Medical Mnemonics – Symptoms of Depression – “A SAD FACES”

Medical Mnemonics: Symptoms of Depression

It’s Medical Mnemonics Monday! Depression is an important topic to understand for any medical board exam, including the ABIM exam or USMLE Step exams. Symptoms of depression can be remembered by the mnemonic “A SAD FACES”

• A = Appetite (Weight Change)
• S = Sleep (Insomnia / Hypersomnia)
• A = Anhedonia
• D = Dysophria
• F = Fatigue
• A = Agitation / Retardation
• C = Concentration Diminished
• E = Esteem (Low) / Guilt
• S = Suicide / Thoughts of Death

You can see a list of our previous Medical Mnemonics here.

Medical Mnemonics: Signs of Hypercalcemia – Bones, Stones, Groans, and Moans

It’s Medical Mnemonics Monday! In a previously Monday Mnemonic, we discussed the causes of Hypercalcemia. Today we discuss the signs of hypercalcemia

• Painful Bones – Painful bone condition (Classically osteitis fibrosa cystica)
• Renal Stones – Kidney Stones (Can ultimately lead to renal failure)
• Abdominal Groans -GI symptoms: Nausea, Vomiting, Constipation, Indigestion
• Psychiatric Moans – Effects on nervous system: lethargy, fatigue, memory loss, psychosis, depression

You can see a list of our previous Medical Mnemonics here.

Medical Mnemonics – Common Signs of Parkinson’s Disease

Medical Mnemonics – Parkinson’s Disease

It’s Medical Mnemonics Monday! Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that, in the early stages, is characterized by mild signs that are often missed. These signs can be remembered by the mnemonic “SMART”

• S = Shuffling-Gait
• M = Mask-like Face
• A = Akinesia
• R = Rigidity
• T = Tremor

You can see a list of our previous Medical Mnemonics here.

Medical Mnemonics: Causes of Hypercalcemia - CHIMPANZEES

Medical Mnemonics: Causes of Hypercalcemia

It’s Medical Mnemonics Monday! Hypercalcemia (Elevated calcium levels) is a commonly tested condition on any medical exam board including the internal medicine boards. Often, in mild hypercalcemia, there are no signs or symptoms on the condition. In more severe cases, you may see symptoms such as nausea / vomiting, muscle weakness, confusion, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, and constipation. Causes of hypercalcemia can be remembered by the mnemonic “CHIMPANZEES”

• C – Calcium supplementation
• H – Hydrochlorothiazide
• I – Iatrogenic, immobilization
• M – Multiple myeloma, milk-alkali syndrome, medication (e.g Lithium)
• P – Parathyroid hyperplasia or adenoma
• A – Alcohol
• N – Neoplasm (e.g breast cancer, lung cancer)
• Z – Zollinger Ellison syndrome
• E – Excessive vitamin D
• E – Excessive vitamin A
• S – Sarcoidosis

Check out the list of the previous Medical Mnemonics here.

Medical Mnemonics - Causes of Papillary Necrosis - "POSTCARDS"

Mnemonic for causes of Papillary Necrosis _ “POSTCARDS”

It’s Medical Mnemonics Monday!

Renal Papillary Necrosis is a form of nephropathy characterized by coagulative necrosis of the renal medullary pyramids and papillae.  Causes of Papillary Necrosis can be remembered by the mnemonic “POSTCARDS”.

• Pyelonephritis
• Obstruction of the urogenital tract
• Sickle cell disease
• Tuberculosis
• Chronic liver disease,
• Analgesia/alcohol abuse,
• Renal transplant rejection
• Diabetes mellitus
• Systemic vasculitis

Check out the list of the previous Medical Mnemonics here.

Internal Medicine Board Review: Causes of Microcytic Anemia (“TICS”)

MARCH 17, 2014 / RAVI BHATIA

Medical Mnemonics – Causes of Microcytic Anemia – “TICS”

It’s Medical Mnemonics Monday!

Microcytic anemia is defined as “the presence of small, often hypochromic, red blood cells in a peripheral blood smear and is usually characterized by a low MCV.” One of the most popular and well known medical mnemonics is “TICS” – used to remember the causes of microcytic anemia.

• T – Thalassemia
• I – Iron Deficiency
• C – Chronic Disease
• S – Sideroblastic anemia

Check out the list of the previous Medical Mnemonics here.

Medical Mnemonics: Antiobiotics contraindicated during Pregnancy

Medical Mnemonics: Antibiotics Contraindicated in Pregnancy

Antibiotics contraindicated in pregnancy are important to know and understand. They can be remembered by a simple mnemonic “MCAT”

• M – Metronidazole
• C – Chloramphenicol
• A – Aminoglycoside
• T – Tetracyclines

Check out the list of the previous Medical Mnemonics here.