, treatments etc.  Exhaustive lists have been published elsewhere and readers are advised to consult those publications if such lists are required.

 It will be very unrewarding for you to try to read this booklet from beginning to end at one sitting and expect to assimilate more than a fraction of the information.  Each section contains relevant memory aids, descriptions of processes and logical frameworks for understanding medicine which should be consulted in the context of clinical case material plus relevant textbooks.  The student is then in a position to commit the information to memory in the best possible way.

 The following memory aids were either generated by myself or given to me by others.  You will find some more useful than others, feel free to take and use those that are helpful.

They are not re-checked and updated, so the responsibility for doing that is yours.

GASTROENTEROLOGY:

 HISTORY AND EXAMINATION

Causes of a massive spleen  =  MMM

Myelofibrosis

Myeloid leukaemia (chronic)

Malaria

Causes of abdominal distension  =  FFFFF

Fat

Fluid

Faeces

Foetus

Flatus

Causes of weigh loss with a normal appetite

Thin Can Still Die

TH        =  thyrotoxicosis

IN         =  Infections  e.g. parasitic

CAN      =  cancer

STILL    =  steatorrhoea 

DIE       =  diabetes mellitus

Causes of atrophic glossitis  =  AAA

Anaemia (iron, B12, folate)

Antibiotics

Avitaminosis (B2, B3, B12)

MALABSORPTION

Bacterial reasons for malabsorption =  BB

B12 is consumed

Bile salts are deconjugated

What is absorbed in the terminal ileum?  =  BB

B12

Bile Salts

Bruising in flanks  =  AA

Acute pancreatitis

Aortic aneurysmal rupture (retroperitoneally)

Whipples disease  =  malabsorption plus a PLAN

Pigmentation

Lymphadenopathy

Arthritis

Neurological changes

DIARRHOEA

Infectious diarrhoeas to consider in a patient who has been overseas  =  ABCDEFG

Amoebic dysentery

Bacilliary dysentery

Cholera

‘D’yphoid

E Coli (eg. traveller's diarrhoea)

Food poisoning

Giardia

Inflammatory bowel disease

Treatment of ulcerative colitis  =  SSSS

Supportive (eg. fluids etc.)

Steroids (local initially)

Salazopyrine

Surgery

Small bowel obstruction with no scars  =  CLAN

Crohn's disease

Lymphoma

Acid fast bacilli

Neoplasia

"Medical" causes of abdominal pain  (to be considered after the "surgical" causes have been excluded).

Angie's Addicted Family Cat Let Her Poor Sick Hen Die on the Kitchen Table.

Angioedema (familial)

Addison's disease

Familial Mediterranean fever

Calcium disturbances (e.g. hyperparathyroidism)

Lead poisoning

Herpes zoster (pre-rash)

Porphyria

Sickle cell crisis

Henoch-Schonlein purpura

Diabetes mellitus (e.g. hypoglycaemic episodes)

Kidney failure (uraemia)

Tabes (tabetic crisis)

 HEPATOBILIARY DISEASE

Causes of gallstones  =  SSSS

Solute

Stasis

Seeding

Causes of hepatitis   =   ABC (hep virus) then DIAL for help

Drugs (alcohol, toxins, drugs)

Infection (I mononucleosis, amebic)

Autoimmune

Leptospirosis (has also meningoencephalitis, renal dysfunction)

Incubation periods

Hepatitis A  =  2-6 weeks

Hepatitis  B  =  2-6 months

Worsening ascities   =   TTT

Tumour (eg. hepatoma)

Thrombosis of portal vein

Tuberculosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis associations   =   MMM

Middle aged female

antiMitochrondrial antibody

M antibody (IgM)

Chronic pancreatitis – associations  =   ABCD

Abdominal pain

Booze

Calcification on x-ray

Diabetes mellitus

Post-operative jaundice   =   ABCD

Anaesthetic (halothane)

Bile duct tied off / obstructed

Calculus left behind

Drugs

Relapsing jaundice   =   RAID

Relapsing hepatitis

Alcoholic

Intermittent

Drugs

Persistent hepatitis antigen   =   CCCC

Carrier

Congenital Disease

Chronic active hepatitis

Cirrhosis

Results of portal hypertension   =  HHH

Haemorrhage

Hypersplenism

Hepatic fetor and hand flap (portosystemic encephalopathy)

NEUROLOGICAL

Causes of coma  -  cerebral or extracerebral

CEREBRAL  =  FETCH

Fit (convulsion)

Encephalitis

Trauma

Cancer

Haemorrhage or other cerebrovascular accident

EXTRACEREBRAL   =   SUGARS

Septicaemia

Uraemia or other major organ failure

Glucose low

Risky drugs

Sodium low or other metabolic change

Alternative   =  AEIOU

Accident (trauma, cerebrovascular)

Epilepsy

Infection (intra and extracranial)

Overdose (self-induced)

Uraemia and other metabolic causes (diabetes, Addison's disease, hypothyroidism, hypoxia, and other organ failures)

Fainting on neck turning   =   CC

Carotid sinus hypersensitivity

Cervical spondylosis

Global brain disease   =  PUPS

Perseveration

Upward gaze failure

Palmo-mental reflex

Synkinesia

CRANIAL NERVES

Unilateral Ptosis

Pupil dilated   =  third nerve

Pupil constricted   =   Horner's syndrome

Brain stem diagram

Courses of the second, third and seventh cranial nerves

Features of bulbar disease   =   DD

Dysarthria

Dysphagia

MOTOR CHANGES

Side effects of Levodopa   =  LEVODOPA

Liver dysfunction

Extra – blood (positive Coombes) gout, flushes

Vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea

Ocular – glaucoma

Dyskinesia

On – off  phenomenon

Personality changes

Arrhythmias and hypertension

Causes of peripheral neuropathy   =   ABCDE

Alcohol and other drugs

B1, B12 deficiency

Cancer

Diabetes

Exotic (lead, dyphtheria, leprosy)

Raised intracranial pressure triad   =

Headache

Vomiting

Papilloedema

ENDOCRINE

Causes of galactororrea   =   PPP

Physiological

Pituitary (tumours or stalk rupture)

Pharmacological (alpha methyldopa, maxolon/stemetil, phenothiazines,oestrogens)

DIABETES MELLITUS

Symptoms of hypoglycaemia   =   SCAR

Sweating

Confused

Abdominal pain

Respiratory rate increases

Diabetic vascular disease   =  AA

Angiopathy

Atheroma

Unusual causes of diabetes   =   ABCDE

Acromegaly

Bronze diabetes (haemochromatosis)

Cushings disease

Drugs (steroids, thiazides)

Esoteric

Failure to control diabetes =   III

Infection

Insulin resistance

Incidental disease (A to E as above)

Treatment of hypersosmolar non-ketotic diabetic state

 -  half strength saline

 -  half strength insulin

Symptoms of Addison's disease   =   “The 4 Ps”

Pooped

Pewking

Pigmented

Posturally hypotensive

Features that precipitate Addison's disease   -   SSS

Stress

Septicaemia (eg. menginococcal)

Surgery of the adrenal gland

Multiple endrocrine adenomatosis syndrome   =   PPPPP

Parathyroid

Pituitary

Pancreatic islets (ZE)

Pheochromotocytoma

Phyroid (medullary carcinoma)

Hand features in hyperthyroidism   =  CATS

Clubbing

Acropachy

Tremor

Sweaty and hot

Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid   =   CCC

C-Cells

Calcitonin

CEA

Features of hypothyroidism   =   CCC

Clinical

Cholesterol increased

CPK

Features of hypercalcaemia   =  Stones, Bones, Moans, Groans, Thrones and Psychological Overtones

Stones   =   renal or biliary

Bones    =   bone pain due to osteodystrophy

Moans   =   peripheral pain (eg. muscle pain, pseudogout)

Groans   =   abdominal pains to due pancreatitis, peptic ulcer,

pancreatic adenoma (…..etc)

Thrones =  polyuria [using the 'throne' ie. toilet]

Causes of short stature   =

(achondroplasia, Down's syndrome, vitamin D-resistant Ricketts)

Non-drug causes of SIADH   =   TTT

Tumours (intrathoracic)

Trauma to brain (trauma, stroke, infection)

Tuberculosis

Abnormal hirsutism   =   ABCD

Acromegaly

Birth tendency

Cushing's disease

Dilantin and other drugs

Virulism   =   congenital, ovarian, adrenal, drugs

MUSCULOSKELETAL

Causes of acute arthritis   =   pus, blood, crystals, crud

Pus   =   septic arthritis

Blood   =   haemarthrosis

Crystals   =   gout or pseudogout

Crud   =   all the connective tissue diseases

Connective tissue diseases   =   seropositive (rheumatoid arthritis or seronegative (RAPE)

Reiters-reactive

Ankylosing spondylitis

Psoriasis

Enteropathic (Crohn's ulcerative colitis)

Ie. ask about bowels, back, skin, clap

Causes of a false positive rheumatoid factor   =   SSSSSS

Sarcoidosis

Still's disease

SLE

Scleroderma

SBE

Septic

Difference between Still's disease and adult rheumatoid arthritis   =  SMARTS

Systemic features

Mono-oligarticular

Anterior uveitis

Rheumatoid factor negative

Two years old (median age)

Salmon pink rash

Features of Reiter's syndrome   =   DACS

Discharge or diarrhoea

Arthritis

Conjunctivitis

Skin disease

Temporal arteritis

Muscle aches

Eye changes

Jaw claudication

ESR

Associations with dermatomyositis   =   CCC

Carcinoma

Cardiac disease

Connective tissue disease features eg. Raynaud's

HAEMATOLOGY

General Values

Normal  MCV   =    75-100

Normal Blood differential   =  60/30/6/3/1

60% neutrophils

30% lymphocytes

6% monocytes

3% eosinophils

1% basophils

Causes of an ESR over 100   =   MM, CA, TB,TA

MM   =   Multiple myeloma

CA   =   Carcinoma

TA   =   Tuberculosis

TA   =   Temporal arteritis

Blood groups to know

Individuals have antibodies against the groups that they do not have themselves

Universal donor   =   O negative

Universal recipient   =   AB

Causes of eosinophilia   =  APPLES

Allergies (eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma)

Parasites

Pulmonary disease (eg. eosinophilic pneumonia)

Lymphoma

Eosinophilic leukaemia and other leukaemias

Secondary carcinoma

Causes of non-megaloblastic macrocytosis   =   HHHHH

Hepatic disease

Hypothyroidism

Hodgkin's disease

Haemolytic anaemia

Hydantoin

Causes of anaemia   =  reduced production or increased loss

Reduced production   =  

A)  THE FACTORS  (iron, B12, folate, vitamin C, protein)

B)  THE FACTORY (Marrow  -leukaemia, lymphoma, myelofibrosis, carcinoma, myeloma)

Increased loss 

A)  OUTSIDE THE BODY (haemorrhage)

B)  INSIDE THE BODY (HHH) Haemorrhage,Haemolysis, Hypersplenism

Causes of target cells   =   SLIT

Splenectomy

Liver disease

Iron Deficiency

Thalassemia

Causes of pancytopoenia

Same as anaemia

Abnormal findings in polycythaemia

Ascites in hepatomegaly (cor pulmonale)

Palpable kidney (renal carcinoma)

Splenomegaly (oplycythaemia rubra vera)

Others

Complications of busulphan therapy   =   PPP

Pigmentation

Platelet count falls

Pulmonary fibrosis

RENAL / ELECTROLYTES ETC

Low sodium   =   observe potassium

If low or normal   =   SIADH

If high   =   Addison's disease

Chronic renal failure is a syndrome of uraemia, anaemia and hypertension.

Skin changes in uraemia   =   PPPP

Pruritis

Pallor

Petechiae

Pigmentation

Causes of polyuria   =   DDDD

Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes insipidus (including psychogenic polydipsia)

Dialysis list (chronic renal failure)

D  -  vitamins (hypercalcaemia)

Causes of jaundice with acute renal failure (excluding haemolysis )   =   HIT

Hepato-renal syndrome (especially cirrhosis)

Infections (eg leptospirosis)

Toxins (eg. CCL4, paracetemol)

Treatment of chronic renal failure prior to dialysis

Antihypertensives

Antacids

Allopurinol

Antibiotics

Appropriate organ therapy (eg. joints, parathyroids, blood etc.)

Causes of chronic renal failure   =   CHOPIN TWINS

Chronic gromerulonephritis

Hypertension

Obstruction

Podagra

Ischaemia

Nephritis

Chronic pyelonephritis

Hypercalcaemia

Organ disease (eg. hepato-renal)

Phenacetin

Iatrogenic

Nephrotic syndrome

Complications of peritoneal dialysis   =   PPP

Peritonitis

Pneumonia (Diaphragmatic splinting)

Protein loss

Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome   =   PPP

Paediatrics

Pregnancy

Pill (contraceptive)

Causes of renal stones   =   SSS

Solute concentration

Seeding

Stasis

Abnormalities in the eyes in a patient with polyuria

Diabetic fundus, cataracts

Pituitary disease (visual fields, exophthalmos)

Calcium changes (band keratopathy)

Chronic renal failure (hypertension, anaemia)

METABOLIC DISORDERS

Hyperlipidemia   =   2ABC

2A  =  beta lipoprotein   =  cholesterol

MISCELLANEOUS

SHOCK

Is either....

a) hypovolemic

(loss of blood outside the body,  eg GI bleed,  or inside, eg intraabdominal bleed or big fracture,  tor loss of fluids eg. diarrnoea, burns)

b) normovolemic

A - anaphylactic

B - bacterial eg. septic shock

C - cardiogenic.

Causes of vascular instability leading to purpura   =   SSS

Senile

Steroids

Scurvy

Causes of erythema multiformae

Simplex

Streptococcus

Sulphurs

Sedatives

SLE

Leukaemia

Nail changes in psoriasis   =   PSO

Pitting

Subungal hyperkeratosis

Oil drop

Causes of unnatural pigmentation   =

Addison's  disease

Haemochromatosus

Prophyria

Black and white skin   =   vitiligo with Addison's disease

Photosensitivity   =   SAND

SLE

Albinos

Niacin deficiency (pellagra)

Drugs (eg. Tetracyclines, phenothiazines, thiazides, sulphonamides

Pemphigoid   =  older (legs larger_

Pemphigus    =   usually younger (mouth, minisize)

Causes of leg ulcers   =   VINEGAR

Venus

Ischaemia

Neoplasis

Esoteric (eg. neuropathies)

Gumma

Anaemia

Rare (eg. Pyoderma gangrenosum)

Eye examination   =   CAPER

Confrontaton

Acuity

Pupil and corneal reflexes

Extraocular movements

Retina

Conjunctival sludging   =  Sick Ribs Die Crying

Sickle cell disease

Riboflavin deficiency

Diabetes Mellitus

Cryoglobulinaemia

Causes of night blindness   =   retinitis pigmentosa and vitamin A deficiency

Causes of scotomas