USMLE mnemonics

Question 1

Therapeutic Index Equation and Low TI Drugs

Answer 1

TITE: therapeutic index = toxic/effective dose…“Warning: These Drugs are Lethal” (warfarin, theophylline, digoxin, lithium)

Question 2

Receptor of Platelet Aggregation vs Receptor of Collecting Tubules

Answer 2

A2 (‘A’ggregates thrombocytes) vs V2 (my collecting two-bules form a ‘V’ at my penis)

Question 3

Direct Cholinomimetics

Answer 3

“B-CaMP”

Bethanicol: “Bethany’s Call activates my Bowel and Bladder”…Carbichol: “Carbs catch my eye” [relieves open-angle glaucoma; constricts pupil]…Methacholine (challenge test for asthma Dx)…Pilocarpine: ‘you cry, drool, sweat on your PILOw’ [open and closed glaucoma, tx for xerostomia/ Sjogren Syndrome]

Question 4

Anticholinesterases (Indirect Cholinomimetics) and CNS penetration

Answer 4

NeO-Pyrate=NO CNS penetration (neostigmine given for post-operative urinary retention / ileus [given with atropine to prevent brady) and pyRIDostiGMine gets RID of Myasthenia Gravis…PHYSically and PHreely DON the RIVer= CNS penetrat. (physostigmine for glaucoma or atropine OD (crosses BBB freely) and Donepezil or Rivastigmine for Alzheimers Disease)

Question 5

Organophosphate Poisoning (Cholinesterase Inhibitors)

Answer 5

Causes DUMBBELS (diar, urin, miosis, BronchoCon, Brady, emesis/excitation of sk mm, lacrim, sweat/saliv…Treat with atropine (comp inhib) and pralidoxime (regen’s AChE)

Question 6

Muscarinic Antags

Answer 6

“BAT GHOST”. Benztropine for Parkinson (‘park my Benz’; CNS), ‘Atropine [and tropicamide] in the eye’ (mydriasis, cycloplegia [L.O.A.]; eye), glycopyrrolate (reduce airway secretions; resp), hyoscyamine (anti-spasm for IBD; GI), oxybutynin (overactive bladder urge/spasm; GU), scopolamine (car sick; CNS), trihexylphenidyl (acute dystonia; CNS) [note: atropine does not block excitation since that’s mediated by nicotinics]

Question 7

Obligate Intracellulars

Answer 7

“stay inside (cells) when it’s Really CHilly and COld” [Rickettsia, Chlamydia, Coxiella = rely on host ATP] (note: these are intracellular bacteria…Histoplasmosis is an intracellular fungus, aka

Question 8

Facultative Intracellulars

Answer 8

“Some Nasty Bugs May Live FacultativeLY” [Salmonella, Neisseria, Brucella, Mycobacterium, Listeria, Francisella, Legionella, Yersinia]

Question 9

Encapsulated Bacteria

Answer 9

“Some Killers Have Pretty Nice Capsules” [strep pneumoniae, klebsiella, H.Flu, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Neisseria, Cryptococcus neoformans]