PACES Differentials & Causes Flashcards
Differentials of Chest pain
Pleuritic:
Infectious: Pneumonia
Respiratory: Pneumothorax, Pleural effusion, Pulmonary Embolism
Cardiac: Pericarditis, (Myocarditis)
Angina-like:
Ischaemic: ACS
Valvular: Aortic Stenosis, Aortic Regurgitation
Structural: Aortic Dissection, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm rupture
Non-cardiorespiratory:
Muscular: Costochondritis
GI: GORD
Somatic: Anxiety
Differentials of Acute onset Dyspnoea
Cardiorespiratory:
Cardiac: Pulmonary oedema,
Resp: Asthma, Anaphylaxis, Pleural effusion, Pneumothorax, PE
Infectious: Covid-19, Infective exacerbation of COPD, Pneumonia,
Systemic:
Anaemic: Bleeding (inc. trauma)
Neurological: MG, MS, GBS,
Differentials of Cough
Infectious: typical or atypical pneumonia, tuberculosis, COVID-19, Influenza
Inflammatory: Asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, bronchiectasis, interstitial lung disease, sarcoidosis
Malignant: lung cancer, mesothelioma
Iatrogenic: medication changes (ACEi)
Differentials of an acute Headache
Primary headaches…
Tension
Cluster
Migraine
Secondary headaches…
Neurological: Temporal arteritis, SAH, Meningitis,
Encephalitis
ENT: Sinusitis, TMJ syndrome
Iatrogenic: medication overuse
Trauma: concussion
Differentials of delirium
Endocrine & Biochemical causes: HypoNa, HyperNa, HyperCa, hypoglycaemia, hypothyroidism, DKA, HHS.
Infectious: Sepsis, UTI, Pneumonia
Neurological: intracranial bleeding, (hepatic) encephalopathy, concussion.
Iatrogenic: medications, environmental change
Differentials of syncope
Neurological: Vasovagal, Epilepsy, psychogenic seizures
Cardiac: Arrhythmia (electrolyte), ACS, Aortic stenosis, HOCM
Vascular: PE, Dissection, Aneurysm rupture, Subclavian steal syndrome
Toxicological: overdose, alcohol, iatrogenic
Trauma
Differentials of acute limb weakness
Vascular: Ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke, TIA,
Neurological: Hemiplegic migraine, Hypoglycaemia, Todd’s Paresis, GBS
Trauma: spinal disc injury
Note: in isolated limb findings consider – Acute limb Ischaemia, Peripheral nerve injury
Differentials of chronic limb weakness
Inflammatory: MS, Myasthenia Gravis
Infectious: GBS, Tetanus, Botulism,
Malignant: Space occupying lesion, Lambert Eaton
Vascular: Stroke, SAH, subdural haematoma
Differentials of dysphagia
Luminal: foreign body
Intramural: Oesophageal Cancer, Barrett’s oesophagus, Pharyngeal Pouch, Plummer-Vinson, GORD, Achalasia, Stricture
Extra-mural: Lung cancer, Goitre, Head & Neck cancer.
Neurological: Parkinson’s, MND, Stroke, MS, MG, CREST, Globus
Differentials of a breast lump
Benign:
Areola: Duct Ectasia, Galactocele
Parenchyma: Fibroadenoma, Fibrocystic change, breast cyst, Mastitis, Abscess
Adipose: Lipoma, Fat necrosis
Malignant:
Areola: Paget’s disease of the breast
Parenchyma: Breast Cancer (IDC), Lymphoma
Differentials of PR bleeding
Colorectal: Cancer, IBD, Diverticular disease, angiodysplasia
Anus: Haemorrhoids, rectal prolapse, Anal fissure, Anal fistula, peri-anal abscess
Upper GI: Cancer, Peptic ulcers
+coagulaopathy
Causes of (true) Bowel Obstruction
Luminal: Faecal impaction, Gallstone Ileus
Intramural: Colorectal Cancer, Strictures, Diverticulitis, Meckel’s diverticulum
Extrinsic: Adhesions, Incarcerated Hernia, Volvulus
Causes of Pseudo-obstruction
Pseudo Obstruction…
Acute event: Post-operative, Recent cardiac ischaemia
Endocrine: Hypothyroidism, Hypercalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia
Neurological: Parkinson’s, MS
Medications: Opioids
Causes of Ascites
Transudative “Failures”
Cirrhosis, ALF
Cardiac failure (inc. constrictive pericarditis)
Nephrotic syndrome
Exudative
Malignancy: Colorectal, pelvic,
Infectious: tuberculosis
Budd-Chiari syndrome
Causes of RUQ pain
Hepatic
Hepatitis (viral, ischaemic, toxic)
Perihepatitis (Fitz-Hugh Curtis syndrome)
Abscess (including subphrenic)
Biliary
Biliary colic
Cholecystitis (acute, chronic)
Cholangitis (ascending, primary sclerosing)
Referred:
RLL pneumonia
Causes of RIF pain
Gastrointestinal…
Acute appendicitis
IBD or IBS
Mesenteric adenitis
Bowel obstruction…
Constipation
Gynaecological…
Ovarian: torision, cyst rupture, haemmorhage
Ectopic pregnancy
Acute PID
Endometriosis
Mittelschmerz
Urological:
Testicular Torsion
Renal colic
UTI
Causes of LIF pain
Gastrointestinal…
Diverticulitis
IBD or IBS
Bowel obstruction – including colorectal cancer..
Constipation
Gynaecological…
Ovarian: torision, cyst rupture, haemmorhage
Ectopic pregnancy
Acute PID
Endometriosis
Mittelschmerz
Urological:
Testicular Torsion
Renal colic
UTI
Causes of epigastric pain
Cardiac:
ACS
Aortic Dissection
Pancreatic:
Acute pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis
Gastric:
GORD
Peptic Ulcer disease
Mesenteric Ischaemia
Causes of LUTS
Urological
Urethra: Stricture, UTI
Prostatic: BPE, Prostatitis, Prostate Cancer
Bladder: Cancer, Detrusor muscle weakness
Non-urological
Extrinsic compression: Pelvic mass compression e.g. colorectal cancer.
Endocrine: Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes Insipidus, Psychogenic Polydipsia
Neurological: spinal cord injury
Differentials of Scrotal swelling
Painful
Infectious: Epididymo-orchitis
Acute event: Testicular torsion, Torsion of the Hydatid of Morgagni
Extra-testicular: Incarcerated inguinal hernia
Painless
Benign: Hydrocele, varicocele, epididymal cyst, gumma
Malignant: testicular seminomas and non-seminomas
Extra-testicular: Inguinal hernia
Differentials of Acute limb pain
Arterial: Acute limb ischaemia, acute on chronic PAD,
Venous: DVT, Lymph: lymphoedema
MSK: Compartment syndrome, Trauma
Infectious: osteomyelitis
Differentials of Chronic limb pain
Arterial: PAD
Venous: Chronic DVT, Post-thrombotic syndrome, venous insufficiency
Neurological: lumbar stenosis, radiculopathy/sciatica
Lymph: lymphoedema
Differentials of a leg ulcer
Venous: Venous insufficiency
Arterial: PAD
Neurological: Diabetes
Environmental: Pressure ulcers
GI: Pyoderma gangrenosum
Malignant: Marjolin’s Ulcer
Causes of AR
Acute: Aortic dissection, IE
Chronic: Syphilis (Luetic disease), CTDs inc. Marfan’s, Rheumatic heart disease
Causes of MS (cardio)
Infectious: Rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease
Age related calcification
Congenital valve defects