Differentials Flashcards
Abdominal/Pelvic Mass
Adult:
1. Tumor (cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, fallopian tube tumor, etc)
2. Gallstones
3. Hepatitis
4. Infections
5. AAA
Child:
1. Intussusception
2. Kidney (50% are renal in origin)
3. Fecal impaction
4. Hepatomegaly/splenomegaly
5. Tumor (Wilm’s, renal cell carcinoma)*
Abdominal Distention
Adult:
1. Infection (H. pylori, toxic megacolon)
2. Bowel obstruction
3. Ascites (cirrhosis)
4. Ectopic pregnancy
5. Irritable bowel syndrome
6. Misplaced endotracheal tube
Child:
1. Trauma
2. Allergic/dietary
3. Neoplastic mass
4. Volvulus*
5. Bowel obstruction
Abdominal Pain
Adults:
1. Tumor/neoplasm
2. Hernia
3. Infection
4. Pancreatitis
5. Gall stones
Children:
1. Tumor
2. Trauma/abuse
3. Dietary (colic)
4. Appendicitis
5. Gastroenteritis
Abnormal Heart Sounds & Murmurs
Aortic
Pulmonic
Mitral
Tricuspid
S1
S2
S3
S4
Splitting
S3 Differential
- Volume overload in the ventricle
- Best hear in left lateral decubitus
- Normal under age 40
- Normal in third trimester
- Mitral regurgitation
- Tricuspid regurgitation
- Congestive heart failure
S4 Differential
- Represents rapid active ventricular filling
- Normal in athletes and elderly
- Stiff left ventricle
a. HTN
b. Coronary artery disease
c. Aortic stenosis
d. Cardiomyopathy
e. Ventricular hypertrophy
Abnormal Liver Function Tests
AST: multiple sources (esp muscle)
ALT: more specific to liver
Adult:
1. Cirrhosis
2. Hepatitis
3. Infectious
4. Gallstones
5. Pregnancy
Children:
1. Medication
2. Virus
3. Celiac
4. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease
5. Immune (primary sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis, etc)
Abnormal Serum Lipids
Adults:
1. Hypercholesterolemia
2. Obesity
3. Drugs (steroids, estrogen)
4. Diabetes
5. Alcohol
Children:
1. Familial hypercholesterolemia
2. Medications
3. Nephrotic syndrome*
4. Diabetes
5. Obesity
Acid Base Abnormality
Adult:
1. Diabetic ketoacidosis
2. Kidney injury
3. Vomiting
4. Drugs
5. Hypoventilation
Child:
1. Renal disorder
2. Pneumonia
3. Drugs
4. Diarrhea
5. Vomiting
Allergic Reactions
- Drugs
- Food allergens
- Insect bites
- Physical stress
- Dust/pollen
Anxiety
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
- Medication induced
- Separation anxiety
- Social anxiety
Ataxia
Adult:
1. Neuromuscular disorder (MS)
2. Alcohol induced
3. Stroke
4. Tumor
5. Degenerative (Parkinson’s)
Child:
1. Tumor
2. Developmental delay
3. Medication
4. Traumatic bleed
5. Hereditary
Upper Gastrointestinal Bleed
Adult:
1. Vomiting (Mallory Weiss tear)
2. Infection
3. Ulcer
4. Cancer
5. Varices
Child:
1. Gastritis
2. Stress ulcer
3. MW tear
4. Esophagitis
5. Varices
Lower Gastrointestinal Bleed
Adult:
1. Anorectal disease
2. Diverticulosis
3. Colorectal cancer
4. Rectal trauma
5. Enterocolitis*
Child:
1. Infection (bacteria, parasite)
2. C dif.
3. Hirschsprung disease*
4. Allergy
5. Anal fissure
Hypertension
Adult:
1. Anxiety
2. Diet
3. Catecholamines
4. Renal disorder
5. Vascular disorder (heart attack, etc)
Child:
1. Pheochromocytoma
2. Renal artery stenosis
3. Coarctation of aorta
4. Anxiety
5. Congenital renal disease
Hypotension
Adult:
1. Hemorrhage
2. Heart failure/myopathy/ischemia
3. Pneumothorax
4. Aortic dissection
5. Substance abuse
Child:
1. Hemorrhage
2. Anaphylaxis
3. Drugs
4. Addison’s
5. Sepsis
Blood in Sputum (Hemoptysis)
Adult:
1. Alcohol (Mallory Weiss)
2. Infection
3. Inflammatory
4 Pulmonary embolism
5. Neoplasm
Child:
1. Infection (bacteria, viral)
2. Foreign body
3. Neoplasm
4. Bleeding disorder
5. AV malformation
Blood in Urine (Hematuria)
Adult:
1. Kidney stones
2. Neoplasm
3. STI
4. Autoimmune (SLE)
5. Medications/food
Child:
1. Food
2. Abuse
3. Renal tumor or stone
4. Coagulopathy*
5. Renal vein thrombosis
Breast Discharge
Adult:
1. Prolactinoma
2. Breast cancer
3. PCOS
4. Medication
5. Pituitary tumors
Breast Mass
Adult:
1. Breast cancer
2. Medication
3. Benign mass
4. Infection
5. Lactation
Burns
- Assess severity and degree
- Treatment modalities and wound care
- Critical lab values
- Pain control
- Psychosocial effects
Calcium Disorder
Adult:
1. Autoimmune
2. Malignancy
3. Thyroid disorder
4. Parathyroid disorder
5. Vitamin D
Child:
1. Malabsorption
2. Malignancy
3. Vitamin D
4. Medications
5. Kidney disorder
Cardiac Arrest
- Conduction abnormality
- Coronary artery disease
- Myocardial infarction
- Trauma
- Pulmonary embolism
Cerebrovascular Accident and Transient Ischemic Attack (stroke)
Ischemia vs hemorrhagic
Adult:
1. Uncontrolled hypertension
2. Trauma
3. Medication
4. Seizure
5. Atrial fibrillation
Child:
1. Seizure
2. Meningitis
3. Trauma
4. Tumor
5. Embolism
Chest Pain
Adult:
1. Myocardial infarction
2. Breathing abnormality (mechanical obstruction? trauma?)
3. Anxiety
4. Malignancy
5. Peptic ulcer disease
Child:
1. Breathing abnormalities (asthma)
2. Mechanical obstruction
3. Tumor
4. Vascular (MI?)
5. Anxiety and stress
Clinical Infomatics
- Importance of longitudinal, efficient and concise patient records
- EMR
- Telehealth modalities
- Security of information (HIPPA)
- Risks and benefits
Coagulation Abnormalities
Adult:
1. Coagulopathy
2. Medication
3. Cancer
4. Traumatic (abrasion, laceration)
5. Platelet disorders
Child:
1. Mechanical (epistaxis)
2. Traumatic
3. Cancer
4. Medication
5. Genetic conditions
Constipation
Adult:
1. Dietary/allergy
2. Colorectal cancer
3. Drugs and medication
4. Pregnancy
5. Obstruction
Child:
1. Dietary
2. Hirschsprung
3. Cystic fibrosis
4. Bowel obstruction
5. Psychological
Contraception
- Hormone
- Barrier
- IUD
- Abstinence
- Sterilization (male vs female)
Cough
Adult:
1. Pneumonia
2. Asthma or COPD
3. Irritant (toxicity, exposure)
4. Medication
5. Reflux
Child:
1. Allergy
2. Environmental/exposure to irritant
3. Asthma
4. Obstruction
5. Infection
Cyanosis
Adult:
1. ARDS*
2. Cystic fibrosis*
3. Pulmonary embolism
4. Restrictive lung disease
5. High altitude
Child:
1. Tetralogy of Fallot and other congenital heart diseases
2. Hypothermia
3. Airway obstruction
4. Seizure
5. Sepsis
Developmental Delay
Adult:
1. Trisomy 21
2. Autism
3. CNS infection (meningitis?)
4. Malnourished (vitamin deficiencies?)
Child:
1. Autism
2. Fetal alcohol syndrome
3. Brain injury
Diarrhea
Adult:
1. Dietary (celiac)
2. IBS
3. Food poisoning
4. Infection (C. dif, viral, bacterial)
5. Drugs/toxins
6. Carcinoid tumor
Child:
1. Malabsorption
2. Drugs
3. Laxatives
4. Diet related intolerance
5. Intussusception
6. Infections
Diplopia
Adult:
1. Intracranial mass
2. Stroke
3. Trauma (fracture of orbital floor?)
4. Glaucoma
5. Hypertension
Child:
1. Strabismus
2. Anxiety and stress
3. Intracranial mass
4. Hyperthyroid
Dizziness (vertigo)
Adult:
1 Drugs
2. Meniere’s
3. Presyncope
4. Peripheral neuropathy
5. Multiple sclerosis
Child:
1. Ear infection
2. Seizures
3. Poor mobility
4. Anxiety or panic disorder
Dying Patients
- Palliative Care
- Communication
- Pronouncing death
- End of life directives and substitute decision maker
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
Adult:
1. Structural abnormality (Zenker, tumor, pharyngitis, strictures)
2. Neuromuscular (stroke)
3. Achalasia
4. Trauma
5. Reflux
Child:
1. Esophageal structures or mass
2. GERD
3. Neuromuscular (myasthenia gravis)
4. Cleft lip or palate
5. Swallowing disorders
Dyspnea (Shortness of breath)
Adult:
1. Heart failure
2. Asthma or other respiratory problem
3. Pneumonia
4. Anxiety
5. Anaphylaxis
Child:
1. Mechanical obstruction
2. Congenital condition
3. Valvular disease
4. Arrhythmia
5. Pneumonia
Ear Pain
Adults:
1. Sinusitits
2. Otitis externa/media
3. Trauma (frost bite, piercing)
4. Trigeminal neuralgia
5. TMJ
Children:
1. Trauma (perforation, foreign body)
2. Otitis externa/media
3. Auricular cellulitis
4. Abscess
5. Cerumen impaction
Early Pregnancy Loss/Spontaneous Abortion
- Drug toxicity
- Chromosomal abnormality
- PCOS (endocrine)
- Uterine anomalies (ruptured ectopic)
- Prothrombotic factors
Edema (Generalized)
Adults:
1. Heart failure
2. Renal abnormality
3. Alcoholic cirrhosis
4 Endocrine abnormality
5. Pregnancy
Children
1. Nephrotic syndrome (protein loss)
2. Allergic reaction
3. Malnutrition
4. Medication
5. Cardiac
Edema (Localized)
Adults:
1. DVT (Well’s criteria)*
2. Injury
3. Infection
4. Venous insufficiency
5. Lymphedema
Children:
1. Injury/trauma
2. Infection
3. Inflammation
Erectile Dysfunction
- Psychiatric (depression, anxiety)
- Medication
- Alcohol/medication
- Hormonal
- Neurologic (diabetes)
Eye Redness
Adult:
1. EKC
2. Uveitis
3. Alcoholic
4. Dry eye
5. Medication
Child:
1. Traumatic injury
2. EKC
3. Keratitis
4. Blepharitis
5. Allergic reaction
Frailty in the Elderly
- Medication
- Social (isolation, poverty, elder abuse)
- Disease
- Malnutrition
- Psychiatric
- Visual or auditory changes
- Mobility
Failure to Thrive (infant)
- Malnutrition
- Child abuse/neglect/poverty
- Maternal use of medication or drugs
- Sucking/swallowing difficulty (cleft palate)
- Metabolic disorder
Falls
- Medical condition (vertigo, syncope)
- Socioeconomic factors (malnutrition)
- Decreased vision
- Choice of footwear
- Medication
Fatigue
Adult
1. Depression or other psychiatric disorder
2. Medication
3. Vitamin insufficiency
4. Heart failure/cardiac instability
5. Cancer
Child:
1. Malnourished
2. Child abuse
3. Anxiety/depression
4. Metabolic disorder
5. Medication
Fatigue
Adult
1. Depression or other psychiatric disorder
2. Medication
3. Vitamin insufficiency
4. Heart failure/cardiac instability
5. Cancer
Child:
1. Malnourished
2. Child abuse
3. Anxiety/depression
4. Metabolic disorder
5. Medication
Genetic Concerns
- Chromosomal
- Prenatal exposure to disease or toxins
- Neural tube defect
- Autosomal dominant/recessive
- Malnutrition
Congenital Anomalies (Dysmorphic Features)
- Fetal alcohol
- Trisomy 21
- Fragile X
- Mechanical
- Hypothyroidism
Glucose Abnormality
- Diabetes
- Malnutrition
- Medication
- Endocrine disorder (adrenal insufficiency)
- Obesity
Diabetes Mellitus
Type 1:
1. Autoimmune
2. Idiopathic
Type 2:
1. Obesity
2. Genetic predisposition
3. Medication
Gestational
Headache
Adult:
1. Brain hemorrhage
2. Migraine
3. Medication overuse
4. Intracranial infection
5. Carbon monoxide
Child:
1. Viral infection
2. Sinusitis
3. Hypertension
4. Brain tumor
5. Migraine
Health and the Climate Crisis
- Heat
- Malnutrition
- Infectious disease
- Refugees and immigrants
- Physical/social consequences
Health of Special Populations
- Homeless
- Disabled
- Immigrants
- Poverty
- Other
Hearing Loss
Adult:
1. Aging
2. Infection
3. Tumor or mass
4. Trauma (perforation)
5. Horner’s
Child:
1. Infection
2. Foreign body
3. Congenital (Alport’s)
4. Cerumen build up
5. Noise induced hearing loss
Hemoglobin Abnormality (Anemia)
- Excessive bleeding
- Decreased red cell production (marrow)
- Increased destruction (sickle)
- Hemoglobinopathies
- Vitamin B12/folate deficient
Hemoglobin Abnormality (Elevated)
- Polycythemia vera
- Secondary erythrocytosis
- Decreased plasma volume
Hypothermia
- Severity
- Precipitating events
- Life saving measures
- Long term treatment plan
- Active vs passive rewarming
- Need for specialized care
Incontinence (urine)
Adult:
1. Infection
2. Polyuria
3. Medication
4. Prostate enlargement
5. Mobility issues
Child:
1. Abuse
2. Anxiety
3. UTI
4. Vesicoureteral reflux
Incontinence (fecal)
- Neurological
- Impaction
- Infection
- Dietary
Indigenous Health
- Demonstrate awareness of root cause of inequitable health care and outcomes experienced by Indigenous Peoples
- Provide anti-racist and culturally appropriate care
- Describe health services delivered to IP
- Four key themes of United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people (right to self-determination; right to cultural identity; right to free, prior and informed consent; and the right to be free from discrimination)
Immunization
- Assess immunization status
- Recommend appropriate schedule
- Counselling
- Contraindications
- Special at risk groups
Jaundice (elevated bilirubin and evidence of scleral icterus)
Adult:
1. Alcoholic cirrhosis
2. Congestive heart failure
3. Drugs
4. Sepsis
5. Fatty liver
Neonatal:
1. Hemolytic (Coombs)
2. Gilbert syndrome
3. Hypothyroid
4. Infection
5. Biliary atresia
Joint Pain - Back pain and related symptoms
Adult:
1. Sciatica
2. Herniated disc
3. Ankylosing spondylitis or arthritis
4. Fracture
5. Neoplasm
Child:
1. Neoplasm
2. Fracture
3. Infection
4. Spinal stenosis
5. Abuse
Joint Pain - Neck Pain
Adult:
1. Infection (meningitis, etc)
2. Neoplasm
3. Fracture
4. Nerve root entrapment
5. Thyroid/pharynx
Child:
1. Trauma
2. Infection (mumps, etc)
3. Neoplasm
4. Cord compression
5. Arthritis
Joint Pain - Non Articular Musculoskeletal Pain (pain in the muscles but not the joints)
Adult:
1. Trauma
2. Fibromyalgia
3. Autoimmune
4. Infection
5. Vascular (sickle)
Child:
1. Trauma
2. Neoplasm
3. Necrotizing fasciitis
4. Neuropathic
5. Infection
Joint Pain - Oligoarthralgia (pain in 1-4 joints)
Adult:
1. RA/OA
2. SLE
3. Fracture
4. Scleroderma
5. Gout
Child:
1. Early RA
2. Lyme
3. Post viral
4. Rheumatic fever
5. Leukemia
Joint Pain - Polyarthralgia (pain in more than 4 joints)
Adult:
1. RA
2. OA
3. Fibromyalgia
4. Polymyalgia rheumatica
5. Neuropathy
Child:
1. Juvenile polyarthritis
2. Sarcoidosis
3. Ankylosing spondylitis
4. Hypercalcemia
5. Infection/sepsis
Language and Speech Disorders
Adult:
1. Neurological (Parkinsons, etc)
2. Head injury
3. Head/neck neoplasm
4. Stroke
5. Autism
Child:
1. Deafness
2. Autism
3. Neglect
4. Head injury
5. Cleft palate