Medical Mnemonics for Examinations
1. ANATOMY

# GI Anatomy
From proximal to distal:
- Duodenum
- Jejunum
- Ileum
- Appendix
- Colon
- Sigmoid
- Rectum

# Brachial Plexus Organization
- Roots
- Trunks
- Divisions
- Cords
- Branches

# Cranial Nerves
- I - olfactory
- II - optic
- III - oculomotor
- IV - trochlear
- V - trigeminal
- VI - abducens
- VII - facial
- VIII - acoustic (vestibulocochlear)
- IX - glossophrayngeal
- X - vagus
- XI - accessory
- XII - hypoglossal

# Extraocular Muscles Innervation
- LR 6 - Lateral Rectus by the VI  cranial nerve (Abducens)
- SO 4 - Superior Oblique by the IV cranial nerve (Trochlear)
- 3 - The remaining by the III cranial nerve (Occulomotor)
- L - Lateral Rectus
- A - Abducens Nerve
- S - Superior Oblique
- T - Trochlear Nerve

# Facial Nerve Branches
- Temporal
- Zygomatic
- Buccal
- Mandibular
- Cervical

# Penis Innervation
- Parasympathetic causes erection
- Sympathetic causes ejaculation
- Innervation of the penis by branches of the pudendal nerve, derived from spinal cord levels S 2-4

# Aorta Branches
- Aortic arch gives off the:
- B - Bracheiocephalic trunk
- C - Left Common Carotid
- S - Left Subclavian artery

# Femoral Triangle Structures in Order
- Nerve
- Artery
- Vein
- Empty space
- Lymphatics
- Parenthesis includes things contained in the femoral sheath.
2. CELL BIOLOGY

# Cell Division Phases
- P - Prophase
- M - Metaphase
- A - Anaphase
- T - Telophase

# Cell Cycle Stages
- G1 phase - Growth phase 1
- S phase - DNA synthesis
- G2 phase - Growth phase 2
- M phase - Mitosis
- C phase - Cytokinesis

# Golgi Complex Functions
- Distributes proteins and lipids from ER
- Add mannose onto specific lysosome proteins
- Sulfation of sugars and slected tyrosine
- Proteoglycan assembly
- Add O-oligosugars to serine and threnonine
- Modify N-ologosugars on asparagine

# Collagen
- C - C-terminal propeptide (procollagen) / Covalent Cross links/ C vitamin/ Connective tissue/Cartilage/Chondroblasts/Copper Cofactor (Covalent Cross linking)
- O - Outside the cell is where collagen normally functions/ Osteoblasts/ Osteogenesis imperfecta
- L - Lysyl hydroxylase / Lysyl oxidase (oxidatively deaminates lysyl and hydroxylysyl residues to form collagen cross links, last biosynthesis step)
- L - Long triple helical fibers / Ligaments
- A - Alpha chains / Attached by H bonds form triple helix / Ascorbate for hydroxylation of lysyl and prolyl residues of pro-Alpha chains
(postranslational modification)
- G - Gly in every third position / Glycosylation of hydroxyl group of hydroxylysine with Glucose and Galactose;GOlgi allows procollagen to GO outside of cell
- E - Extracellular matrix / Eye (cornea, sclera) / Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- N - N-terminal propeptide (procollagen) / Nonhelical terminal extensions

# Carbon Monoxide: Electron Transport Chain Target
Carbon monoxide (CO) blocks Cytochrome Oxidase (CO)

# Hemoglobin Binding Curve: Right Shift Causes
- C = Increase in carbon dioxide
- A = Acidosis (low ph)
- D = Increase in 2,3 DPG aka 2,3 BPG
- E = Exercise
- T = increase in temperature
3. RECEPTORS

# G-proteins Receptors
In alphabetical order
- Q: alpha 1
- I: alpha 2
- S: beta 1
- S: beta 2
- Q: M1
- I: M2
- Q: M3

# Adrenaline Mechanism
- Adrenaline--> activates
- Beta receptors--> increases
- Cyclic AMP
4. BIOCHEMISTRY

# Enzymes Classification
- O - Oxidoreductases
- T - Transferases
- H - Hydrolases
- I - Isomerases
- L - Ligases
- L - Lyases

# Glycolysis Enzymes
- Hexokinase
- Phosphohexo isomerase
- Phosphofructokinase-1 (6-phosphofructo-1 kinase)
- Aldolase, Triose phosphate isomerase
- Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase
- Phosphoglycerate kinase
- Phosphoglycerate mutase
- Enolase
- Pyruvate kinase

# Glycolysis Steps
- Glucose
- Glucose-6-P
- Fructose-6-P
- Fructose-1,6-diP
- Dihydroxyacetone-P
- Glyceraldehyde-P
- 1,3-Biphosphoglycerate
- 3-Phosphoglycerate
- 2-Phosphoglycerate (to)
- Phosphoenolpyruvate  Pyruvate - 'Did', 'By' and 'Pies' tell you the first part of those three: di-, bi-, and py-.
- 'PrEPare' tells location of PEP in the process. 
5. METABOLISM

# Metabolism Sites
- Heme synthesis
- Urea cycle
- Gluconeogenesis
These reactions occur in both cytoplasm and mitochondria

# AcetylCoA and AcetacetylCoA
Amino acids forming them:
- A=AcetylCoA or Acetoacetyl CoA
- Ly=Lysine
- Tr=Tryptophan
- Le=Leucine
- Is=Isoleucine

# Citric Acid Cycle Compounds
- Oxaloacetate
- Citrate
- Isocitrate
- alpha-Ketoglutarate
- Succinyl-CoA
- Succinate
- Fumarate
- Malate
- Citrate
- Isocitrate
- alpha-Ketogluterate
- Succinyl CoA
- Succinate
- Fumerate
- Malate
- Oxaloacetate
- Oxaloacetate
- Citrate
- Isocitrate, alpha-Ketoglutarate
- Succinyl CoA
- Succinate
- Fumarate
- Malate

# Citric Acid Cycle Enzymes
- Citrate synthatase
- Aconitase
- Isocitrate dehydrogenase
- Alpha ketogluturate dehydrogenase
- Succinyl CoA synthetase
- Succinate dehydrogenase
- Fumarase
- Malate Dehydrogenase

# Essential Amino Acids
- P - Phe
- V - Val
- T - Thr
- T - Trp
- I - Ile
- M - Met
- H - His
- A - Arg
- L - Leu
- L - Lys
- Pvt. is short for Private in the military
- Arg and His are considered semi-essential
- Alternatively: MATT VIL PHLy

# Creatine Phosphate: Amino Acid Precursors
- G - Glycine
- A - Arginine
- M - Methionine

# Branched Chain Amino Acids Catabolism Steps
- T - Transamination
- O - Oxidative decarboxylation
- D - Dehydrogenation

# Branched-chain Amino Acids Used by Skeletal Muscle (Fasting State)
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Valine

# Urea Cycle
- O - Ornithine
- C - Carbamoyl
- C - Citrulline
- A - Aspartate
- A - Arginosuccinate
- F - Fumarate
- A - Arginine
- U - Urea

# Pyrimidines Nucleotides
- Cytosine
- Uracil
- Thiamine
- The
- PYrimidines
6. ENZYME DEFICIENCIES

# G6PD: Oxidant Drugs Inducing Hemolytic Anemia
- Antibiotic (eg: sufamethoxazole)
- Antimalarial (eg: primaquine)
- Antipyretics (eg: acetanilid, but not aspirin or acetaminophen)

# Pompe's Disease
- POmpe's disease is a LYSosomal storage disease (alpha 1,4 glucosidase)

# Galactosemia
- Galactose 1 Phosphate Uridyl Transferase
- There is an assay called the Galiput test for this

# Fabry's Disease
- F - Foam cells found in glomeruli and tubules / Febrile episodes
- A - Alpha galactosidase A deficiency / Angiokeratomas
- B - Burning pain in extremities / BUN increased in serum / Boys
- R - Renal failure
- Y - YX genotype (male, X linked recessive)
- S - Sphingolipidoses

# Hurler Syndrome Features
- Heptosplenomegaly
- Ugly facies
- Recessive (AR inheritance)
- L-iduronidase deficiency (alpha)
- Eyes clouded
- Retarded
- Stubby fingers/Short

# Acute Intermittent Porphyria
- Pain in abdomen
- Polyneuropathy
- Psychologial abnormalities
- Pink urine
- Precipitated by drugs (eg barbiturates, oral contraceptives, sulpha drugs)
7. VITAMINS

# B Vitamins
In increasing order:
- T - Thiamine (B1)
- R - Riboflavin (B2)
- N - Niacin (B3)
- P - Pyridoxine (B6)
- C - Cobalamin (B12)

# Niacin Deficiency
- Diarrhea
- Dermatitis
- Dementia
- Death (if untreated)
Vitamin B3 (niacin, nicotinic acid) deficiency
- Dermatitis
- Diarrhea
- Dementia

# Folate Deficiency Causes
- Alcoholism
- Folic acid antagonists
- Oral contraceptives
- Low dietary intake
- Infection with Giardia
- Celiac sprue
- Dilatin
- Relative folate deficiency
- Old
- Pregnant

# Fat Soluble Vitamins
Fat soluble vitamins are A,D,E,K.'

# Hypervitaminosis A
- H - Headache / Hepatomegaly
- A - Anorexia / Alopecia
- R - Really painful bones
- D - Dry skin / Drowsiness
8. HISTORY TAKING

# Alcoholism Screening
- Have you ever felt it necessary to CUT DOWN on your drinking?
- Have you ever been ANNOYED when people suggest you cut down on your drinking?
- Have you ever felt GUILTY about your drinking?
- Have you ever felt the need to have a drink in the morning for an EYE OPENER?

# Chief Complaint
- O - Onset of pain:  what was the patient doing when the pain started?
- P - Palliative or Provocative factors for the pain
- Q - Quality of pain (burning, stabbing, aching, etc.)
- R - Radiation (up to jaw, down left arm, etc.)
- S - Severity of pain (usually 1 - 10 scale)
- T - Timing of pain (eg: after meals, in the morning, how long it lasts, etc.)
- S - Site of pain
- O - Onset of pain
- C - Character of pain: dull, sharp, aching, stabbing, tearing
- R - Radiation of pain: central abdominal pain radiating to Right Iliac Fossa
- A - Associated factors: eg. nausea/vomiting
- T - Timing of pain/duration
- E - Exacerbating/alleviating factors
- S - Severity of pain (1 - 10 scale)
- A - Aggravatiing and Alleviating factors
- S - Severity
- C - Character, quality
- L - Location
- A - Associated symptoms
- S - Setting
- T - Timing
NOTE: ASCLAST means let the patient talk first, then ask him/her specific questions.

# Hospital Admission Orders
- Diet
- Activity
- Vital signs: how often to monitor
- Excrement: test urine/stool
- Weight: how often to monitor
- I / O: monitor input/output
- Labs: which/how often
- Meds: which/route/interval
- I V fluids: what/at what rate
- Nursing care: e.g. position, wound care, up in chair, ostomy care
- General care: e.g. physical/respiratory therapy
- Tests: e.g. X-ray/EKG/EEG
- Observe for: reaction/seizure/neuro exams
- Notify parameters: e.g. Temperature > 100 F / respiration changes
After noting date and time of admission as well as diagnosis and condition (ADC), use the mnemonic to ensure all areas are addressed, but not all apply to every patient.
- Admit: 23 hours, full admit, service of attending
- Diagnosis
- Condition: "Stable"/"Guarded"
- Vitals: post-op, routine, q 1 hour
- Allergies
- Activities: strict bed rest/fall precautions/ad lib/bathroom privileges
- Nursing: strict I&O's/daily weights/call P.R.N.
- Diet: NPO/regular/clears/advance diet as tolerated/2000 cal ADA/renal
- IV fluids: D5, 1/2 NS, 20 KCL at 110 ml/hr, LR @ 100 ml/hr
- Meds: scheduled and PRN's
- Labs and X-ray: CBC in AM, PCXR in PACU
Note that IV fluids follows Diet. If one writes NPO, then all such patients get maintenance fluids (use the 4-2-1 rule).

# Post-Op Fever Causes
- Wind: pneumonia, atelectasis
- Wound: wound infections
- Water: urinary tract infection
- Walking: DVT/PE (walking can help reduce DVT/PE)
- Wonderdrugs: especially anesthesia

# Predisposing Conditions for Pulmonary Embolism
- T - Trauma
- O - Obesity
- M - Malignancy
- S - Surgery
- C - Cardiac disease
- H - Hospitalization
- P - Past history
- R - Rest (bed-bound)
- E - Estrogen, pregnancy, post-partum
- F - Fracture
- E - Elderly
- R - Road trip

# Compartment Syndrome Signs (Arterial Occlusion)
- Pain
- Pale (Pallor)
- Perishing with Cold (Poikilothermia)
- Pulseless
- Paresthesias
- Paralysis
9. PATHOLOGY

# Causes of Diseases
- Vascular
- Infectious
- Trauma
- Auto-immune
- Metabolic
- Idiopathic/Iatrogenic
- Neoplastic
- Congenital

# 5 Signs of Inflammation
- Rubor: redness/erythema
- Calor: raised temperature
- Tumor: swelling
- Dolor: pain
- Functio Laesa: loss of function
- Described by Celsus

# Hypersentivity Reactions (Gell & Goombs Classification)
- Type I   Anaphylaxis
- Type II  Cytotoxic-mediated
- Type III Immune-complex
- Type IV  Delayed hypersensitivity

# Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN)
Each of the MENs is a disease of three or two letters plus a feature; all are autosomal dominant.
- Pituitary
- Parathyroid
- Pancreas
- Plus Adrenal cortex
- Carcinoma of thyroid
- Catacholamines (pheochromocytoma)
- MEN IIA: parathyroid
- MEN IIB (MEN III): mucocutaneous neuromas for

# Acute Pneumonia Infiltrates
- Pyogenic bacteria: PMN infiltrate
- Miscellaneous microbes: Mononuclear infiltrate

# Takayasu's Disease/Pulseless Disease

# CBC Normal Differential
- Neutrophils: 60%
- Lymphocytes: 30%
- Monocytes: 6%
- Eosinophils: 3%
- Basophils: 1%
10. CAUSES

# Metabolic Acidosis Causes
- Methanol poisoning
- Uremia
- Diabetic Keto-acidosis
- Para-aldehyde ingestion
- Ischemia
- Lactic Acidosis
- Ethanol poisoning
- Salicylate ingestion

# Metabolic Acidosis (Normal Anion-Gap) Causes

## With Hyperkalemia
- RTA type 4
- Aldosterone or mineralocorticord deficiency
- Iatrogenic: NH4Cl, HCl
- "Stenosis": obstructive uropathy
- Early uremia

## With hypokalemia
- Renal TA type 1 and 2
- Diarrhoea
- Urine diversion into gut
- Carbonate anhydrase inhibitor
- Ex-hyperventilation

# BUN & Creatinine Elevation Causes
- A - Azotremia (pre-renal)
- B - Bleeding (GI)
- C - Catabolic status
- D - Diet (high protein parenteral nutrition)

# Hypercalcemia Causes
- Paget's Disease
- Amyloid
- Multiple Myeloma
- Sarcoid
- Cancer
- Hormomal (para-thyroid)
- Milk-alkali Syndrome
- Immobilization
- D-vitamin overdose
- Thyrotoxicosis
OR
- Malignancy
- Intoxication (hypervitaminosis)
- Sarcoidosis
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Alkali (Milk) syndrome
- Paget's Disease (bone)
Also consider Addison's disease, thiazide diuretics and simple lab error

# Acute Pancreatitis Causes
- Gall stones
- Ethanol
- Trauma
- Steroids
- Mumps
- Autoimmune disease
- Scorpion venom
- Hyperlipidemia
- ERCP (dye)
- Drugs (Azathioprine, Asparginase, Mercaptopurines, Pentamidine)
Alcohol and Gallstones are the most common causes.

# Back Pain Causes
- D-Degeneration: DJD, Osteoporosis, spondylosis
- I-Infection: UTI, PID, Potts, osteomyelitis, prostatitis, Injury/fracture, compression fracture
- S-Spondylitis, ankylosing Spondyloarthropathies (rheumatoid arthritis, Reiters,  SLE)
- K-Kidney stones/infarction/infection (pyelo/abscess)
- M-Multiple myeloma, Metastasis from breast, prostate, lung, thyroid, kidney CA
- A-Aneurysm, Abdominal pain referred to the back (see acute abdominal pain)
- S-Slipped disk, Spondylolisthesis
- S-Strain, Scoliosis/lordosis, Skin: herpes zoster
11. TREATMENT

# Syncope Management

# Malignant Hyperthermia Treatment
- S- Stop all triggering agents, give 100% O2
- H- Hyperventillate
- D- Dantrolene 2.5 mg/kg
- B- Bicarbonate
- G- Glucose and Insulin
- I- IV Fluids, Cooling Blanket
- F- Fluid Output; Furosemide
- T- Tachycardia, be prepared to treat V Tach
12. GENETICS

# Down Syndrome Features
- Congenital heart disease/ Cataracts
- Hypotonia/ Hypothyroidism
- Incure 5th finger/ Increased gap between 1st and 2nd toe
- Leukemia risk x2/ Lung problem
- Duodenal atresia/ Delayed development
- Hirshsprung's disease/ Hearing loss
- Alzheimer's disease/ Alantoaxial instability
- Squint/ Short neck
- Protruding tongue/ Palm crease
- Round face/ Rolling eye (nystagmus)
- Occiput flat/ Oblique eye fissure
- Brushfield spot/ Brachycephaly
- Low nasal bridge/ Language problem
- Epicanthic fold/ Ear folded
- Mental retardation/ Myoclonus
- Decreased alpha-fetoprotein and unconjugated estriol (maternal)
- One extra chromosome twenty-one
- Women of advanced age
- Non-disjunction during maternal meiosis
Chromosome 21

# Patau's Syndrome - Chromosome 13

# Edward's Syndrome - Chromosome 18

# DiGeorge (Velocardiofacial) Syndrome
- Cardiac abnormalities
- Abnormal facies
- Thymic aplasia
- Cleft palate
- Hypocalcemia
- 22q11 deletion

# Marfan Syndrome Features
- Mitral valve prolapse - MVP
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Retinal detachment
- Fibrillin
- Arachnodactyly
- Negative Nitroprusside test (differentiates from homocystinuria)

# Adult Polycystic Kidney Disease
Also,  and is due to a defect on chromosome 16.
ADult Polycystic Kidney Disease is  Autosomal Dominant
13. PEDIATRICS

# APGAR Score
- Appearance (color): blue/pale, trunk pink, all pink
- Pulse (heart rate): 0, <100, 100+
- Grimace (reflex irritability): 0, grimace, grimace+cough
- Activity (muscle tone): limp, some, active
- Respiration (respiratory effort): 0, irregular, regular
- Score 0-2 at 1 and 5 minutes in each of 5 categories, being 10 the perfect score.