Differentials Flashcards
confusion/memory loss
vascular dementia
Alzheimer’s disease
Normal pressure hydrocephalus
loss of vision
retinal artery occlusion retinal vein occlusion acute angle-closure glaucoma Retinal detachment temporal arteritis
depressed mood
Normal bereavement
Adjustment disorder with depressed mood
Major depressive disorder
Substance-induced mood disorder
psychosis
schizophrenia schizoid or schizotypal personality disorder Schizophreniform disorder Substance-induced psychosis Depression with psychotic features
dizziness
Menier’s disease
Vestibular neuritis
Benign positional vertigo
Orthostatic hypotension due to dehydration
Loss of consciousness
Generalized tonic-clonic seizure Convulsive syncope Substance abuse/overdose Hypoglycemia Vasovagal syncope Stroke PE Cardiac arrhythmia Severe aortic stenosis
numbness/weakness
TIA Hypoglycemia Seizure Stroke Facial nerve palsy
bilateral loss of strength
Guillain-Barre MS Polymyositis Myasthenia gravis Peripheral neuropathy
double vision
Myasthenia gravis
Horner’s syndome
MS
tingling/numbness of thumb
Carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to hypothyroidism Median nerve compression in forearm/arm
Radiculopathy of nerve roots
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
fatigue
Depression
Adjustment disorder
Hypothyroidism
Anemia
fatigue/insomnia after bad event
PTSD
Depression
Generalized anxiety disorder
Psychotic or delusional disorder
constipation
…
fatigue + weight gain + depression
hypothyroidism
depression
diabetes
fatigue + daytime sleepiness
OSA
hypothyroidism
narcolepsy
Diabetes-like presentation
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes insipidus
Atypical depression
Primary polydipsia
fatigue after starting night job
shift work sleep disorder
sleep apnea
anemia
Night sweats
TB acute HIV infection Lymphoma Leukemia Hyperthyroidism
hyperthyroidism presentation
Hyperthyroidism
Pheochromocytoma
Carcinoid syndrome
insomnia
Stress-induced insomnia
Caffeine-induced insomnia
Insomnia related to major depressive disorder
sore throat
Infectious mononucleosis Hepatitis Viral or bacterial pharyngitis Acute HIV infection Secondary syphilis
sore throat in injection drug user
HIV Infectious mononucleosis Hepatitis Viral pharyngitis Streptococcal tonsilitis Secondary syphilis
fever + sore throat
Bacterial or viral pharyngitis
Mycoplasma pneumonia
Acute HIV infection
Infectious mononucleosis
SOB + cough + wheezing
Asthma GERD Bronchitis Pneumonitis Foreign body
SOB + productive cough for 3 months over last two years
Chronic bronchitis
Bronchiectasis
Lung cancer
TB
Nonproductive cough following sore throat and runny nose a couple weeks ago
atypical pneumonia reactive airway disease URI-associated cough postnasal drip GERD
cough for 6 months with hemoptysis, dyspnea, weakness, weight loss
lung cancer TB lung abscess COPD vasculitis (GPA) ILD
dyspnea + sputum production for three days in COPDer
COPD exacerbation (bronchitis) Lung cancer Pneumonia URI CHF
SOB + cough + unprotected sex
TB Pneumonia Bronchitis Asthma Acute HIV infection
Cough worse when laying down + improved when propping up on pillows
CHF Cardiac valvular disease GERD Pulmonary Fibrosis COPD Postnasal drip
dyspnea of 6 hrs duration + cough with sputum production
pulmonary edema
CHF
mitral valve stenosis
pneumonia
pneumonia clinical features
Cough Increased sputum production SOB Pleuritic chest pain Fever Chills Weakness
CHF clinical features
paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea orthopnea dyspnea on exertion fatigue and weight gain cough exercise intolerance increasing abdominal girth lower extremity edema shortness of breath when bending forward.
MI features
dyspnea
diaphoresis
nausea
history of HTN, HLD, smokin
MI differential
MI GERD angina costochondritis aortic dissection pericarditis PE Pneumothorax
chest pain in SCD patient
acute chest syndrome PE pneumonitis MI pneumothorax aortic dissection
GERD differential
GERD
esophagitis
peptic ulcer disease
esophageal spasm
stable angina differential
stable angina
esophageal spasm
esophagitis
pericarditis differential
pericarditis aortic dissection MI costochondritis GERD esophageal spasm
PE differential
PE Pneumonia Costochondritis MI CHF Aortic dissection
PE features
acute onset SOB pleuritic hcest pain tachycardia hypotension tachypnea mild fever
aortic dissection differential
Aortic dissection MI Pericarditis Esophageal rupture Esophageal spasm GERD Pancreatitis
palpitations and diaphoresis in diabetic patient
Hypoglycemia Cardiac arrhythmia Angina Hyperthyroidism Panic atack Pheochromocytoma
panic attack differential
Panic attack GAD Acute stress disorder Specific phobia Hyerthyroidism
palpitations during speeches
Social phobia
Avoidant personality disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder
Panic attack
young woman with episodic palpitations accompanied by lightheadedness and sharp chest pain
MVP
cardiac arrhythmia
panic attack
pheochromocytoma
weight loss + tremor + tachy
Hyperthyroidism Cancer HIV infection Dieting drugs Anorexia nervosa
weight gain after quitting smoking (and otherwise)
Smoking cessation Drug side effect Hypothyroidism Cushing's syndrome PCOS DM Atypical depression
Insulinoma presentation
Tremor Palpitations Anxiety Hunger Proximal muscle eeakness Easy bruising
Dysphagia differential
Esophageal cancer Achalasia Esophagitis Systemic sclerosis Esophageal stricture ALS
Plummer-Vinson syndrome presentation
Dysphagia
Odynophagia
Fatigue
Pika
dysphagia + odynophagia
Esophagitis Systemic sclerosis GERD Esophageal stricture Zenker's diverticulum
Hodgkin’s presentation
night sweats fever weight loss loss of appetite early satiety
sudden onset of colicky right-sided flank pain radiating to testicles
Nephrolithiasis
Renal cell carcinoma
Pyelonephritis
Appendicitis
nephrolithiasis presentation
colicky pain flank pain pain radiating to testicles nausea vomiting hematuria CVA tenderness
pancreatitis presentation differential
pancreatic cancer cholangiocarcinoma acute viral hepatitis acute alcoholic hepatitis Chronic pancreatitis Abdominal aortic aneurysm Peptic ulcer disease
acute pancreatitis differential
Acute pancreatitis Peptic ulcer disease Cholecystitis Gastritis Abdominal aortic aneurysm Mesenteric ischemia Alcoholic hepatitis
cholecystitis differential
Acute cholecystitis Choledocholithiasis Hepatitis Ascending cholangitis Peptic ulcer disease
burning epigastric pain after meal differential
Peptic ulcer disease Gastritis Cholecystitis Chronic pancreatitis Mesenteric ischemia
Severe LUQ abdominal pain
Splenic rupture Kidney stone Rib fracture Pneumonia Perforated peptic ulcer Splenic infarct
intestinal obstruction differential
Small bowel obstruction Small bowel or colon cancer Volvulus Gastroenteritis Food poisoning Ileus Hernia
Dark bowel movement/bloody bowel movement
mesenteric ischemia/infarction Diverticulitis PUD Gastroenteritis acute pancreatitis cholecystitis
severe RLQ pain in young woman
ovarian torsion appendicitis nephrolithiasis ectopic pregnancy ruptured ovarian cyst pelvic inflammatory disease Bowel infection or perforation
diverticulitis differential
Diverticulitis Crohn's disease Ulcerative colitis Gastroenteritis Abscess
young male with severe RLQ abdominal pain
Acute appendicitis Gastroenteritis Crohn's disease Nephrolithiasis Perforation
IBS differential
Irritable bowel syndrome Inflammatory bowel disease Crohn's disease Celiac disease Chronic pancreatitis
pelvic inflammatory disease differential
Pelvic inflammatory disease Endometriosis Dysmenorrhea Vaginitis Cystitis Spontaneous abortion
constipation differential
Low-fiber diet Depression Substance abuse (heroin) Irritable bowel syndrome Hypothyroidism
infectious diarrhea differential
Infectious diarrhea
Food poisoning
Traveler’s diarrhea differential
Traveler's diarrhea Giardiasis Amebiasis Food poisoning Hepatitis A
coffee-ground emesis + epigastric pain
Bleeding peptic ulcer
Gastritis
Gastric cancer
Esophageal varices
blood in stool differential
colorectal cancer anal fissure hemorrhoids diverticulosis ischemic bowel disease angiodysplasia IBD
painless hematuria differential
Bladder cancer Renal cell carcinoma Nephrolithiasis Acute glomerulonephritis Prostate cancer Coagulation disorder Polycystic kidney disease
BPH differential
BPH
Prostate cancer
UTI
Bladder stones
dysuria + discharge + unprotected sex
Urethritis
Cystitis
Prostatitis
pyelo differential
Acute pyelonephritis
Nephrolithiasis
Lower UTI (cystitis, urethritis)
Renal cell carcinoma
urinary leakage differential
Stress incontinence
Mixed incontinence
Urge incontinence
Overflow incontinence
pregnancy differential
pregnancy
anovulatory cycle
Hyperprolactinemia
PCOS/amenorrhea differential
PCOS
Thyroid disease
Hyperprolactinemia
Pregnancy
menopause differential
Menopause
Pregnancy
Pituitary tumor
Thyroid disease
Sheehan’s syndrome presentation
amenorrhea cold intolerance coarse hair weight loss fatigue
amenorrhea in young woman differential
Anorexia nervosa
Pregnancy
Hyperthyroidism
Anxiety-induced amenorrhea
vaginal bleeding history
- pre vs. post menopausal
- status
- duration
- amount
- menstrual history and relation to last menstrual period
- associated discharge
- pelvic or abdominal pain
- urinary symptoms
- trauma
- medications (especially blood thinners, contraceptives)
- history of easy bleeding or bruising
- history of abnormal pap smears
differential for prolonged, excessive, irregular bleeding
- dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- coagulation disorder
- cervical cancer
- molar pregnancy
vaginal bleeding in post-menopause differential
endometrial cancer cervical cancer atrophic endometrium endometrial hyperplasia endometrial polyp