Miscellaneous Cardiology Mnemonics

By : Dr. Subrahmanyam Karuturi

> EMD Arrest 4Hs 4Ts
Hypothermia, Hypo & hyper-electrolytes, Hypovolaemia, Hypoxia
Toxic (including drugs), Trauma, Tamponade, Tension pneumothorax

> Varicose veins: symptoms AEIOU:
Aching
Eczema
Itching
Oedema
Ulceration/ Ugly (LDS, haemosiderin, varicosities)

> APGAR score components · Five B's:
Breathing (respiratory effort)
Beating (heart rate)
Buff (tone)
Bothered (response to stimulation)
Blue (cyanosis)

> Anemia causes (simplified) ANEMIA:
Anemia of chronic disease
No folate or B12
Ethanol
Marrow failure & hemaglobinopathies
Iron deficient
Acute & chronic blood loss

> Fat embolism: findings "Fat, Bat, Fract":
Fat in urine, sputum
Bat-wing lung x-ray
Fracture history
· Also, fracture of FEMur causes Fat EMboli.

> Hemolytic anemia types SHEEP T!T:
Sickle cell
Heriditary splenocytosis
Enzyme deficiencies: [G6P, pyruvate kinase]
Erythroblastosis fetalis
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
Trauma to RBCs
Immunohemolytics: [warm Ab, cold Ag]
Thalassemias: [alpha, beta]

 
  > Disseminated Intravascular Cogulation: causes DIC:
Delivery TEAR (obstetric complications)
Infections (gram negative)/ Immunological
Cancer (prostate, pancreas, lung, stomach)
· Obstretrical complications are TEAR:
Toxemia of pregnancy
Emboli (amniotic)
Abrutio placentae
Retain fetus products

> Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: signs FAT RN:
Fever
Anemia
Thrombocytopenia
Renal problems
Neurologic dysfunction

> Anemia (normocytic): causes ABCD:
Acute blood loss
Bone marrow failure
Chronic disease
Destruction (hemolysis)

> TTP: clinical features Thrombosis and thrombocytopenia PARTNER together:
Platelet count low
Anemia (microangiopathic hemolytic)
Renal failure
Temperature rise
Neurological deficits
ER admission (as it is an emergency)

  > Macrocytic anaemia: differential FAT RBC:
Fetus (pregnancy)
Alcohol
Thyroid disease(ie hypothyroidism)
Reticulocytosis
B12 and folate deficiency
Cirrhosis and chronic liver disease

> Pancytopaenia differential "All Of My Blood Has Taken Some Poison":
Aplastic anaemias
Overwhelming sepsis
Megaloblastic anaemias
Bone marrow infiltration
Hypersplenism
TB
SLE
Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria

 
  > Haematology: key numbers 3 and 4 are key in in haematology:
1.34 cm3 of oxygen is carried by a gram of hemoglobin.
There's 3.4mg of iron in each gram of hemoglobin.
There's an average of 3.4 lobes per neutrophil.
There's 34mg bilirubin from each gram of hemoglobin.

> Anion gap metabolic acidosis: causes A MUDPILE CAT:
Alcohol
Methanol
Uremia
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Paraldehyde
Iron/ Isoniazid
Lactic acidosis
Ethylene glycol
Carbamazepine
Aspirin
Toluene
 
 
  > Metabolic acidosis: causes USED CAR:
Ureteroenterostomy
Saline hydration
Endocrinopathies (hyperparathyroid, hyperthyroid, Addison's)
Diarrhea/ DKA/ Drugs
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
Ammonium chloride
Renal tubular acidosis
· Alternatively: USED CARP, to include Parenteral nutrition/ Pancreatic fistula.

 
  > Non-gap acidosis: causes HARD UP:
Hyperalimentation
Acetazolamide (carbonic anhydrase inhibitors)
RTA
Diarrhea
Ureterosigmoidostomy
Pancreatic fistula

> Toxicity/ sepsis: signs 6 T's:
Tachycardia
Tachypnea
Tremors
Toxic look
Tiredness
Temperature (fever)

 
  > Macrocytic anemia: causes ABCDEF:
Alcohol + liver disease
B12 deficiency
Compensatory reticulocytosis (blood loss and hemolysis)
Drug (cytotoxic and AZT)/ Dysplasia (marrow problems)
Endocrine (hypothyroidism)
Folate deficieny/ Fetus (pregnancy)

> Ulcers: types VAN:
Venous/ Vasculitic
Arterial
Neuropathic

> Metabolic acidosis: causes KUSSMAL:
Ketoacidosis
Uraemia
Sepsis
Salicylates
Methanol
Alcohol
Lactic acidosis

> Anemia: non-megaloblastic causes of macrocytic anemia HAND LAMP:
Hypothyroidism
Aplastic anaemia
Neonates
Drugs
Liver disease
Alcohol
Myelodyplasia
Pregnancy

> Anion gap metabolic acidosis: causes MUDPILES:
Methanol
Uremia
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Paraldehyde
Infection
Lactic acidosis
Ethylene glycol
Salicylates

> Haemachromatosis complications "HaemoChromatosis Can Cause Deposits Anywhere":
Hypogonadism
Cancer (hepatocellular)
Cirrhosis
Cardiomyopathy
Diabetes mellitus
Arthropathy

> Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) causes BATS:
Berry aneurysm
Arteriovenous malformation/ Adult polycystic kidney disease
Trauma (eg being struck with baseball bat)
Stroke

> Malaria: complications of falciparum malaria CHAPLIN:
Cerebral malaria/ Coma
Hypoglycemia
Anaemia
Pulmonary edema
Lactic acidosis
Infections
Necrois of renal tubules (ATN)

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