Differential Diagnosis Flashcards
Headache - can’t miss Dx
Subarachoid hemorrhage Meningitis Trauma Increased intracranial pressure from any cause Carbon monoxide poisoning Sinusitis Temporal arteritis Acute narrow angle glaucoma.
Have a haeadache you - misact
Red Eye - can’t miss dx
Acute narrow angle glaucoma, iritis, keratitis, corneal ulcers, corneal abrasions and foreign bodies, chemical burns.
Earache - can’t miss dx
malignant otitis externa, cellulites, mastoiditis, dental infections, herpes zoster, tumors, foreign body.
Sore throat - can’t miss dx
epiglottitis, retropharyngeal abscess, peritonsillar abscess, Ludwig’s angina, diphtheria, gonococcal pharyngitis, thyroiditis, foreign body, candida or herpetic esophagitis.
Neck pain - can’t miss dx
– trauma, pericarditis, pneumothorax, pneumo-mediastinum, thyroiditis, tumor, cervical radiculopathy.
Shoulder - can’t miss dx
Shoulder Pain – sub-diaphragmatic irritation, radiculopathy, myocardial infarction, septic joint.
Chest pain - can’t miss dx
myocardial infarction, aortic dissection, pericardial tamponade pneumothorax, pulmonary embolus, pneumomediastinum, ruptured esophagus, pneumonia, superior vena cava syndrome, biliary disease.
Dyspnea- can’t miss dx
congestive heart failure, pulmonary embolus, pneumothorax, airway obstruction, acidosis of any cause, sepsis, central neurogenic hyperventilation, pneumonia, lung cancers, COPD exacerbation, asthma.
Genitourinary complaint - can’t miss dx
testicular torsion, pyelonephritis, prostatitis, tumors, gonorrhea, chlamydia.
Psych - can’t miss dx
– organ brain syndrome, temporal lobe epilepsy, drug abuse, withdrawal syndromes, suicidal and homicidal ideation.
Gyne - can’t miss dx
ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian torsion, ovarian cyst, tumors, endometriosis.
Abd pain - can’t miss dx
– ectopic pregnancy, ovarian cyst or torsion, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), ruptured viscus, vascular occlusion, myocardial infarction or other chest pathology, bowel obstruction, appendicitis, abscess, acute biliary disease, hernia, ureteral stone (Remember: All females of child-bearing age who present with abdominal pain must have a pelvic examination and a beta HCG to rule out pregnancy).
Neuro complaint - ddx
cerebral vascular accident (CVA), transient ischemic attacks (TIA), multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre, cord compression, herniation syndromes, intracranial hemorrhage, subdural hematoma, epidural hematomas, encephalitis, meningitis, increased intracranial pressure.
AMS - ddx
hypoxemia, hypoglycemia, meningitis, sepsis, trauma, medications, drugs, hypercalcemia, electrolyte abnormalities, renal failure, hepatic failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperglycemia.
Fever ddx
meningitis, bacteremia with or without sepsis, endocarditis, meningococcemia, AIDS, toxic shock syndrome, Rickettsial infections, Listeria, salmonella, imported infections (e.g., dengue, malaria), lymphomas and other tumors.
