Cardiology Mnemonics

Dpt. Aamir Memon 11/28/2013

Cardiology Mnemonics

SYNCOPE ACLS

Anxiety

Cardiovascular causes

Los s of volume/orthostasis

Seizure/neurologic causes

→A more comprehensive and mechanistic approach to the problem of syncope is summarized by the following

mnemonic:

VASOVAGALS

Volume loss

Anxiety attack

Seizure/CVA

Obstruction of venous return (micturition , Valsalva , cough , myxoma)

Vasodepressor/Vasoconstrictor defect

Arrhythmia

Glucose drop

Aortic dissection

Low cardiac output

Shy-Drager/Sympathetic dysfunction

→ A comprehensive list of the individual entities causing syncope is summarized by the mnemonic:

THIS-MADE-ME-DAMN-VAGAL

Tamponade

Hypertensive crisis

Intra cranial hemorrhage/CVA

Seizure

Myocardial infarction

Aortic dissection

Drugs

Emotion/anxiety attack

Micturition/tussive

Embolus (P E)

Dysrhythmia

Addison's

Migraine (basilar)

Neurocardiogenic

Volume loss

Aortic stenosis/obstruction

Glucose drop

Autonomic dysfunction

Low cardiac output (CH F)

ARRHYTHMIA ACID-ME

Adrenergic stimuli

Conduction system disease

Ischemia

Drugs

Mechanical stimuli (e. g. stretch, PA catheter)

Electrolytes

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION I-H AVE-A-FIB

Ischemia

Hyperthyroidism

Acute pericarditis

Valvular heart disease (especially mitral stenosis)

Embolus (PE)

Atrial septal defect

Failure (CH F)

Infection

Booze

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE ISCHEMIA- PA-CATHS

Low output

Ischemia

Sub acute bacterial endocarditis

Cardiomyopathy

Hypertension

Effusion/tamponade

Mitral valve disease

Infectious myocarditis

Aortic valve disease

High output

Paget/myeloma

A -V fistula

Cardiac shunt

Anemia

Thiamine deficiency (beri-beri)

Hyperthyroidism

Sepsis

→ The following mnemonic summarizes the important considerations in decompensated CHF. All of these entities

should be considered when determining the cause of CHF exacerbation.

EDEMA-TOES

Embolus

Dysrhythmia

Eclampsia/pregnancy

Myocardial infarction

Anemia

Thyroid disease

Over exertion/excessive fluid or salt

Elevated blood pressure

Sepsis/infection

HYPOTENSION BP-DECLINED

Blood loss

Poor O2 intake

Diarrhea/D ehydration

E ndocrine (e.g. Ad dison's)

Cardiac disease

Liver failure

Infection/sepsis

Neuropathy (autonomic)

Em bolus (pulmonary)

Drugs

PERICARDITIS PR-DIP-ST-UP

Post -pericardiotomy

Rheumatic fever

Drugs

Infection (TB, viral , pyogenic)

Pulmonary embolus

SLE

Thyroid disease

Uremia

Post-M I (acute, Dressler)

→ Here is a mnemonic for the differential diagnosis of pericarditis:

IT-CAUSED-PERICARDITIS

Infection (viral, bacterial, mycobacterial, fungal, parasitic)

Tumor (primary, metastatic)

Collagen-vascular diseases (e.g. SLE, RA, scleroderma)

Acute M I

Uremia

Sarcoidosis

Embolus

Dressler's

Post-pericardiotomy

External trauma

Rheumatic fever

Inherited (familial, FMF)

Cholesterol/Chylopericardium

Atrial-septal defect

Ruptured aortic aneurysm

Drugs (procainamide, hydralazine, and others)

Idiopathic

Thyroid disease (myxedema)

Irradiation

Severe, chronic anemia

RESTRICTIVE CARDIAC DISEASE A-STIFFER-CHF

Amyloid

Sarcoidosis

Tumor infiltration

Idiopathic

Fibrosis (endomyocardial )

Fabry's

Eosi nophilic

Radiation

Constrictive pericarditis

Hypertension/H ypertrophy

Fe overload (hemochromotosis)