Saturday, November 8, 2014

Scabies treatment mnemonic

Hello.
The mnemonic for this itchy disease is the word, "SCABIES" itself. I divided it into two parts, the scabicides and the extra drugs used for pruritus, keratolysis, etc. The mnemonic is the same for both.

Scabicides: "SCaBIes"
S for Sulphur ointment

C for Crotamiton

B for Benzyl benzoate

b flipped upside down looks like a p, for permethrin

I for Ivermectin

I also looks like a L, for Lindane

Extras: "SCAbies"
S for Salicylic acid
S for Salicylates
C for Calamine lotion
C for Corticosteroids
A for Antihistamines

Notes:
Use 5% permethrin.
L looks like 1, so 1% Lindane.

Ivermectin (200 micro g/kg) single oral dose. Patients with crusted Scabies may require two or more doses of ivermectin.

Salicylic acid is a keratolytic; allows good penetration of scabicides.

Antihistamines, salicylates, and calamine lotion relieve itching during treatment, and topical glucocorticoids are useful for the pruritus that lingers after effective treatment.

That's all!
-IkaN

Short acting bronchodilators and long acting bronchodilators mnemonic

Happy Saturday everyone!
Was studying bronchial asthma and COPD today :)

Metro are trains & trains are long. So any drug with "metro" like word is long acting.
List of long acting bronchodilators:
Salmeterol
Formoterol or Eformoterol
Arformoterol

Friday, November 7, 2014

Testicular tumors surgical management mnemonic

Because scrotal approach for biopsies could disseminate testicular tumors, Chevassu suggested inguinal exploration and occlusion of the testicular vessels before biopsy of suspicious lesions.

I use a pun to remember this - "Chew vessels" to prevent seeding: Chevassou.

Other facts you must remember are - Seminomas are radiosensitive. They respond to chemotherapy with cisplatin as well.

And that teratomas have frequent lymph node involvement.

That's all!

-IkaN

Remembering the autonomic innervation of the bladder

"PISS" is my memory aid for remembering, Parasympathetics make you Pee from S2 - S4 segments. (Two S's in piss, so S2)

So the opposite, sympathetic L1 and L2, allow urine to collect and are inhibitory to the detrusor muscle.

That's all!
-IkaN

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Treatment of organophosphorus poisoning mnemonic

Hey!

I focus on how to remember the doses of the medications in this post.

Atropine. aTWOpine. 2 mg IV every 5-10 minutes till full atropinisation occurs.

Pralidoxime is also known as 2-PAM. Two. So 20 mg/kg in 20 minutes is the loading dose. Half that, 10 mg/kg/hr is the maintenance.

Remember to remove the patient from further exposure and wash the skin, give gastric lavage.
Also catheterize the patient before atropine is given (viva concept).

For symptoms of muscarinic poisoning, the common mnemonics are "DUMBBELLS" and "Cholinergics make you leaky"

That's all!
-IkaN

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Leptospirosis and Weil's disease mnemonic

Mnemonic for leptospirosis
"LEPTOSPIRO "
Lymphadenopathy
Encephalitis (And meningitis)
Pain in abdomen
Transmitted through animal urine
Occipital headache
Suffusion (conjunctival)
Pericorneal reddening, Photophobia
Iridocyclitis
Retro orbital pain, Rash
O looks like a heart for bradycardia

Tuberous sclerosis mnemonic

Tuberous sclerosis makes me think of tubers. Tuber is a plant structure that stores nutrients. Like sweet potatoes. And you know who it reminds me of? Mrs. Potato head from Toy Story!
Tuberous sclerosis mnemonic

Epidural anaesthesia mnemonic

Hello!

The mnemonic is, "EPIDURAL"

EP: Epidural catheter is Placed and anaesthetic is infused

I for Indwelling catheter for additional injections later

D for delay (A 15-30 min delay in onset is seen with epidural anaesthesia)

U for urinary retention, a complication of epidural anaesthesia (Another complication that you must remember is hypotension)

R for Repeated prolonged infusion that can be given with epidural anaesthesia

A for Analgesia (Epidural is used for labor analgesia, post op pain and cancer pain)

L for Lidocaine (The letter L has two lines, so two percent is the dose. Two also reminds me of Touhy needle, used for the anaesthesia)
Another commonly used anaesthetic is 0.5% Bupivacaine.

That's all!
*sings* I've become so numb
-IkaN

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Tocolytic agents mnemonic

Happy Tuesday everyone!

The mnemonic for tocolytic drugs is, "ABC MNO"
A: Atobican
B : Beta mimetics like ritodrine (return to dreams)
C : Calcium channel blockers like Nifedipine
C : Cyclooxygenase inhibitors like Indomethacin
M : Magnesium sulphate
N : NO donors like Glyceryl trinitrate
O : Oxytocin antagonists like Atociban

A and O repeat twice, I wrote them anyway because they give a good flow :)

That's all!

I was asked an MCQ on this concept in my prelims. They asked which of the following drugs is NOT a tocolytic and they put 4 drugs. So it's important to know ALL the tocolytic drugs.

-IkaN

Cullen's sign, Grey Turner's sign and Fox's sign seen in pancreatitis mnemonic

These signs are seen in acute pancreatitis. Having a mnemonic to remember them makes me feel complete!

Cullen's sign mnemonic:
If you complete the C, it looks like an O; umbilicus looks like an O. So pancreatic enzymes seeping through the falciform ligament causing discoloration around the umbilicus is the Cullen's sign.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Hormones that have similar structure and thus clinical effects

ACTH and MSH:
In Addison's disease, increase in ACTH causes hyperpigmentation because it is similar to MSH.

HCG and TSH:
Patients with choriocarcinoma can present with hyperthyroidism. It's because HCG is similar to TSH.

Pitocin and pitressin:
The drug oxytocin can cause water retention because it is similar to vasopressin.

These are all I can think of for now, lemme know if you guys know any other hormones that are so similar that they are able to cause similar effects in our body.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Unilateral and bilateral causes of hydronephrosis






Status Epilepticus mnemonic

The drugs and the order in which they are used.
"Pam is funny and has a barbie."

Extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease mnemonic

I got this mnemonic online and found it very helpful.

I added some more information to it, my theory being, if I forget one manifestation; I have another one for backup.

Treatment of carcinoma penis mnemonic

When total scrotectomy with orchidectomy is done along with total amputation of the penis - it is known as "Sir Piersey Gold" operation.
I remember, "Scrotum Penis Gone" to remember the initials of this eponymous surgery. It prevents frequent dermatitis of the scrotal skin due to perineal urethrostomy and reduces sexual desire.
Young's radical operation for carcinoma penis is another name you have to remember:
The ilioinguinal lymph nodes bilaterally form a Y with the penis. (See image) Y for young's operation, that's how I remember!

Monday, October 27, 2014

Layers of hydatid cyst mnemonic and diagram

I somehow think of ALGae and PEE when I imagine the hydatid cyst, maybe because the cyst is fluid filled and algae grow in contaminated water. (My cue to write idk I am just weird!)

Anyway, that's your mnemonic.
Adventitia (Pseudocyst)
Laminated membrane (Ectocyst)
Germinal epithelium (Endocyst)

Differentials of inguinoscrotal swelling

Thought you might wanna know

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Treatment of MDR tuberculosis mnemonic

Hi everyone! 

This is a complicated mnemonic. Too many drugs but hopefully it will help you write a SAQ on it :)

Before I get to the mnemonic, here are some general principles. 

4 drugs to which the mycobacteria are susceptible should be used. 

6 months intensive phase is followed by a continuation phase for 18-24 months.
An injectable drug like kanamycin or streptomycin is dropped in the continuation phase.

1st group:
High-dose isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol are thought of as an adjunct for the treatment of MDR and XDR tuberculosis.

2nd group: Fluoroquinolones, of which the first choice is high-dose levofloxacin.

3rd group are the injectable drugs:
Capreomycin, amikacin, kanamycin.
Mnemonic: CAKe

4th group:
Cycloserine, aminosalicylic acid (PAS), thioamides (Ethionamide).
Mnemonic: CAT

If susceptibility to drugs is not available:
Give KEEPQ for 6 months and then PEEQ for 18 months (Drop the injectable, remember?)
Kanamycin
Ethionamide
Ethambutol
Pyrazinamide
Quinolone

If resistant to Rifampin and Isoniazid:
Give PEQS for 6 months and then PEEQ for 18 months.
Pyrazinamide
Ethambutol
Quinolone
Streptomycin
And then replace injectable Streptomycin with Ethionamide

If resistant to all first line drugs:
Quinolone + any one from CAKe + any two from CAT

That's all! 

-IkaN

Updated on 16th February, 2015:

Mnemonic for drug resistance in MDR TB:
HeR multi drug resistance. 
Resistance to H (Isoniazid) and R (Rifampin) is defined as MDR TB. 

Mnemonic for XDR TB:
Her extra fluorescent cake. 
Resistance to H (Isoniazid), R (Rifampin), any fluoroquinolone and one of the three second line injectable drugs (Capreomycin, Amikacin & Kanamycin) is defined as XDR or extensive drug resistance. 

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