Emergency Differentials Flashcards
Headache with signs of meningism
Meningitis
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
Headache with no additional symptoms
Tension headache Migraine Cluster headache Post-traumatic Drugs (nitrates, CCBs) Carbon monoxide poisoning, anoxia
Headache with reduced consciousness or focal neurology
Encephalitis/meningitis Stroke Cerebral abscess Subarachnoid haemorrhage Tumour Subdural haematoma TB meningitis
Headache with papilloedema
Tumour
Malignant hypertension
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Prolonged CNS infection
Breathlessness with wheeze
Asthma
COPD
Heart failure
Anaphylaxis
Breathlessness with stridor
Foreign body Tumour Acute epiglottitis Anaphylaxis Trauma (eg. laryngeal fracture)
Breathlessness with crepitations
Heart failure
Pneumonia
Bronchiectasis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Breathlessness with clear chest
PE Hyperventilation Metabolic acidoses Anaemia Drugs eg salicylates Shock Pneumocystis pneumonia Central causes
Breathlessness with focal reduced air entry
Pneumothorax
Pleural effusion
Cardiac causes of chest pain
Angina ACS Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Aortic stenosis Arrhythmia Aortic dissection Mitral valve disease Pericarditis
Respiratory causes of chest pain
Pneumothorax
Pulmonary embolism
Pneumonia
Lung cancer
Musculoskeletal causes of chest pain
Costochondritis Tietze's syndrome Trauma Rib pain (bone mets, fracture, osteoporosis) Radicular pain Nonspecific musculoskeletal pain
GI causes of chest pain
GORD Oesophageal rupture Oesophageal spasm Peptic ulcer disease Cholecystitis Pancreatitis Gastritis
Other causes of chest pain
Breast disease Herpes zoster Anxiety Depression Panic disorder Sickle cell crisis
Causes of coma (unrousable unresponsiveness)
Neurological: Trauma Infection (meningitis/encephalitis) Tumour Stroke/haemorrhage Hypertensive encephalopathy Non-convulsive status epilepticus Post-ictal state
Metabolic: Drugs/poisoning Hypoxia CO2 narcosis Septicaemia Hypothermia Myxoedema coma Addisonian crisis Hepatic/uraemic encephalopathy
