Differential Diagnosis Flashcards
Pyrexia of unknown origin
Bacterial: abscess, subacute bacterial endocarditis, TB, brucellosis, typhoid, leptospirosis
Viral: HIV, influenza, glandular fever, CMV
Fungal: candidiasis and pneumocystis jirovenci
Protozoal: malaria, toxoplasmosis
Neoplasia: lymphoma, leukemia, hepatoma
Connective tissue disease: rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, vasculitis
Granulomatous disease: Crohn’s disease, sarcoidosis
Others: myocardial infarction, drug induced, pulmonary embolism
Causes of weight loss
In the young
Malnutrition
Diabetes
Malabsorption
Anorexia nervosa
Tuberculosis
From middle age onwards
Diabetes
Thyrotoxicosis
Chronic hypoxia
Chronic heart failure
Malignant disease
Senile cachexia
Neglect
Splinter haemorrhage
Causes:
- infective endocarditis
- small arterial emboli
Psoriasis
Associated with pits and furrows
Differentials for red eye
- acute conjunctivitis: associated with discharge
- acute iritis: anterior chamber of the eye is also inflamed
- acute glaucoma: associated with pain and misty cornea
- acute keratitis : (from a corneal ulcer, seen as a cloudy opacity)
- episcleritis
Gradual loss of vision deferentials
- cataract
- damage to the optic nerve
- retinal damage
Potential diagnosis for chest pain (CVS)—- 9
- acute coronary syndrome
- stable angina
- pericarditis
- myocarditis
- pericardial effusion
- pericardial tamponade
- coronary dissection
- aortic dissection
- valvular disease
Potential diagnosis for chest pain (Resp system)—— 11
- pulmonary embolism
- pneumothorax
- pneumonia
- pleurisy
- asthma
- copd
- chest contusion
- rib fractures
- costochondritis
- bronchitis
- mediastinitis
Possible diagnosis for chest pain (Git)
- oesohageal rupture
- GERD
- oesophagitis
- achalasia
- food impaction
- foreign body aspiration
- orsophageal spasm
- herpes zoster
- chocyestitis
- hepatitis
- cholelithiasis
- cholangitis
- biliary colic
- gastritis
- peptic ulcer disease
- pancreatitis
- gastric perforation
- Mallory Weiss tear
Possible diagnosis for chest pain ( miscellaneous)
- anxiety
- panic attack
- stress reaction
- Cocaine abuse
- toxidrone
- hyperventilation
The seven main cause of chest pain
- 4 from the heart: ACS, aortic dissection, pericarditis or myocarditis, pericardial effusion or cardiac tamponade
- 2 from the lungs: pulmonary embolism and pneumothorax
- 1 from the oesophagus: oesopahgeal perforation
Chest pain manifestation
- tearing chest pain, radiates to the back, unequal pulses, focal neurological deficit= aortic dissection
- chest pressure, squeezing/ crushing pain, worse with exertion, improves with rest, radiates to the jaw, shoulder, arm associated with nausea or diaphoresis = ACS
- sharp pleuritic chest pain, pain worse with inspiration or cough or recent travel, leg swelling, recent surgery, short of breath hormone use = pulmonary embolism
- pain worse with lying flat and improves with sitting up/ leaning forward, recent illness, pleuritic chest pain worse with deep inspiration =pericarditis/ myocarditis
Chest pain manifestation part 2
- sudden onset, shortness of breath, sharp chest pain, recent coughing or recent trauma or rapid inhalation = pneumothorax
- burning chest pain worse post prandial= GERD or PUD
- pain and shortness of breath after vomiting, hamman’s crunch = Esophageal rupture
- fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, IV drug use= endocarditis
- dysphasia, odynophagia, food getting stuck = esophageal etiology ( achalasia, dysmotility, spasm, esophagitis)
