Medicine Flashcards
Differentials for Headache
- Brain tumor
- Intracranial hemorrhage
* Subarachnoid hemorrhage -
Meningitis
* Temporal Arteritis - Migraine
- Tension headache
- Cluster headache
- Cervicogenic headache
- Eye problems: refractive errors, glaucoma
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Sinusitis
- Benign intracranial hypertension & Medication overuse headache
- Dental infections
Differentials for Facial Pain
* Trigeminal Neuralgia
* Brain tumor
* Oropharyngeal cancer
* Sinusitis
* TMJ dysfunction
* Dental infections
* Shingles/Post-herpetic neuralgia
* Facial migraine
* Glaucoma
* Glossopharyngeal neuralgia
* Multiple sclerosis
* Temporal arteritis (above 50 y/o)
Differentials for Tremors
* Benign essential tremor
* Parkinson’s disease
* Hyperthyroidism
* Cerebellar disease
* Brain tumors
* Pheochromocytoma
* Anxiety disorders
* Liver disease
* Kidney disease
* COPD
* Alzheimer’s disease
* Stimulants
Differentials for Walking Difficulty
- Upper Motor Neuron:
Stroke/TIA
Brain tumor
Head injury: Chronic subdural hematoma - Lower Motor Neuron:
Cervical/lumbar radiculopathy
Peripheral neuropathy - Myopathies
Poly/dermatomyositis
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Hypothyroidism
Myasthenia gravis
Medication use
Parkinson’s
Sensory neuropathies - Cerebellar
Ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke
Wernicke encephalopathy
Hypothyroidism
Alcoholism - Vestibular
BPPV
Vestibular neuritis - Trauma: Pelvic fracture
Differentials for Delirium
DELIRIUM
* Drug-induced psychosis
* Electrolyte disturbance
* Lack of drugs (inadequate analgesia, withdrawal from sedative or alcohol)
* Infections
* Reduced sensory input (poor vision or hearing)
* Intracranial (CVA, brain tumor, brain abscess, meningitis, Viral encephalitis)
* Urinary retention or Fecal impaction
* Myocardial or Pulmonary (MI, arrythmia, heart failure, exacerbation of COPD, hypoxia)
Differentials for Diplopia
- Monocular
Cataract
Astigmatism
Refractive errors -
Binocular
Brain tumor
Multiple sclerosis
Meningitis
CN 3,4,6 problems (Diabetic neuropathy)
Myasthenia gravis
Thyroid ophthalmopathy
Ophthalmoplegic migraine
Orbital myositis
Trauma
Differentials for Neck Lump
- Thyroid
Thyroid cancer
Thyroid nodules
thyroglossal duct cyst
Thyroid cysts
Goiter - Lymphadenopathy
Generalized: leukemia/lymphoma, HIV, EBV
Localized: skin cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, salivary gland cancer - Lymphadenitis
Skin infections: impetigo
Dential infections
ENT infections
Differentials for Hoarseness
- Acute laryngitis
- Vocal overuse
- Nodules and polyps of cords
- Cancers (laryngeal, lung (Pancoast tumor), esophageal, thyroid)
- Myasthenia gravis
- Hypothyroidism
- GORD
- Surgeries of the neck
- Medications (steroid inhalers for asthma)
Differentials for Blocked and Runny nose
* Allergic rhinitis
* Infectious rhinitis
* Drug-induced rhinitis (Rhinitis medicamentosa) (aspirin, NSAIDs, vasodilator drugs, intranasal decongestants, estrogen-containing preparations)
* Chronic sinusitis
* Nasal cancer
* Nasal polyp
* Nasal septal deviation
Differentials for Red sore eyes
- Conjunctivitis
- Endophthalmitis
- Foreign body/UV light keratitis
- Orbital cellulitis
- Uveitis
- Glaucoma
- Eyelid problems (blepharitis, stye, chalazion)
- Travel-related infections (Dengue, Zika virus)
Differentials for Vision loss
- Stroke/TIA
- Brain tumors
- Temporal arteritis
- Eye problems: glaucoma, hypertensive/diabetic neuropathy, CRAO, CRVO
- Optic neuritis
- Migraine
- Hypoglycemia
- Meningitis/Encephalitis
Differentials for Eye pain
- Endophthalmitis
- UV Keratitis
- Foreign body/corneal ulcer/penetrating injury in the eye
- Orbital cellulitis
- Sinusitis
- Glaucoma
- Blepharitis/stye/chalazion
- Uveitis
- Migraine
- Conjunctivitis
Differentials for Sore throat
- **Peritonsillar abscess
- Acute pharyngitis/Tonsillitis**
- Vocal overuse
- Acute laryngitis
- GORD
- Meningitis
Differentials for Tiredness
- Hemochromatosis, heart failure, hepatitis
- Endocrine: Diabetes/Diabetic ketoacidosis/Hypothyroidism
- Malignancies: Leukemia/Lymphoma
- Infections: HIV, Hepatitis, EBV, Travel-related
- Fatigue syndromes
- Anemia/Atypical pneumonia
-
Drugs: Adrenal insufficiency, Major depressive disorder
* Obstructive sleep apnea - Immune: PMR, multiple sclerosis, RA, SLE
- Celiac disease
- Period history: pregnancy, menopause
- **Sleep deprivation
- Infective Endocarditis
- Iron deficiency anemia: GI cancer, multiple pregnancies**
Differentials for Unwell
* Gastroenteritis
* Hepatitis
* HIV (seroconversion)
* Pneumonia
* Infective endocarditis (with heart failure)
* Travel-related: dengue, malaria, typhoid, atypical pneumonia, TB
* STIs: syphilis, herpes
* Malignancies: leukemia, lymphoma
* Psychological: PTSD, adjustment disorder, depression
* CMV, toxoplasmosis, EBV
* ENT infections
* Meningitis
* UTIs
* Pyelonephritis
Differentials for Cough
- Infections
URTI
Pneumonia
TB
Pertussis
Post-viral cough - Lung conditions
Asthma
COPD
Interstitial lung disease
Bronchiectasis
Foreign body aspiration - Red Flags
Lung cancer
CVS: Heart failure - Others
Medications: ACE inhibitors
GORD
Post-nasal drip/sinusitis
Sarcoidosis
Allergic alveolitis/pneumonitis
Psychogenic
Differentials for Hemoptysis
- Red Flags
Lung cancer
Tuberculosis - Bronchiectasis
- COPD/Chronic bronchitis
- Heart failure
- Bleeding disorders/anticoagulants
- Pulmonary embolism
- Rheumatology: SLE, Goodpasture
- Trauma
- Pseudohemoptysis
Differentials for Shortness of Breath
- Red Flags
Lung cancer
CVS: Ischemic heart disease - COPD
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis
-
Interstitial lung disease
* Heart failure - Infections
Community Acquired Pneumonia / High severity Pneumonia
TB
Travel-related - Acute conditions
Pneumothorax
Pulmonary embolism
Atelectasis: post-op fever - Rheumatological: sarcoidosis
- Anemia
Differentials for Back pain
- Red Flags
Malignancies/Metastasis
Cauda equina syndrome
Infection
Multiple myeloma - Spine
Mechanical back pain
Lumbar radiculopathy
Spinal canal stenosis
Fractures: pathologic/traumatic
Sacroilitis - Arthritis
OA/RA/PA
Ankylosing spondylitis
Reactive arthritis/IBD - Referred pain
KUB & prostatitis: kidney stones, pyelonephritis
GI causes: cholecystitis, pancreatitis
Pelvic: endometriosis
Retroperitoneal hemorrhage: blood thinners (warfarin)
Medications: corticosteroids, statins, IV drug use
Differentials for Neck pain
