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All mnemonics
Browse medical mnemonics for anatomy, physiology, clinical examination, emergency care and revision.
7 true ribs, 3 false ribs, 2 floating ribs
A memory aid for true, false and floating ribs.
Apical, Posterior, Anterior; Lateral, Medial; Superior, Medial, Anterior, Lateral, Posterior basal
A mnemonic for the ten bronchopulmonary segments of the right lung.
Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
A structured approach to assessing an acutely unwell patient.
Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure, treating as you go
A memory aid for the structured assessment of an acutely unwell patient.
Coeliac at T12, superior mesenteric at L1, renals at L2, inferior mesenteric at L3, bifurcation at L4
A memory aid for the branches of the abdominal aorta and their vertebral levels.
Usually infrarenal, palpable above the umbilicus, expansile rather than pulsatile
A memory aid for the usual location of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Prostitutes Cause Sagging Swollen Red Testicles Living In Sin
A mnemonic for the order of aortic branches from the diaphragm to the bifurcation.
Midline through the linea alba, gridiron at McBurney's point, Kocher for the gallbladder, Pfannenstiel for the pelvis
A memory aid for common abdominal incisions and the structures they respect.
Nodes follow the arteries, coeliac, superior mesenteric and inferior mesenteric groups
A memory aid for the nodal groups draining the abdominal viscera.
Bowel gas pattern, then solid organs, bones and calcification
A memory aid for reading a plain abdominal radiograph.
Superior and inferior epigastric arteries meet within the rectus sheath
A memory aid for the arteries supplying the anterior abdominal wall.
Skin, Camper's and Scarpa's fascia, three muscle layers, transversalis fascia, extraperitoneal fat, peritoneum
A memory aid for the layers of the anterior abdominal wall from skin to peritoneum.
T7 to T11 intercostal, T12 subcostal, L1 iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal
A memory aid for the segmental nerve supply of the anterior abdominal wall.
Duodenum for iron and calcium, jejunum for most nutrients, ileum for B12 and bile salts
A memory aid for where each nutrient is absorbed.
Sternocleidomastoid, scalenes and pectorals for inspiration; abdominal wall for expiration
A memory aid for the muscles recruited in laboured breathing.
Shoulder droops, can't shrug or turn the head away from the injured side
Mnemonic for the clinical signs of an accessory nerve palsy.
Converge, constrict, contract the lens, three C's when you look up close
Mnemonic for the three components of the accommodation reflex.
Block angiotensin II, with cough from bradykinin
A memory aid for the uses, side effects and monitoring of ACE inhibitors.
Proton pump inhibitors, H2 antagonists and antacids
A memory aid for the drugs reducing gastric acid.
Respiratory Opposite, Metabolic Equal
A mnemonic to remember the relationship between pH and primary values in acid-base disorders.
Check pH, then carbon dioxide, then bicarbonate, then compensation, then the anion gap
A memory aid for a systematic approach to blood gas interpretation.
Acral and soft tissue overgrowth with metabolic and mass effects
A memory aid for the clinical features of growth hormone excess.
Depolarisation by sodium influx, repolarisation by potassium efflux, then hyperpolarisation
A memory aid for the phases of the neuronal action potential.
Moderate, acute severe, life threatening and near fatal
A memory aid for grading the severity of an acute asthma attack.
ECG first, then troponin, then the diagnosis follows
A memory aid for separating unstable angina, NSTEMI and STEMI.
Sit up, oxygen, nitrates, diuretics, and treat the cause
A mnemonic for the immediate treatment of acute pulmonary oedema.
Prerenal, intrinsic renal and postrenal
A mnemonic for classifying acute kidney injury by site.
Staged by creatinine rise or urine output, classified as pre-renal, renal or post-renal
A memory aid for the stages of acute kidney injury and its causes.
Two of four features: pain, rub, ECG changes, effusion
A memory aid for the diagnosis of acute pericarditis.
Diffuse alveolar damage with non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema
A memory aid for the pathology and definition of ARDS.
FAST to recognise, ROSIER to confirm, CT to exclude haemorrhage
A memory aid for recognising stroke and the thrombolysis pathway.
Ischaemic or toxic injury to tubular cells, with an oliguric then polyuric phase
A memory aid for the causes and course of acute tubular necrosis.
Neutrophils and exudate in acute; lymphocytes, macrophages and fibrosis in chronic
A memory aid for distinguishing acute from chronic inflammation.
Timing and character of the added sound localise the pathology
A memory aid for interpreting crackles, wheeze and rubs.
Femoral artery, femoral vein, saphenous nerve and the nerve to vastus medialis
A memory aid for the contents of the adductor (Hunter's) canal.
White fat stores energy in a single droplet; brown fat generates heat
A memory aid for white and brown adipose tissue.
Superior from the inferior phrenic, middle from the aorta, inferior from the renal artery
A memory aid for the three arteries supplying each adrenal gland.
Glomerulosa makes aldosterone, fasciculata makes cortisol, reticularis makes androgens
A mnemonic for the three zones of the adrenal cortex and their products.
A modified sympathetic ganglion secreting adrenaline and noradrenaline into the blood
A memory aid for catecholamine synthesis and action.
Cholesterol to mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids and androgens
A memory aid for the three branches of adrenal steroid synthesis.
Alpha-1 vasoconstricts, beta-1 stimulates the heart, beta-2 vasodilates
A memory aid for the cardiovascular actions of each adrenoceptor subtype.
Two minute cycles, rhythm check, and the shockable or non-shockable arms
A memory aid for the adult ALS algorithm.
I Can Predict Molars
Mnemonic for the number of each tooth type in one quadrant of the adult mouth.
ABCDE: Augmented, Bizarre, Chronic, Delayed, End of treatment
A mnemonic for classifying adverse drug reactions.
Aortic pressure, systemic vascular resistance, ventricular radius and wall thickness
A memory aid for the factors setting ventricular afterload.
Arteries stiffen, diastolic function declines, and maximum heart rate falls
A memory aid for the normal cardiovascular changes of ageing.
Nephron loss with falling GFR, reduced concentrating ability and blunted responses
A memory aid for the normal renal changes of ageing.
Loss of elastic recoil, stiffer chest wall, rising closing capacity and falling oxygen tension
A memory aid for the normal respiratory changes of ageing.
Agonists activate, antagonists block, partial agonists do both depending on context
A memory aid for the types of receptor ligand.
A flat line on X-ray tells the tale, fluid pooling in a blocked sinus trail
Mnemonic for the imaging sign of fluid within an infected sinus.
Cartilage, glands, goblet cells and cilia all disappear distally
A memory aid for how the airway wall changes as it divides.
Gas is fully saturated at body temperature by the time it reaches the isothermic boundary
A memory aid for how inspired gas is conditioned.
Medium-sized bronchi contribute most resistance, not the smallest airways
A memory aid for where airway resistance is greatest and what alters it.
CAGE: Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye opener
A mnemonic for the CAGE screening questions and the dependence features.
Long acting benzodiazepine plus thiamine, with seizure and delirium risk
A memory aid for treating alcohol withdrawal.
Sodium in, potassium and hydrogen out, at the distal nephron
A memory aid for the renal actions of aldosterone.
11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inactivates cortisol in mineralocorticoid target tissues
A memory aid for how the kidney distinguishes aldosterone from cortisol.
Aortic, Pulmonary, Tricuspid, Mitral
A mnemonic for the four cardiac auscultation areas in order.
Type I pneumocytes cover the surface, type II make surfactant, macrophages clean up
A mnemonic for the cell types lining the alveolus.
Inspired oxygen minus carbon dioxide divided by the respiratory quotient
A memory aid for calculating alveolar oxygen tension.
Alveolar carbon dioxide is inversely proportional to alveolar ventilation
A memory aid for the relationship between ventilation and carbon dioxide.
A normal gradient points to hypoventilation or low inspired oxygen; a wide gradient points to lung disease
A memory aid for interpreting the A-a gradient.
Daytime average over at least 14 measurements, with lower thresholds
A memory aid for the use and thresholds of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
Match the monitoring duration to the frequency of the symptoms
A memory aid for choosing the right rhythm monitoring device.
Nonpolar, polar, acidic and basic, determined by the R group
A memory aid for grouping amino acids by side chain.
Concentration-dependent killing with a post-antibiotic effect, allowing once daily dosing
A memory aid for the safe use of gentamicin.
Type 1 is excess synthesis; type 2 is destructive thyroiditis
A memory aid for the two forms of amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis.
Lungs, liver, thyroid, eyes, skin and nerves
A memory aid for the organ toxicity and monitoring of amiodarone.
Gut-derived ammonia is converted to urea by the liver; failure allows it to reach the brain
A memory aid for ammonia metabolism and hepatic encephalopathy.
Transamination collects it, glutamine transports it, the urea cycle removes it
A memory aid for how nitrogen is moved and disposed of.
Union of the bile duct and main pancreatic duct opening into the second part of the duodenum
A memory aid for the hepatopancreatic ampulla and the sphincter of Oddi.
Lipase is more sensitive and specific and stays raised longer
A memory aid for interpreting pancreatic enzymes.
Misfolded protein deposited as beta pleated sheets
A memory aid for the types and features of amyloidosis.
Microcytic, normocytic and macrocytic, each with a short differential
A memory aid for classifying anaemia by red cell size.
Internal sphincter is smooth muscle and involuntary; external is skeletal muscle and voluntary
A memory aid for the internal and external anal sphincters.
Adrenaline intramuscularly into the anterolateral thigh, immediately
A memory aid for recognising and treating anaphylaxis.
Bronchial and thebesian veins drain deoxygenated blood into the systemic circulation
A memory aid for the normal physiological shunt.
Extensor Pollicis Longus, Extensor Pollicis Brevis, Abductor Pollicis Longus
A memory aid for the tendons that border the anatomical snuffbox.
True aneurysms involve all layers; false aneurysms are contained ruptures
A memory aid for the types and causes of aneurysm.
Three features define typical angina
A memory aid for typical, atypical and non-anginal chest pain.
The angle of the jaw belongs to C2, C3, not the trigeminal at all
Mnemonic for the key exception to trigeminal facial sensation.
The facial artery's last stop, at the eye's inner corner, full stop
Mnemonic for the terminal point of the facial artery.
Sodium minus chloride and bicarbonate, normally 8 to 16 mmol per litre
A memory aid for calculating and interpreting the anion gap.
The kidney adjusts bicarbonate over days to offset a change in carbon dioxide
A memory aid for renal compensation of respiratory acid-base disorders.
Dorsiflexion and plantarflexion at the ankle; inversion and eversion at the subtalar joint
A memory aid for the movements of the ankle and subtalar joints.
A loop of C1 to C3 supplies the strap muscles below the hyoid
Mnemonic for the muscles supplied by the ansa cervicalis loop.
Combined test, quadruple test, anomaly scan and infectious disease screening
A memory aid for the antenatal screening programme and its tests.
Inferior epigastric vessels laterally, aorta and iliac vessels beneath the umbilicus
A memory aid for the structures at risk during laparoscopic port insertion.
Liver, duodenum and colon in front of the right; stomach, pancreas, spleen and colon in front of the left
A memory aid for the structures in front of each kidney.
Biceps brachii, Brachialis, Coracobrachialis
A mnemonic for the muscles of the anterior compartment of the arm.
Anterior chest is mostly upper lobe; posterior chest is mostly lower lobe
A memory aid for which lobes are examined from the front and from the back.
Frontal lobes rest, olfactory bulbs nest, on the cribriform's crest
Mnemonic for the main contents of the anterior cranial fossa.
Superficial, intermediate and deep flexors of the forearm
A memory aid for the flexor muscles of the anterior forearm by layer.
Flexor pollicis longus, lateral half of flexor digitorum profundus and pronator quadratus
A memory aid for the muscles supplied by the anterior interosseous nerve.
Tibialis anterior, Extensor hallucis longus, Extensor digitorum longus and Fibularis tertius, supplied by the deep fibular nerve
A memory aid for the muscles and nerve of the anterior leg.
Growth hormone, prolactin, ACTH, TSH, FSH and LH
A memory aid for the six anterior pituitary hormones and their targets.
FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH, Prolactin, Insulin-like (IGF), GH
A mnemonic for the six hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.
Quadriceps femoris, sartorius, iliopsoas and pectineus, supplied mainly by the femoral nerve
A memory aid for the muscles and nerve of the anterior thigh.
Some Men Cheat Downwards
Mnemonic for the four subdivisions of the anterior triangle of the neck.
The anterior wall is supplied by anterior rami; the back muscles by posterior rami
A memory aid contrasting the segmental nerve supply of the abdominal wall front and back.
Adenosine for supraventricular tachycardia, amiodarone broadly, digoxin for rate control
A memory aid for choosing antiarrhythmic drugs by arrhythmia.
Cell wall, protein synthesis, nucleic acid and folate synthesis
A memory aid for the targets of the antibiotic classes.
Surgical, medical and post-exposure indications
A memory aid for when antibiotic prophylaxis is indicated.
Enzymatic destruction, target alteration, reduced entry and efflux
A memory aid for how bacteria become resistant.
Susceptible, intermediate or resistant, defined against a breakpoint
A memory aid for reading a sensitivity report and the resistance mechanisms behind it.
Each class has a signature adverse effect
A memory aid for the characteristic toxicity of each antibiotic class.
Gram positive, Gram negative, anaerobic and atypical cover
A memory aid for which antibiotics cover which organisms.
Many drugs each contribute a little, and the total predicts harm
A memory aid for the cumulative effect of anticholinergic drugs.
Warfarin blocks vitamin K, heparin activates antithrombin, DOACs block Xa or thrombin
A memory aid for how the anticoagulants work and are monitored.
Antithrombin, protein C and S, and tissue factor pathway inhibitor
A memory aid for the body's own anticoagulant systems.
SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclics and MAO inhibitors
A memory aid for the antidepressant classes and their distinguishing features.
It inserts aquaporin-2 channels into the collecting duct
A memory aid for how vasopressin concentrates the urine.
Water retention through V2 receptors and vasoconstriction through V1 receptors
A memory aid for the cardiovascular actions of vasopressin.
Each major poison has a specific antidote acting by a defined mechanism
A memory aid for the specific antidotes and their poisons.
Choose the drug by the receptor pathway driving the nausea
A memory aid for matching antiemetics to the cause of vomiting.
Sodium channel blockade, GABA enhancement or calcium channel blockade
A memory aid for how anticonvulsants work and their key toxicities.
Antifungals target ergosterol or the cell wall; antivirals target viral enzymes
A memory aid for the targets of antifungal and antiviral drugs.
ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, thiazides, then spironolactone or beta blockers
A memory aid for the main antihypertensive drug classes and their side effects.
Folate, thymidylate, purine and ribonucleotide reductase pathways
A memory aid for where antimetabolite drugs act.
Start Smart Then Focus
A mnemonic for the principles of responsible antibiotic prescribing.
Aspirin blocks thromboxane, clopidogrel blocks ADP, abciximab blocks GPIIb/IIIa
A memory aid for the antiplatelet classes and their targets.
Extrapyramidal effects with typicals, metabolic effects with atypicals
A memory aid for the adverse effects of antipsychotics.
RIPE: Rifampicin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Ethambutol
A mnemonic for the first line antituberculous drugs and their toxicity.
True or false, fusiform or saccular, with degeneration of the media
A memory aid for the types and pathology of aortic aneurysm.
Brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery, left subclavian artery
A memory aid for the three branches of the aortic arch in order.
Tearing pain to the back, with unequal pulses
A memory aid for the presentation and classification of aortic dissection.
Aorta, Azygos vein, Thoracic duct
A mnemonic for the three structures passing through the aortic hiatus.
The narrow segment just distal to the left subclavian artery, tethered by the ligamentum arteriosum
A memory aid for the site of traumatic aortic injury.
A wide pulse pressure produces a long list of eponyms
A memory aid for the eponymous peripheral signs of aortic regurgitation.
Right sinus gives the right coronary artery, left sinus gives the left, the posterior sinus is non-coronary
A memory aid for the three aortic sinuses and the coronary arteries arising from them.
SAD: Syncope, Angina, Dyspnoea
A mnemonic for the symptoms, signs and severity of aortic stenosis.
Fifth intercostal space in the mid-clavicular line
A memory aid for where the apex beat is normally felt.
Immature respiratory control with a paradoxical response to hypoxia
A memory aid for why premature infants stop breathing.
Apoptosis is programmed and tidy; necrosis is accidental and inflammatory
A memory aid for distinguishing the two forms of cell death.
A single end artery running in the mesoappendix from the ileocolic artery
A memory aid for the blood supply of the appendix and why it undergoes gangrene.
Retrocaecal, pelvic, subcaecal, preileal and postileal
A mnemonic for the possible positions of the appendix.
Ghrelin stimulates hunger; leptin, PYY and GLP-1 promote satiety
A memory aid for the hormones controlling hunger and satiety.
Resuscitate, identify, decontaminate, give an antidote, enhance elimination
A memory aid for the general management of poisoning.
Medial longitudinal, lateral longitudinal and transverse arches
A memory aid for the three arches of the foot.
Median over the aorta, medial over psoas major, lateral over quadratus lumborum
A memory aid for the three arcuate ligaments and what passes behind each.
The arcuate line is in the rectus sheath; the arcuate ligaments are on the diaphragm
A memory aid for distinguishing the similarly named arcuate structures of the abdomen.
Diffuse alveolar damage causes non-cardiogenic oedema, shunt and stiff lungs
A memory aid for the physiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Oxygenation first, then pH, then carbon dioxide, then bicarbonate
A memory aid for the order in which to read an arterial blood gas.
Runs within the pericardium from the aortic valve to the sternal angle, with the pulmonary trunk in front
A memory aid for the course and relations of the ascending aorta.
Free fluid gravitates to the flanks while gas-filled bowel floats centrally
A memory aid for the anatomical basis of shifting dullness.
SAAG separates portal hypertension from everything else
A memory aid for the serum ascites albumin gradient and ascitic tap.
The right main bronchus is Wider, Shorter and more Vertical
A mnemonic for why inhaled foreign bodies tend to enter the right lung.
Beta-2 agonists, antimuscarinics, corticosteroids and leukotriene antagonists
A memory aid for the classes of inhaled respiratory drug.
Variable airflow obstruction, demonstrated objectively
A memory aid for the objective tests used to diagnose asthma.
Inflammation, bronchoconstriction and airway remodelling
A memory aid for the airway changes in asthma.
Bronchoconstriction, gas trapping and hyperinflation with V/Q mismatch
A memory aid for the physiological changes in acute asthma.
Endothelial injury, lipid entry, foam cells, fatty streak, then fibrous plaque
A memory aid for the stages of atherosclerotic plaque formation.
Atlas nods yes, axis says no
Mnemonic for the different movements permitted at the top two cervical joints.
Atlas has no body, axis has the peg
Mnemonic for the distinguishing features of the first two cervical vertebrae.
Glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation
A memory aid for the stages of cellular energy production.
Rate or rhythm, plus stroke prevention, considered separately
A memory aid for rate control, rhythm control and anticoagulation in AF.
Septum primum and septum secundum overlap to leave the flap valve of the foramen ovale
A memory aid for how the interatrial septum forms.
Ribs 1, 2, 10, 11 and 12 are atypical
A memory aid for which ribs are atypical and why.
Wraps around the middle meningeal artery like a sling
Mnemonic for the looping relationship between the auriculotemporal nerve and the middle meningeal artery.
Each autoimmune disease has a characteristic antibody profile
A memory aid for the main disease-associated autoantibodies.
Antinuclear antibody first, then the specific antibodies
A memory aid for which autoantibody points to which disease.
Central and peripheral tolerance, and the ways each fails
A memory aid for how tolerance fails and autoimmunity develops.
Sinoatrial node 60 to 100, atrioventricular junction 40 to 60, ventricle 20 to 40
A memory aid for the intrinsic rates of the cardiac pacemakers.
Chronotropy, inotropy, dromotropy and lusitropy
A mnemonic for the four autonomic actions on cardiac function.
Sympathetic is thoracolumbar with short pre and long postganglionic fibres; parasympathetic is craniosacral and the reverse
A memory aid for the differences between sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.
Myogenic and metabolic mechanisms hold flow steady despite changing pressure
A memory aid for the mechanisms keeping organ blood flow constant.
Deltoid weakness and regimental badge sensory loss
A memory aid for the signs of an axillary nerve lesion.
The upper outer quadrant extends into the axilla through the deep fascia
A memory aid for the extension of breast tissue into the axilla.
A normal variant formed when the azygos vein cuts through the apex of the right upper lobe
A memory aid for the anatomy of an azygos lobe.
Azygos on the right, hemiazygos and accessory hemiazygos on the left
A memory aid for the arrangement of the azygos, hemiazygos and accessory hemiazygos veins.
Antigen binding plus T cell help drives class switching and affinity maturation
A memory aid for how B cells mature and change antibody class.
Serum levels, then the metabolites, then the cause
A memory aid for investigating suspected B12 and folate deficiency.
Features suggesting malignancy, infection, fracture or cauda equina
A memory aid for the sinister causes of back pain.
Bainbridge speeds the heart with atrial stretch; Bezold-Jarisch slows it
A memory aid for two cardiac reflexes with opposite effects on heart rate.
Carotid sinus and aortic arch stretch receptors adjust autonomic outflow within seconds
A memory aid for the short-term regulation of blood pressure.
The direct pathway facilitates movement; the indirect pathway inhibits it
A memory aid for the direct and indirect basal ganglia pathways.
Energy expenditure at rest, mainly determined by lean body mass
A memory aid for basal metabolic rate and what alters it.
Base excess quantifies the metabolic component independently of carbon dioxide
A memory aid for the derived metabolic acid-base parameters.
Basal lamina of lamina lucida and lamina densa, plus a reticular lamina
A memory aid for the layers and role of the basement membrane.
A valveless network connecting thoracic, pelvic and vertebral veins
A memory aid for the valveless venous plexus linking the thorax to the spine.
Brachiocephalic veins, Aortic arch, Thymus, Trachea, Lymphatics, (o)Esophagus
A mnemonic for the contents of the superior mediastinum.
Bruising behind the ear, base of skull fracture's here
Mnemonic for the clinical sign and significance of Battle's sign.
Hypotension, raised jugular venous pressure, muffled heart sounds
A mnemonic for the three signs of cardiac tamponade.
Bell's drops it all, stroke spares the wall
Mnemonic for distinguishing a lower motor neuron facial palsy from an upper motor neuron lesion.
Malignant tumours invade, metastasise, grow rapidly and show cellular atypia
A memory aid for distinguishing benign from malignant neoplasms.
GABA-A enhancement giving anxiolysis, sedation, anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant effects
A memory aid for the benzodiazepines and their clinical uses.
Brachioradialis, Extensors, Supinator, Triceps
A memory aid for common radial nerve motor functions.
Cardioselective agents spare beta-2 receptors; non-selective agents do not
A memory aid for the differences between beta blockers.
All inhibit cell wall synthesis, differing in spectrum and stability
A memory aid for the penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems.
Flexes the elbow and is the most powerful supinator of the forearm
A memory aid for the actions of biceps brachii.
Cholesterol to bile acids via 7-alpha-hydroxylase, the rate-limiting step
A memory aid for bile acid production and its regulation.
Bile salts, phospholipids, cholesterol, bilirubin and bicarbonate
A memory aid for what bile contains and what it does.
Right and left hepatic ducts join as the common hepatic duct, which the cystic duct joins to form the common bile duct
A memory aid for the sequence of the biliary ducts.
High red cell turnover with immature conjugation and enterohepatic recycling
A memory aid for why newborns become jaundiced.
Unconjugated bilirubin is conjugated in the liver, excreted in bile, and converted to urobilinogen
A memory aid for the pathway of bilirubin from haem to stercobilin.
The fraction of a dose reaching the systemic circulation unchanged
A memory aid for bioavailability and the routes that avoid the liver.
More tissue gives more information but carries more risk
A memory aid for choosing between fine needle aspiration, core and excision biopsy.
Bitter lingers at the back, a built-in poison-detecting tack
Mnemonic for the relative concentration of bitter taste receptors on the tongue.
A smooth triangular area between the two ureteric orifices and the internal urethral meatus
A memory aid for the trigone and its distinct embryological origin.
Tight junctions, basement membrane and astrocyte foot processes
A memory aid for the components of the blood brain barrier.
Two sets, separate sites, adequate volume, before antibiotics
A memory aid for taking and interpreting blood cultures.
Each morphological abnormality points to a specific diagnosis
A memory aid for the diagnostic features on a blood film.
Group O is the universal red cell donor; group AB the universal plasma donor
A memory aid for the ABO and Rhesus systems.
Cuff size, position, rate of deflation and repetition
A memory aid for measuring blood pressure accurately and its pitfalls.
Tunica intima, media and adventitia, in differing proportions by vessel type
A memory aid for the three layers of a vessel wall.
Viscosity rises steeply with haematocrit, so optimal delivery occurs at an intermediate value
A memory aid for how haematocrit affects flow and oxygen delivery.
About 70 per cent in the venous system, 15 per cent arterial, 5 per cent capillary
A memory aid for how blood volume is distributed around the circulation.
Alveolar epithelium, fused basement membranes, capillary endothelium
A memory aid for the layers gas crosses between alveolus and capillary.
Tight junctions between endothelial cells, supported by astrocyte foot processes
A memory aid for the structure and significance of the blood-brain barrier.
SNoW DRoP: Southern DNA, Northern RNA, Western Protein
A mnemonic for the three blotting techniques and what each detects.
Bicarbonate in extracellular fluid, haemoglobin in blood, protein and phosphate in cells, bone in chronic acidosis
A memory aid for the main physiological buffers.
Total body water 60 per cent, two-thirds intracellular, one-third extracellular
A mnemonic for the distribution of body water.
Bohr is carbon dioxide affecting oxygen carriage; Haldane is oxygen affecting carbon dioxide carriage
A mnemonic for distinguishing the Bohr and Haldane effects.
Osteons of concentric lamellae around a central canal
A memory aid for the microscopic structure of bone.
Red marrow is haematopoietic; yellow marrow is fat
A memory aid for marrow structure and the sites of blood formation.
Bone remodels along lines of stress, according to Wolff's law
A memory aid for how bone responds to mechanical load.
Bisphosphonates, denosumab, teriparatide and romosozumab
A memory aid for the drugs used in osteoporosis.
Osteoblasts build, osteoclasts resorb, coupled through RANK ligand
A memory aid for the hormonal control of bone turnover.
Compact bone in osteons, cancellous bone in trabeculae
A memory aid for compact and cancellous bone and their organisation.
7 tarsals, 5 metatarsals and 14 phalanges make 26 bones
A memory aid for the number of bones in the foot.
8 carpals, 5 metacarpals and 14 phalanges make 27 bones
A memory aid for the number of bones in the hand and wrist.
Inguinal ligament above, sartorius laterally, adductor longus medially
A mnemonic for the boundaries and contents of the femoral triangle.
Lateral, Medial and Posterior cords named by their relation to the axillary artery
A memory aid for how the three cords of the brachial plexus are named.
Atropine first, then the risk factors for asystole
A memory aid for the management of bradycardia and when pacing is needed.
Subfalcine, uncal, central and tonsillar
A memory aid for the patterns of brain herniation.
Metastases outnumber primaries, and glioblastoma is the commonest primary
A memory aid for the common primary and secondary brain tumours.
Leucine, isoleucine and valine, metabolised in muscle not liver
A memory aid for the branched chain amino acids and maple syrup urine disease.
Internal thoracic perforators, lateral thoracic, thoracoacromial and posterior intercostal arteries
A memory aid for the arteries supplying the breast.
Colostrum first, then transitional and mature milk
A memory aid for lactogenesis and the composition of breast milk.
About 75 per cent to the axillary nodes, most of the rest to the parasternal nodes
A memory aid for where lymph from the breast drains.
Fifteen to twenty lobes, each draining by a lactiferous duct to the nipple
A memory aid for the internal structure of the breast.
Rising carbon dioxide is the main stimulus, with falling oxygen contributing later
A memory aid for what terminates a breath hold.
Histamine and leukotrienes early, cellular infiltration late
A memory aid for the mediators of the early and late asthmatic response.
Trachea, main, lobar, segmental bronchi, then bronchioles, terminal and respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and sacs
A memory aid for the order of airway divisions from trachea to alveolus.
Pulmonary vessels carry blood for gas exchange; bronchial vessels nourish the lung tissue
A memory aid for the two separate blood supplies of the lung.
Permanent bronchial dilatation from chronic infection and inflammation
A mnemonic for the causes and management of bronchiectasis.
Ten segments on the right, eight to ten on the left
A memory aid for the number of bronchopulmonary segments in each lung.
The trumpeter's cheek, keeps the food where you chew, doesn't let it leak
Mnemonic for the role of buccinator in mastication.
WiLLiaM MaRRoW: left gives W in V1 and M in V6; right gives M in V1 and W in V6
A mnemonic for distinguishing right from left bundle branch block.
WiLLiaM MaRRoW: W in V1 and M in V6 is left, M in V1 and W in V6 is right
A mnemonic for telling left from right bundle branch block.
Rule of nines for area, Parkland formula for fluid
A memory aid for estimating burn size and calculating fluid replacement.
C3, C4 and C5 contribute to the phrenic nerve
A mnemonic for the spinal roots of the phrenic nerve.
Long thoracic nerve arises from roots C5, C6 and C7
A mnemonic for the roots of the long thoracic nerve.
Dihydropyridines act on vessels, non-dihydropyridines on the heart
A memory aid for the two classes of calcium channel blocker.
Correct for albumin, then use the parathyroid hormone
A memory aid for correcting calcium and working out the cause of an abnormal result.
Mostly passive in the proximal tubule and loop, actively regulated in the distal tubule
A memory aid for renal calcium reabsorption and its control.
Parathyroid hormone and vitamin D raise calcium; calcitonin lowers it
A memory aid for the three hormones controlling calcium.
Cystic duct, common hepatic duct and the inferior border of the liver
A mnemonic for the boundaries of the hepatocystic triangle.
Camper's is the fatty Cushion, Scarpa's is the Sheet
A mnemonic for the two layers of superficial fascia of the abdominal wall.
Understand, retain, weigh and communicate
A memory aid for the four elements of decision-making capacity.
Diffusion for gases, bulk flow for water, vesicular transport for large molecules
A memory aid for how substances cross the capillary wall.
Continuous, fenestrated and sinusoidal, in increasing permeability
A memory aid for the three capillary types and their permeability.
Amylase to oligosaccharides, brush border enzymes to monosaccharides, then transport
A memory aid for the steps of carbohydrate digestion and absorption.
Bicarbonate about 70 per cent, carbamino about 23 per cent, dissolved about 7 per cent
A memory aid for the three forms in which carbon dioxide is carried.
Carbon monoxide blocks oxygen carriage; cyanide blocks its use
A memory aid for the two classic poisonings of fire and smoke.
It binds haemoglobin 240 times more avidly than oxygen and shifts the curve left
A memory aid for why carbon monoxide is so dangerous.
Each agent has a characteristic tumour
A memory aid for the classic chemical, physical and biological carcinogens.
All Points Reach Plateau, Restore
A mnemonic for the five phases of the ventricular cardiac action potential.
Two shockable, two non-shockable, and the four Hs and four Ts
A memory aid for shockable and non-shockable rhythms and the reversible causes.
Sympathetic from T1 to T5, parasympathetic from the vagus
A memory aid for the autonomic innervation of the heart.
Both positive is normal; leads pointing away from each other indicate deviation
A memory aid for working out the cardiac axis from leads I and aVF.
Troponin is the standard, rising at 3 to 6 hours and remaining raised for days
A memory aid for the timing of cardiac markers after infarction.
Right border is right atrium; left border is aortic knuckle, pulmonary trunk, left atrial appendage and left ventricle
A memory aid for which chambers form the cardiac silhouette on a chest radiograph.
Sinoatrial node, atrioventricular node, bundle of His, bundle branches, Purkinje fibres
A memory aid for the sequence of the cardiac conducting system.
CT for the arteries, MRI for the muscle
A memory aid for when to use cardiac CT and when to use cardiac MRI.
Atrial systole, isovolumetric contraction, ejection, isovolumetric relaxation, then filling
A memory aid for the seven phases of the cardiac cycle.
Four fibrous rings that anchor the valves, attach the myocardium and insulate atria from ventricles
A memory aid for the functions of the fibrous skeleton of the heart.
Branching striated fibres with central nuclei and intercalated discs
A memory aid for identifying cardiac muscle microscopically.
Cardiac muscle is a functional syncytium with a long refractory period and cannot tetanise
A memory aid for the differences between cardiac and skeletal muscle.
Preload, Rate, Stroke volume, Heart contractility
A mnemonic for the four main determinants of cardiac output.
Cardiac output equals heart rate multiplied by stroke volume
A memory aid for calculating cardiac output and its normal values.
Fick principle, indicator dilution, thermodilution, Doppler and pulse contour analysis
A memory aid for the methods of measuring cardiac output.
Cardiac afferents enter the cord at T1 to T4 and are misattributed to those dermatomes
A memory aid for why cardiac pain is felt in the chest, arm and jaw.
Absolute refractory period prevents tetany; the relative period allows vulnerable re-excitation
A memory aid for the absolute and relative refractory periods of cardiac muscle.
Coronary sulcus between atria and ventricles, interventricular sulci between the ventricles
A memory aid for the grooves on the surface of the heart and the vessels they carry.
Equalisation of diastolic pressures with impaired filling and pulsus paradoxus
A memory aid for the haemodynamics of cardiac tamponade.
Pressure work is far more costly in oxygen than volume work
A memory aid for the components of cardiac work.
Rubor, calor, tumor, dolor and functio laesa
A mnemonic for the five classical signs of acute inflammation.
Dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive, each with a distinct physiology
A memory aid for the three types of cardiomyopathy.
Maximum cardiac width divided by maximum thoracic width, normally less than 0.5
A memory aid for measuring heart size on a chest radiograph.
Hands, pulse, face, neck, praecordium, then back and legs
A memory aid for the order of a cardiovascular examination.
Immediate tachycardia and hyperventilation, then polycythaemia and pulmonary hypertension
A memory aid for the circulatory adaptations to high altitude.
Cardiac output rises, resistance falls, and flow is redistributed to muscle
A memory aid for the circulatory changes during dynamic exercise.
The carina lies at the level of the sternal angle, T4 to T5
A memory aid for the level of the tracheal bifurcation.
Carotid splits at C3 to C4, right where the hyoid bone lives
Mnemonic for the vertebral level of the carotid artery bifurcation.
The tunnel the artery takes, no nerve for company's sake
Mnemonic for the sole major content of the carotid canal.
Feel the angle of the jaw, just in front of the SCM's wall
Mnemonic for where to feel the carotid pulse.
Very Important Vessels Nearby
Mnemonic for the structures contained within the carotid sheath.
Four flexor digitorum superficialis tendons, four flexor digitorum profundus tendons, one flexor pollicis longus tendon and the median nerve
A memory aid for the ten structures passing through the carpal tunnel.
Normal carrying angle is about 5 to 15 degrees; increased is cubitus valgus and decreased is cubitus varus
A memory aid for the normal carrying angle and its abnormalities.
Hyaline, elastic and fibrocartilage, differing in fibre content
A memory aid for the three types of cartilage.
Respiratory, cardiac, gastrointestinal and endocrine causes
A memory aid for the systemic causes of finger clubbing.
Low inspired oxygen, hypoventilation, diffusion impairment, V/Q mismatch, shunt
A mnemonic for the five mechanisms of arterial hypoxaemia.
Raised hydrostatic pressure, low oncotic pressure, increased permeability, lymphatic obstruction
A mnemonic for the mechanisms of oedema formation.
Reduced production, increased destruction, sequestration or spurious
A memory aid for classifying a low platelet count.
Inferior vena cava and the right phrenic nerve
A memory aid for the structures passing through the caval opening of the diaphragm.
Oh Oh Oh To Take A Vacation
Mnemonic for the structures within and beside the cavernous sinus.
Painful eye that won't move right, three four six caught in the fight
Mnemonic for the clinical features of cavernous sinus thrombosis.
Celiac trunk supplies foregut; SMA supplies midgut; IMA supplies hindgut
A simple memory aid for gut blood supply.
G1, S, G2 and M, with checkpoints controlled by cyclins and p53
A memory aid for the phases of the cell cycle and their checkpoints.
Tight junctions seal, adherens and desmosomes anchor, gap junctions communicate
A mnemonic for the types of intercellular junction.
A phospholipid bilayer with proteins floating in it
A memory aid for the fluid mosaic model of the plasma membrane.
Simple and facilitated diffusion, primary and secondary active transport, and vesicular transport
A memory aid for the ways substances cross cell membranes.
Nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, mitochondria, lysosomes and peroxisomes
A memory aid for the organelles and what each does.
Labile, stable and permanent cell populations
A memory aid for classifying tissues by their capacity to regenerate.
Ion channel, G protein coupled, enzyme linked and intracellular receptors
A memory aid for the main types of cell surface receptor.
Neutrophils first, macrophages next, lymphocytes for the long term
A memory aid for which cell arrives when in inflammation.
Hypertrophy, hyperplasia, atrophy, metaplasia and dysplasia
A mnemonic for the ways cells adapt to stress.
DNA to RNA to protein, by replication, transcription and translation
A memory aid for the flow of genetic information.
It reflects right atrial pressure, which depends on volume, cardiac function and compliance
A memory aid for what central venous pressure does and does not tell you.
Molecular, Purkinje and granular, from surface inwards
A memory aid for the three layers of the cerebellar cortex.
DANISH: Dysdiadochokinesia, Ataxia, Nystagmus, Intention tremor, Slurred speech, Hypotonia
A mnemonic for the signs of cerebellar dysfunction.
Carbon dioxide is the most powerful cerebral vasodilator
A memory aid for the factors controlling cerebral perfusion.
Frontal for motor and executive, parietal for sensation, temporal for hearing and memory, occipital for vision
A memory aid for the main functional areas of the cortex.
Cells, protein, glucose and appearance distinguish the meningitides
A memory aid for interpreting a lumbar puncture result.
Produced by choroid plexus, circulates through the ventricles, absorbed by arachnoid granulations
A memory aid for CSF production, circulation and absorption.
Submental to supraclavicular, level one to level six
Mnemonic for the six levels of cervical lymph nodes.
The apex rises 2 to 3 cm above the medial third of the clavicle
A memory aid for how far the lung apex and pleura project into the neck.
Great auricular, lesser occipital, supraclavicular, transverse cervical, GLST meet at Erb's point
Mnemonic for the four cutaneous branches of the cervical plexus.
C1 to C4 weave the neck's own web
Mnemonic for the spinal root contributions to the cervical plexus.
Superior Middle Inferior, three ganglia in a row
Mnemonic for the three ganglia of the cervical sympathetic trunk.
Seven bones, eight nerves, C1 exits above its bone, the rest just follow
Mnemonic for why there are eight cervical nerves but only seven cervical vertebrae.
Congestive failure, Hypertension, Age, Diabetes, Stroke, Vascular, Age, Sex
A mnemonic for assessing stroke risk in atrial fibrillation.
Fever, jaundice and right upper quadrant pain; add hypotension and confusion for the pentad
A mnemonic for the features of ascending cholangitis.
Cell-derived mediators such as histamine, and plasma-derived cascades
A memory aid for the mediators of inflammation by source.
Peripheral chemoreceptors sense oxygen; central chemoreceptors sense carbon dioxide
A memory aid for the peripheral and central chemoreceptors.
Neutropenic sepsis, tumour lysis, spinal cord compression and hypercalcaemia
A memory aid for the acute complications of cancer treatment.
ABCDE: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Diaphragm, Everything else
A mnemonic for reviewing a chest radiograph in order.
Percussion note, breath sounds and vocal resonance identify the pathology
A memory aid for the combination of chest signs in each condition.
Skin, fascia, muscle, three intercostal layers, endothoracic fascia, parietal pleura
A memory aid for the layers crossed when passing a needle into the pleural cavity.
Bicarbonate leaves the red cell in exchange for chloride entering
A memory aid for the Hamburger phenomenon in red cells.
Mild or severe, decided by whether the patient can cough effectively
A memory aid for the treatment of foreign body airway obstruction.
Chylomicrons carry dietary fat, VLDL endogenous fat, LDL delivers cholesterol, HDL returns it
A memory aid for the lipoprotein classes and their roles.
Acetyl-CoA to mevalonate via HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting step
A memory aid for the cholesterol synthetic pathway and its regulation.
Radiation, availability, contrast risk and what the question is
A memory aid for selecting the right first line imaging test.
Sneaks through the middle ear, but doesn't supply it, just passing through
Mnemonic for the passage of the chorda tympani through the middle ear without supplying it.
Remaining nephrons hyperfilter, which compensates but accelerates decline
A memory aid for how surviving nephrons compensate as kidney function falls.
Tap the cheek, twitch you'll see, low calcium's the guarantee
Mnemonic for eliciting and interpreting Chvostek's sign.
Short root, sharp focus
Mnemonic for the parasympathetic root of the ciliary ganglion.
Anterior communicates before posterior
Mnemonic for the anterior to posterior arrangement of the circle of Willis.
Portal hypertension and hepatocellular failure, each with its own complications
A memory aid for the consequences of cirrhosis.
A lymphatic sac at L1 to L2 receiving the intestinal and lumbar lymph trunks
A memory aid for the origin of the thoracic duct in the abdomen.
Half-life depends on both clearance and volume of distribution
A memory aid for the relationship between clearance, volume and half-life.
Usually strikes on the left, left is more often bereft
Mnemonic for the typical side affected in cleft lip.
Lip by six, palate by twelve
Mnemonic for the developmental timing of lip and palate closure.
Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation
A mnemonic for the order of any physical examination.
The urorectal septum divides the cloaca into urogenital sinus in front and anorectal canal behind
A memory aid for the division of the cloaca and the origin of anorectal malformations.
The volume at which dependent small airways begin to close
A memory aid for closing capacity and its relationship to functional residual capacity.
PT tests the extrinsic pathway, APTT the intrinsic, both the common
A memory aid for interpreting prothrombin time and APTT together.
A pulse oximeter reads two wavelengths and can be badly misled
A memory aid for carboxyhaemoglobin, methaemoglobin and the pulse oximeter's blind spots.
Extrinsic measured by prothrombin time, intrinsic by APTT
A memory aid for the intrinsic, extrinsic and common coagulation pathways.
Collateral flow through enlarged posterior intercostal arteries erodes the lower rib borders
A memory aid for why aortic coarctation causes notching of the ribs.
Cochlea for hearing, vestibule for the leaning
Mnemonic for the separate functions of the cochlea and vestibular apparatus.
Organ of Corti for hearing, maculae and cristae for balance
A memory aid for the sensory epithelium of the inner ear.
Villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia and intraepithelial lymphocytosis
A memory aid for the duodenal biopsy findings in coeliac disease.
Immune-mediated villous atrophy in the proximal small bowel
A memory aid for the mechanism of malabsorption in coeliac disease.
Tissue transglutaminase IgA with a total IgA, on a gluten containing diet
A memory aid for testing for coeliac disease.
Left gastric, splenic and common hepatic arteries
A mnemonic for the three branches of the coeliac trunk.
Hydroxylation requires vitamin C, then glycosylation, triple helix formation and cross-linking
A memory aid for the steps of collagen production.
Type I bone and skin, II cartilage, III reticular, IV basement membrane
A mnemonic for the main collagen types and where each is found.
The main bundle lies in the costal groove above, but a collateral branch runs along the rib below
A memory aid for why a needle should still avoid the lower border of an intercostal space.
Essential whenever the patient cannot give a reliable account
A memory aid for when and how to take a collateral history.
The medial collateral ligament resists valgus force; the lateral collateral ligament resists varus force
A memory aid for the collateral ligaments and the forces they resist.
Caecum, ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid colon, with hepatic and splenic flexures
A memory aid for the parts of the colon and the position of its flexures.
Absorbs water and electrolytes, ferments fibre, and stores faeces
A memory aid for what the colon does.
Griffiths' point at the splenic flexure and Sudeck's point at the rectosigmoid junction
A memory aid for the two watershed areas of the colon.
APC, then KRAS, then p53, accumulating over years
A memory aid for the molecular steps from normal colon to carcinoma.
Neoplastic adenomas versus non-neoplastic polyps
A memory aid for the types of colonic polyp and their malignant potential.
Pharmacokinetic interactions alter concentration; pharmacodynamic interactions alter effect
A memory aid for how drugs interact with one another.
Foot drop with loss of dorsiflexion and eversion and sensory loss over the dorsum of the foot
A memory aid for the effects of a common fibular nerve lesion.
H and E for routine work, with special stains for specific components
A memory aid for the common stains and what each demonstrates.
Pain out of proportion, Pain on passive stretch, Paraesthesia, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paralysis
A memory aid for the warning signs of acute compartment syndrome.
Predictable formulae reveal whether a second disorder is present
A memory aid for the expected compensation in each acid-base disorder.
Classical, alternative and lectin pathways converging on C3
A memory aid for the three complement pathways and their functions.
The lung follows a different path on inflation than on deflation
A memory aid for why the inflation and deflation curves differ.
Generations 0 to 16 conduct air; generations 17 to 23 exchange gas
A memory aid for the division of the airway into conducting and respiratory zones.
Purkinje fastest, atrioventricular node slowest
A mnemonic for the relative conduction speeds in the heart.
Delirium is acute and fluctuating with inattention; dementia is chronic and progressive
A memory aid for distinguishing delirium from dementia.
Bochdalek is Back and to the Left; Morgagni is anterior and to the right
A mnemonic for the two sites of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
Cells, fibres and ground substance
A memory aid for the constituents of connective tissue.
Arousal requires the brainstem reticular formation and at least one functioning hemisphere
A memory aid for the anatomical basis of consciousness.
Slow transit, outlet obstruction or normal transit with hard stool
A memory aid for the mechanisms of constipation and laxative action.
Kussmaul's sign and the y descent separate them
A memory aid for distinguishing constriction from tamponade.
Suppress ovulation, thicken mucus, or prevent implantation
A memory aid for how each contraceptive method works.
Sympathetic drive and calcium raise it; hypoxia, acidosis and beta blockade lower it
A memory aid for what increases and decreases myocardial contractility.
Renal function, allergy, thyroid and metformin
A memory aid for the risks of iodinated and gadolinium contrast.
Medullary vasoconstriction and direct tubular toxicity
A memory aid for the mechanism of contrast-associated kidney injury.
Fibrous septa from the dermis to the pectoral fascia that tether the breast
A memory aid for the suspensory ligaments of the breast and the sign they produce.
Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below 0.7, staged by FEV1
A memory aid for diagnosing COPD and grading its severity.
Controlled oxygen, bronchodilators, steroids, and antibiotics if infected
A mnemonic for treating an acute exacerbation of COPD.
Loss of elastic recoil, airway collapse, gas trapping and impaired gas exchange
A memory aid for the physiological changes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Pectoralis minor, Coracobrachialis, short head of Biceps brachii
A mnemonic for the muscles attaching to the coracoid process.
Cori cycle carries lactate; the alanine cycle also carries nitrogen
A memory aid for the two cycles returning muscle carbon to the liver.
Epithelium, Bowman layer, stroma, Descemet membrane, endothelium
A mnemonic for the five layers of the cornea.
Touch with five, blink with seven
Mnemonic for the afferent and efferent nerves of the corneal reflex.
Dominance is decided by whichever artery gives the posterior descending branch, the right in about 85 per cent
A memory aid for what determines coronary dominance and which artery supplies the conducting nodes.
Local metabolic factors dominate, especially adenosine and hypoxia
A memory aid for what controls coronary blood flow.
The left coronary artery fills in diastole, when the myocardium is relaxed
A memory aid for when the coronary arteries actually fill.
Great, middle and small cardiac veins, posterior vein of the left ventricle and the oblique vein of the left atrium
A memory aid for the veins draining into the coronary sinus.
Dilating already maximally dilated vessels diverts flow away from ischaemic territory
A memory aid for the mechanism of coronary steal.
Corrugator draws the brows together, a furrowed frown in any weather
Mnemonic for the frowning action of corrugator supercilii.
Body parts are represented in proportion to innervation density, not size
A memory aid for the somatotopic organisation of the cortex.
Differing glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid potency between agents
A memory aid for comparing corticosteroids and their effects.
Raises glucose, breaks down protein and fat, suppresses immunity, and maintains vascular tone
A mnemonic for the metabolic and other actions of cortisol.
Hypotension, hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia and hypoglycaemia
A memory aid for the features of adrenal insufficiency.
Formed by the cartilages of ribs 7 to 10, meeting at the xiphisternum
A memory aid for the formation of the costal margin and the significance of the subcostal angle.
The head articulates with two vertebral bodies; the tubercle articulates with one transverse process
A memory aid for the two joints anchoring a rib to the vertebral column.
Inspiration, glottic closure, compression, then explosive expiration
A memory aid for the stages and pathway of the cough reflex.
Eight segments, each with its own portal inflow and biliary drainage
A memory aid for the functional segmental anatomy of the liver.
Hairpin capillaries preserve the medullary gradient while still supplying blood
A memory aid for the role of the vasa recta.
The ascending limb pumps out salt, the descending limb loses water, and the gradient multiplies
A memory aid for how the loop of Henle creates the medullary gradient.
A palpable gallbladder with painless jaundice is unlikely to be due to stones
A memory aid for the significance of a palpable gallbladder in jaundice.
Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More
A mnemonic for the twelve cranial nerves and whether each is sensory or motor.
Sniff for one, smell tells if the first is gone
Mnemonic for testing the olfactory nerve at the bedside.
See for two, visual acuity and fields come through
Mnemonic for testing the optic nerve at the bedside.
Gag reflex afferent, posterior tongue taste and palatal sensation
A memory aid for testing the glossopharyngeal nerve.
Three and four live up top, five six seven eight bunk together in the pons, nine through twelve settle low
Mnemonic for which cranial nerve nuclei sit at each brainstem level.
Oh Oh Oh To Touch And Feel Very Green Vegetables AH
Classic mnemonic for the order of the twelve cranial nerves.
Each reflex pairs a sensory nerve with a motor nerve
A memory aid for the afferent and efferent limbs of the main cranial nerve reflexes.
Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More
Mnemonic for whether each cranial nerve is sensory, motor or mixed.
Clench for five, feel the masseter come alive
Mnemonic for testing the motor function of the trigeminal nerve.
Three divisions tested separately, plus the corneal reflex
A memory aid for testing trigeminal sensation and the corneal reflex.
Smile, puff, frown for seven, raise your brows up toward heaven
Mnemonic for testing the facial nerve at the bedside.
Whisper test, tuning forks, then the vestibular tests
A memory aid for testing hearing and vestibular function.
Say ah for ten, watch the uvula pull, then
Mnemonic for testing the vagus nerve at the bedside.
Shrug and turn for eleven, against resistance, push like Kevin
Mnemonic for testing the accessory nerve at the bedside.
Stick out for twelve, tongue points toward the weaker shelf
Mnemonic for testing the hypoglossal nerve at the bedside.
Oh Once One Takes The Anatomy Final, Very Good Vacations Are Heavenly
A clean mnemonic for the order of the twelve cranial nerves.
Eye movements, pupils, lids and diplopia together
A memory aid for testing the ocular motor nerves at the bedside.
Creatinine rises only after substantial loss of filtration, and depends on muscle mass
A memory aid for the limitations of serum creatinine.
L1 and L2, afferent by the ilioinguinal nerve and efferent by the genitofemoral
A memory aid for the nerve roots and pathway of the cremasteric reflex.
Rotates and slides like a knob on a dial, opens and closes the cords all the while
Mnemonic for the type of movement at the cricoarytenoid joint.
Cricoid sits at C6, where the airway becomes the trachea and the oesophagus truly begins
Mnemonic for the vertebral level of the cricoid cartilage.
Tilts and rocks like a see-saw plank, tenses the cords as it cranks
Mnemonic for the type of movement at the cricothyroid joint.
Between the shield and the ring
Mnemonic for the location of the cricothyroid membrane.
Feel the notch between shield and ring, that's the emergency door
Mnemonic for the emergency airway landmark of the cricothyroid membrane.
Croup barks and is gradual; epiglottitis drools and is sudden
A memory aid for distinguishing croup from epiglottitis in a child with stridor.
The ACL stops the tibia sliding forward; the PCL stops the tibia sliding backward
A memory aid for the action of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.
A halo ring on gauze or sheet, CSF mixed with blood, a telltale feat
Mnemonic for testing suspected cerebrospinal fluid leak from the nose.
Immediate scanning criteria and the one hour and eight hour rules
A memory aid for who needs a CT head after a head injury.
Cullen's is periumbilical bruising; Grey Turner's is flank bruising
A mnemonic for the two bruising signs of retroperitoneal haemorrhage.
Confusion, Urea, Respiratory rate, Blood pressure, age 65
A mnemonic for scoring the severity of community acquired pneumonia.
Hypertension, bradycardia and irregular respiration
A mnemonic for the triad of raised intracranial pressure.
ACTH dependent or independent, with exogenous steroids the commonest of all
A memory aid for classifying the causes of cortisol excess.
Arteriovenous anastomoses under sympathetic control dominate skin flow
A memory aid for how skin blood flow is controlled.
Median nerve lateral three and a half digits (palmar), Ulnar nerve medial one and a half digits, Radial nerve dorsolateral hand
A memory aid for the sensory territories of the hand.
The five Ts, numbered by the great vessel count
A mnemonic for the cyanotic congenital heart lesions.
A defective chloride channel causes thick secretions in every exocrine organ
A memory aid for the molecular defect in cystic fibrosis.
Inducers speed metabolism and reduce effect; inhibitors slow it and increase effect
A mnemonic for the common enzyme inducers and inhibitors.
Interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor drive the acute phase response
A memory aid for the main inflammatory cytokines.
Cytology examines individual cells; histology examines tissue architecture
A memory aid for the difference between cytology and histology.
Microfilaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules, in increasing size
A memory aid for the three cytoskeletal filament systems.
Alkylating agents, antimetabolites, antitumour antibiotics and mitotic inhibitors
A memory aid for the chemotherapy classes and their signature toxicities.
A rule out test only, applied after a clinical probability score
A memory aid for when a D-dimer is useful and when it is not.
Nose to the mouth's two corners, no valves, straight line to the cavernous sinus
Mnemonic for the danger triangle formed by the nose and corners of the mouth.
Descending aorta, Azygos system, Thoracic duct, (o)Esophagus, Sympathetic chain
A mnemonic for the contents of the posterior mediastinum.
Physiological dead space equals anatomical plus alveolar dead space
A memory aid for anatomical, alveolar and physiological dead space.
Central first to bite, second molar ends the fight
Mnemonic for the approximate timing of deciduous tooth eruption.
Investing, Pretracheal, Prevertebral, three coats around the neck
Mnemonic for the three main layers of deep cervical fascia.
Score first, then D-dimer or ultrasound accordingly
A memory aid for the Wells score and the diagnostic pathway for DVT.
Rectal distension triggers internal sphincter relaxation, with voluntary external sphincter control
A memory aid for the mechanism of defecation.
Clinical signs graded against percentage body weight loss
A memory aid for grading dehydration in a child.
Microscopic damage from eccentric contraction, not lactate
A memory aid for the mechanism of post-exercise muscle soreness.
Onset, course, attention and consciousness separate them
A memory aid for distinguishing delirium from dementia at the bedside.
Anterior fibres flex and medially rotate, middle fibres abduct, posterior fibres extend and laterally rotate
A memory aid for the three parts of deltoid and their actions.
Cholinesterase inhibitors first, memantine second
A memory aid for the drugs used in dementia and what to avoid.
SIGECAPS: Sleep, Interest, Guilt, Energy, Concentration, Appetite, Psychomotor, Suicide
A mnemonic for the symptoms of depression.
Papillary dermis is fine and vascular; reticular dermis is dense and strong
A memory aid for the layers and contents of the dermis.
Site, size, shape, surface, edge, consistency, mobility and more
A memory aid for the features to describe in any lump or swelling.
Site, distribution, morphology, colour, border, surface and secondary change
A memory aid for the vocabulary and structure of a dermatological description.
Base, edge, depth, discharge, site and the surrounding skin
A memory aid for describing an ulcer and inferring its cause.
Afferent constriction lowers GFR; efferent constriction raises it
A memory aid for how the afferent and efferent arterioles control filtration.
Barlow dislocates, Ortolani relocates
A memory aid for the Ortolani and Barlow tests and the risk factors.
Confirm cortisol excess, then localise with ACTH and high dose suppression
A memory aid for investigating suspected Cushing's syndrome.
Central lacks the hormone; nephrogenic cannot respond to it
A memory aid for distinguishing central from nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.
Type 1 is absolute insulin deficiency; type 2 is resistance with relative deficiency
A memory aid for distinguishing the types of diabetes.
Skin, deformity, neuropathy and circulation
A memory aid for the annual diabetic foot check.
Fluid first, then fixed rate insulin, watching the potassium
A memory aid for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Insulin deficiency with counter-regulatory excess causes hyperglycaemia and ketogenesis
A memory aid for the mechanism of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Hyperfiltration, then microalbuminuria, then proteinuria and decline
A memory aid for the stages and histology of diabetic kidney disease.
HbA1c, fasting glucose, random glucose and the tolerance test
A memory aid for the diagnostic thresholds for diabetes.
Diffusion for small solutes, convection for larger ones, ultrafiltration for water
A memory aid for the transport principles used in dialysis.
Pericardiacophrenic, musculophrenic and superior phrenic arteries above; inferior phrenic arteries below
A memory aid for the arteries supplying the diaphragm from above and below.
Septum transversum, pleuroperitoneal membranes, dorsal mesentery of the oesophagus, and body wall
A mnemonic for the four embryological contributions to the diaphragm.
Sternal, costal and lumbar parts, all converging on the central tendon
A memory aid for the three parts of the diaphragm's origin.
Measured with carbon monoxide, reflecting surface area, membrane thickness and haemoglobin
A memory aid for the transfer factor and what alters it.
Two bellies, one tendon sling, anterior chews forward, posterior pulls back
Mnemonic for the two bellies of digastric and their different nerve supplies.
Anterior belly's fed by five, posterior by seven, one muscle, two masters driven
Mnemonic for the differing nerve supply of the two digastric bellies.
CATCH-22
Mnemonic for the clinical features of DiGeorge syndrome linked to pharyngeal pouch failure.
Inspect, then palpate the canal, rectum and prostate
A memory aid for performing and interpreting a rectal examination.
Nausea, confusion, yellow vision and arrhythmia, worsened by hypokalaemia
A memory aid for recognising and treating digoxin toxicity.
Dilator naris widens the door when you need more air to pour
Mnemonic for the action of dilator naris during breathing.
Direct detects antibody on the cells, indirect detects antibody in the plasma
A memory aid for the Coombs tests and the causes of a positive result.
Indirect passes lateral to the inferior epigastric vessels; direct pushes through medial to them
A mnemonic for distinguishing direct from indirect inguinal hernias.
Widespread activation of coagulation consumes factors and platelets, causing both thrombosis and bleeding
A memory aid for the mechanism and results in DIC.
You can get above a kidney and ballotte it; you cannot with a spleen
A memory aid for telling an enlarged left kidney from an enlarged spleen.
Bradycardia, peripheral vasoconstriction and splenic contraction
A memory aid for the cardiovascular response to facial immersion.
Each pathway repairs a different kind of damage
A memory aid for the DNA repair pathways and the diseases of their failure.
Semi-conservative, bidirectional, with leading and lagging strands
A memory aid for the enzymes and features of DNA replication.
On the dorsum of the foot, lateral to the extensor hallucis longus tendon
A memory aid for where to feel the dorsalis pedis pulse.
Prescribed, over the counter, herbal, recreational, and the allergy detail
A memory aid for taking a complete medication history.
Hepatocellular, cholestatic or mixed; intrinsic or idiosyncratic
A memory aid for recognising and classifying drug induced liver injury.
Phase I modifies the molecule; phase II conjugates it
A memory aid for the two phases of drug metabolism.
Ion channels, G protein coupled, kinase linked and nuclear receptors
A memory aid for the receptor types drugs act on and their speed.
Working backwards from the symptom to the likely drug
A memory aid for the drug causes of frequently seen adverse effects.
Warfarin, retinoids, ACE inhibitors, valproate and tetracyclines among others
A memory aid for the recognised teratogens.
Superior, descending, horizontal and ascending, 2, 8, 10 and 5 centimetres
A mnemonic for the four parts of the duodenum and their lengths.
Sally Sees Cats Turn Sideways, Jumping
Mnemonic for the pathway of venous drainage through the major dural sinuses.
Beyond a certain effort, higher pleural pressure compresses airways and flow cannot increase
A memory aid for why forced expiration is effort independent.
Language, articulation and voice are separate problems
A memory aid for distinguishing the disorders of speech and language.
Metaplasia, dysplasia, carcinoma in situ, then invasion
A memory aid for the steps from normal epithelium to invasive cancer.
Otoscopy, then Rinne and Weber to classify hearing loss
A memory aid for otoscopy and the tuning fork tests.
II, III and aVF inferior; V1 to V4 anterior; I, aVL, V5 and V6 lateral
A memory aid for which ECG leads look at which part of the heart.
Rate, rhythm, axis, intervals, then the waves in every lead
A memory aid for reading an ECG systematically.
P atrial depolarisation, QRS ventricular depolarisation, T ventricular repolarisation
A memory aid for what each ECG wave and interval represents.
Parasternal, apical and subcostal windows, transthoracic or transoesophageal
A memory aid for the standard echocardiographic views and what they answer.
Hypercalcaemia shortens the QT interval; hypocalcaemia prolongs it
A memory aid for the cardiac effects of calcium disturbance.
Hyperkalaemia gives tall T waves and a wide QRS; hypokalaemia gives flat T waves and U waves
A memory aid for the cardiac effects of hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia.
Falling barometric pressure lowers inspired oxygen, driving hyperventilation and acclimatisation
A memory aid for the respiratory adaptations to altitude.
Reduced functional residual capacity, blunted drive, and atelectasis
A memory aid for the respiratory changes under general anaesthesia.
Acetazolamide proximal, loop diuretics in the loop, thiazides distal, potassium sparers in the collecting duct
A memory aid for where each diuretic class acts and its electrolyte effects.
Pressure rises by one atmosphere for every 10 metres of seawater
A memory aid for the respiratory effects of increased ambient pressure.
Muscle wasting, bone loss, orthostatic intolerance and thrombosis
A memory aid for the systemic consequences of prolonged bed rest.
Cyclo-oxygenase makes prostaglandins; lipoxygenase makes leukotrienes
A memory aid for the arachidonic acid pathways.
Old People From Texas Eat Spiders Sometimes
Mnemonic for the eight bones that form the cranial vault and base.
Three bipolar limb leads forming a triangle around the heart
A memory aid for the arrangement of the limb leads.
Stroke volume divided by end-diastolic volume, normally over 50 per cent
A memory aid for calculating and interpreting ejection fraction.
The elbow is a hinge joint allowing only flexion and extension
A memory aid for the movements and muscles of the elbow joint.
The standard adult reference values for the basic metabolic panel
A memory aid for the normal ranges of common biochemistry results.
Renal biopsy, ciliary disorders, storage disease and undifferentiated tumours
A memory aid for when electron microscopy is diagnostically necessary.
Four complexes pumping protons, and ATP synthase using the gradient
A memory aid for the complexes of the respiratory chain and their inhibitors.
Little bridges connect scalp veins to sinus deep, infection's secret sneak
Mnemonic for the role of emissary veins in the scalp.
Centriacinar from smoking, panacinar from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
A memory aid for the patterns of emphysema.
Site predicts organism, and organism predicts the antibiotic
A memory aid for first line antibiotics by infection site.
The patient, the bedside and the surroundings
A memory aid for the clues visible before touching the patient.
Proliferative under oestrogen, secretory under progesterone
A memory aid for the histological changes of the endometrium through the cycle.
Nitric oxide and prostacyclin dilate; endothelin and thromboxane constrict
A memory aid for the vasoactive substances released by endothelium.
Auerbach's myenteric plexus controls motility; Meissner's submucosal plexus controls secretion
A mnemonic for the two plexuses of the enteric nervous system.
Intrinsic enteric plexuses modulated by parasympathetic and sympathetic input
A memory aid for the intrinsic and extrinsic control of the gut.
Bile salts are reabsorbed in the terminal ileum and returned to the liver by the portal vein
A memory aid for the recycling of bile salts between gut and liver.
Most B vitamins are coenzyme precursors for specific reaction types
A memory aid for which vitamin becomes which coenzyme.
What happens to Km and Vmax distinguishes them
A memory aid for competitive, non-competitive and uncompetitive inhibition.
Km reflects affinity and Vmax reflects capacity
A memory aid for Michaelis-Menten kinetics and enzyme inhibition.
Each tissue releases a characteristic enzyme profile when damaged
A memory aid for which enzyme indicates which tissue.
Allosteric control, covalent modification, and changes in enzyme quantity
A memory aid for how enzyme activity is controlled.
Come Let's Get Sun Burnt: basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum, corneum
A mnemonic for the layers of the epidermis from deep to superficial.
Epidural is a lens, subdural is a banana
Mnemonic for the imaging shapes of epidural and subdural bleeds.
Elastic, so it springs back into place, epiglottis bounces, doesn't lose face
Mnemonic for the elastic cartilage composition of the epiglottis.
Portal triad in front, inferior vena cava behind, caudate lobe above, duodenum below
A memory aid for the boundaries of the foramen of Winslow.
Simple or stratified, then squamous, cuboidal or columnar
A memory aid for classifying epithelium by layers and cell shape.
Microvilli, stereocilia and cilia, with different structure and function
A memory aid for the apical specialisations of epithelial cells.
Great auricular, lesser occipital, transverse cervical, supraclavicular, four nerves burst at the border
Mnemonic for the four cutaneous nerves emerging at Erb's point.
Erb's palsy is C5 to C6 (upper trunk); Klumpke's palsy is C8 to T1 (lower trunk)
A memory aid to distinguish upper and lower brachial plexus injuries.
Point and Shoot: parasympathetic for erection, sympathetic for emission
A memory aid for the mechanism of erection and ejaculation.
Biconcave anucleate discs with central pallor, and anucleate platelet fragments
A memory aid for the normal appearance of red cells and platelets.
Produced by renal interstitial cells in response to hypoxia
A memory aid for the production and action of erythropoietin.
CRP rises and falls fast; ESR is slow and influenced by many factors
A memory aid for choosing between the two inflammatory markers.
PVT TIM HaLL: Phenylalanine, Valine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Isoleucine, Methionine, Histidine, Leucine, Lysine
A mnemonic for the nine essential amino acids.
Opens to equalise, pops when you fly, blocks and your ear says goodbye
Mnemonic for the role of the eustachian tube.
Calcium entry triggers calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum
A memory aid for how a cardiac action potential produces contraction.
Graded exercise with continuous ECG, looking for ischaemic change
A memory aid for the use, endpoints and limits of exercise ECG testing.
Classified by duct branching, secretory unit shape and mode of secretion
A memory aid for classifying glands by structure and secretion.
SPIKES: Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotions, Strategy
A mnemonic for a structured approach to difficult conversations.
Some Ladies Find Occlusion Painful, So They Make Out
Mnemonic for the eight branches of the external carotid artery.
Helix wraps the whole way round, down to the lobe it's found
Mnemonic for the main visible landmarks of the auricle from outer rim to canal.
Six hillocks of His fuse to build the outer ear's rise
Mnemonic for the embryological origin of the external ear.
Posterior auricular meets the back door of the retromandibular, external jugular is born
Mnemonic for the formation of the external jugular vein.
Ties close to the superior thyroid vessels, injure it, lose your high notes
Mnemonic for the surgical risk to the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve.
Four recti spring from a common ring, the obliques do their own thing
Mnemonic for the shared origin of most extraocular muscles.
LR6 SO4 rest 3
Mnemonic for which cranial nerves supply the extraocular muscles.
Lateral rectus six, superior oblique four, everyone else reports to three
Mnemonic combining lateral rectus, superior oblique and the rest of the extraocular muscles by nerve.
Six steer the eye, plus one lifts the lid, seven total, that's the bid
Mnemonic for the total number of extraocular muscles including the eyelid elevator.
Acuity, fields, pupils, movements, then the fundus
A memory aid for the order of an ophthalmic examination.
Skin Meets The Curtain
Mnemonic for the four layers of the eyelid from skin to conjunctiva.
Levator lifts, orbicularis shuts
Mnemonic for the antagonist muscles that open and close the eyelid.
Climbs from the jaw, past the mouth's corner, up beside the nose, a winding road that shows
Mnemonic for the winding course of the facial artery.
Feel it at the jaw's angle and beside the nose, the facial artery's winding road
Mnemonic for the two places the facial artery pulse can be felt.
V1 V2 V3 divide the face like slices of pie, forehead to chin
Mnemonic for how the trigeminal divisions split facial sensation.
Two Zebras Bit My Coccyx
Mnemonic for the five terminal branches of the facial nerve within the parotid gland.
Forehead sparing separates the two
A memory aid for distinguishing an upper from a lower motor neurone facial palsy.
Labyrinthine, tympanic, mastoid, three segments bend like a Z through the ear
Mnemonic for the three named segments of the facial nerve within the temporal bone.
No valves means no one way street, infection can travel any way it please
Mnemonic for the danger posed by the valveless facial vein.
Local factors at the wound, systemic factors in the patient
A mnemonic for the local and systemic factors delaying wound healing.
The bare area is the part of the liver in direct contact with the diaphragm
A memory aid for the peritoneal covering of the liver and its gaps.
What happened, why, and what damage was done
A memory aid for the multifactorial assessment of a patient who has fallen.
Very high cholesterol, tendon xanthomata and a family history of early death
A memory aid for recognising familial hypercholesterolaemia.
Face, Arms, Speech, Time
A stroke recognition mnemonic.
Fat after long bone fracture, amniotic fluid around delivery
A memory aid for the non-thrombotic embolic syndromes.
Emulsification, lipolysis, micelle formation, absorption and chylomicron export
A memory aid for the steps of fat handling in the gut.
ADEK: absorbed with fat, stored in the body, and capable of toxicity
A mnemonic for the fat soluble vitamins and their functions.
Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, with omega-3 and omega-6 essential
A memory aid for the types of dietary fatty acid.
Carnitine shuttles long chain fatty acids into mitochondria for beta oxidation
A memory aid for beta oxidation and its requirements.
Cytoplasmic synthesis from acetyl-CoA using NADPH, with acetyl-CoA carboxylase rate limiting
A memory aid for how fatty acids are made.
Insulin dominates the fed state; glucagon and catecholamines dominate fasting
A memory aid for the metabolic shifts between feeding and fasting.
Inguinal ligament in front, pectineal ligament behind, lacunar ligament medially, femoral vein laterally
A mnemonic for the boundaries of the femoral ring.
Mainly the medial circumflex femoral artery, with the lateral circumflex femoral and the artery of the ligamentum teres
A memory aid for why an intracapsular hip fracture risks avascular necrosis.
Extends the knee, flexes the hip and supplies sensation to the anteromedial thigh and medial leg
A memory aid for the motor and sensory role of the femoral nerve.
Lateral artery, middle vein and medial femoral canal with lymphatics
A memory aid for the compartments of the femoral sheath.
Sartorius, Adductor Longus and the Inguinal Ligament
A mnemonic for the borders of the femoral triangle.
Inguinal is above and medial to the pubic tubercle; femoral is below and lateral
A mnemonic for distinguishing femoral from inguinal hernias at the bedside.
Fertilisation in the ampulla, implantation about 6 to 10 days later
A memory aid for the events from fertilisation to implantation.
The placenta is the organ of gas exchange, with three shunts bypassing liver and lungs
A memory aid for how the fetal circulation delivers oxygen.
Ductus venosus, foramen ovale, ductus arteriosus
A mnemonic for the three shunts of the fetal circulation.
Chloride-driven secretion in utero switches to sodium-driven absorption at birth
A memory aid for the clearance of lung fluid at birth.
The first breath drops pulmonary resistance and clamping the cord raises systemic resistance
A memory aid for the circulatory changes at birth.
Ductus arteriosus becomes ligamentum arteriosum, ductus venosus becomes ligamentum venosum, umbilical vein becomes ligamentum teres
A memory aid for what each fetal vessel becomes after birth.
Cardiac output equals oxygen consumption divided by the arteriovenous oxygen difference
A memory aid for calculating cardiac output from oxygen consumption.
GFR divided by renal plasma flow, normally about 20 per cent
A memory aid for filtration fraction and what changes it.
Near the ear, close to the parotid, a leftover groove, that's the plot to it
Mnemonic for the typical location of a first branchial cleft cyst.
Abductor hallucis, Flexor digitorum brevis and Abductor digiti minimi
A memory aid for the three muscles in the first layer of the sole.
Drug absorbed from the gut passes through the liver before reaching the systemic circulation
A memory aid for the first pass effect and how it is bypassed.
Vein in front of the scalene tubercle, artery and lower trunk behind it
A memory aid for the order of structures crossing the first rib.
Laterally the scaphoid and trapezium, medially the pisiform and hook of hamate
A memory aid for the bony attachments of the flexor retinaculum.
Mylohyoid makes the sling, geniohyoid sits above the string
Mnemonic for the two muscles forming the floor of the mouth.
Scooped expiratory limb in obstruction; flattening indicates large airway obstruction
A memory aid for interpreting the shape of the flow-volume loop.
Crystalloids distribute by tonicity; colloids stay longer in the plasma
A memory aid for the composition and distribution of intravenous fluids.
History, observations, examination and charts together
A memory aid for assessing whether a patient is dry or overloaded.
Folate donates one carbon units for thymidine and purine synthesis
A memory aid for folate metabolism and the drugs that block it.
Big Diamond Front, Small Triangle Back
Mnemonic for the four fontanelles of the infant skull.
Lacerum looks big but it's mostly filled, nothing much really gets through
Mnemonic for the largely cartilage filled foramen lacerum.
The big hole carries the big stuff
Mnemonic for the major structures passing through the foramen magnum.
OVAL door for the big jaw nerve
Mnemonic for the nerve passing through the foramen ovale.
ROUND hole, round cheek nerve
Mnemonic for the nerve passing through the foramen rotundum.
Spiny needle brings the blood in
Mnemonic for the vessel passing through the foramen spinosum.
Foregut to mid-duodenum, midgut to two-thirds of the transverse colon, hindgut to the upper rectum
A memory aid for which organs arise from each embryological gut segment.
Four layers from superficial to deep, supplied by the medial and lateral plantar nerves
A memory aid for the four layers of muscles in the sole of the foot.
Ciliary sees, pterygopalatine cries, otic chews, submandibular drools
Mnemonic for the four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and their linked cranial nerves.
Two Zygomatic Nasal Every Maxilla Loves Vomer, In Public
Mnemonic for the fourteen bones of the facial skeleton.
Below 1 per cent suggests prerenal; above 2 per cent suggests tubular injury
A memory aid for using FENa to distinguish prerenal from intrinsic renal failure.
A marker of eosinophilic airway inflammation
A memory aid for the use of FeNO in diagnosing asthma.
The more the ventricle fills, the harder it contracts, within limits
A memory aid for the relationship between ventricular filling and stroke volume.
Unpaired electrons attacking lipids, proteins and DNA
A memory aid for the sources and consequences of free radical damage.
Reactive oxygen species damage lipids, proteins and DNA unless neutralised
A memory aid for oxidative stress and its defences.
The volume of solute-free water excreted or retained per unit time
A memory aid for the concept of free water clearance.
Sweat while you eat, parotid surgery crosses gustatory and sweat nerve fibres
Mnemonic for the mechanism behind Frey's syndrome after parotid surgery.
Frontalis raises the brow in surprise, no bone beneath it, just skin that flies
Mnemonic for the unique bone-free attachment of frontalis.
Margins, tissue identification, and confirming malignancy during surgery
A memory aid for when an intraoperative frozen section is used.
Both enter glycolysis, and blocks in either pathway cause distinct disorders
A memory aid for the metabolism of the other dietary sugars.
Three cell lines, then the indices, then the film
A memory aid for reading a full blood count systematically.
The balance point where inward lung recoil equals outward chest wall recoil
A memory aid for what raises and lowers functional residual capacity.
A WET BED: Acid-base, Water, Electrolytes, Toxins, Blood pressure, Erythropoietin, vitamin D
A mnemonic for the main functions of the kidney.
Loss of NADPH leaves red cells defenceless against oxidative stress
A memory aid for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and its triggers.
Nine tastes it, ten gags it
Mnemonic for the afferent and efferent nerves of the gag reflex.
Each gait points to a specific level of the nervous system
A memory aid for recognising the classic pathological gaits.
Simple columnar epithelium with no muscularis mucosae or submucosa
A memory aid for the microscopic structure of the biliary tract.
Fundus, body, infundibulum and neck
A memory aid for the four parts of the gallbladder.
A large stone erodes into the duodenum and impacts at the terminal ileum
A memory aid for the anatomy of gallstone ileus and Rigler's triad.
Gait, Arms, Legs, Spine
A mnemonic for the rapid musculoskeletal screening examination.
Dorsal root ganglion cells are large and regular; autonomic ganglion cells are smaller and scattered
A memory aid for distinguishing sensory from autonomic ganglia.
Un-ionised drug is absorbed, so weak acids favour the stomach and weak bases the intestine
A memory aid for how gut pH affects drug absorption.
Intestinal type from atrophic gastritis, diffuse type with signet ring cells
A memory aid for the types and spread of stomach cancer.
Duodenal fat, acid, hypertonicity and protein all slow emptying
A memory aid for the factors controlling gastric emptying.
Parietal cells make acid and intrinsic factor, chief cells make pepsinogen, G cells make gastrin
A memory aid for the secretory cells of the gastric mucosa.
Four main zones draining ultimately to the coeliac nodes
A memory aid for the lymphatic drainage of the stomach.
Mucus and bicarbonate layer, tight junctions, rapid turnover and good blood flow
A memory aid for how the stomach protects itself from its own acid.
Gastrocolic, enterogastric, gastroileal and intestino-intestinal reflexes
A memory aid for the named reflexes coordinating gut activity.
Acute mesenteric ischaemia affects the small bowel; ischaemic colitis affects watershed colon
A memory aid for the types of intestinal ischaemia.
Gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin and GIP, each with a distinct trigger
A memory aid for the major gut hormones and their actions.
Transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational and post-translational
A memory aid for the levels at which gene expression is controlled.
Propofol for induction, volatile agents for maintenance
A memory aid for the intravenous and inhalational anaesthetic agents.
Dominant appears in every generation; recessive skips; X-linked spares father to son
A memory aid for recognising modes of inheritance from a pedigree.
Resolution rises from whole chromosome to single base
A memory aid for choosing between karyotype, FISH, array and sequencing.
Eyes out of 4, Verbal out of 5, Motor out of 6
A memory aid for the components and scoring of the GCS.
Astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia and ependyma centrally; Schwann cells peripherally
A memory aid for the glial cells and their functions.
Fenestrated endothelium, basement membrane, and podocyte foot processes
A memory aid for the three layers of the filtration barrier.
Proliferative, membranous, sclerosing and crescentic patterns
A memory aid for the histological patterns of glomerular disease.
The proximal tubule reabsorbs a constant fraction of whatever is filtered
A memory aid for the constant fractional reabsorption in the proximal tubule.
Glucagon first, then adrenaline, then cortisol and growth hormone
A memory aid for the hormonal defence against hypoglycaemia.
Pyruvate carboxylase, PEP carboxykinase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase
A memory aid for the four enzymes that bypass the irreversible steps of glycolysis.
Glucose appears in urine once plasma glucose exceeds about 10 mmol/l
A memory aid for the renal threshold for glucose.
Extends and laterally rotates the hip, inserting into the iliotibial tract and the gluteal tuberosity
A memory aid for the actions and insertions of gluteus maximus.
Glycogen synthase builds; glycogen phosphorylase breaks down
A memory aid for glycogen synthesis and breakdown.
Von Gierke, Pompe, Cori and McArdle, by the organ affected
A memory aid for the main glycogen storage diseases.
Ten steps converting glucose to two pyruvate, with a net gain of two ATP
A memory aid for the key steps and regulation of glycolysis.
Gluteus maximus extends; gluteus medius/minimus abduct and stabilise the pelvis
A simple memory aid for gluteal muscle actions.
Unicellular mucous glands, increasing distally along the gut
A memory aid for goblet cell structure, distribution and disease relevance.
Anterior openings track radially; posterior openings curve to the midline
A mnemonic for predicting the course of an anal fistula tract.
Colour, shape and arrangement narrow the organism quickly
A memory aid for identifying organisms from the Gram stain.
Infection, foreign body, sarcoidosis, Crohn disease and vasculitis
A mnemonic for the causes of granulomatous inflammation.
Great auricular covers the ear and the angle of the jaw
Mnemonic for the sensory territory of the great auricular nerve.
Runs in front of the medial malleolus up the medial leg to drain into the femoral vein
A memory aid for the course and landmarks of the great saphenous vein.
Right shares a trunk, left stands alone, straight off the arch it's grown
Mnemonic for the asymmetric origin of the subclavian arteries relevant to neck vessel anatomy.
The greater sac is the main cavity; the lesser sac lies behind the stomach
A memory aid for the two compartments of the peritoneal cavity.
A four-layered apron hanging from the greater curvature of the stomach
A memory aid for the attachments and function of the greater omentum.
The first branch off the facial, headed for the crying ganglion
Mnemonic for the destination of the greater petrosal nerve.
Structures above and below piriformis as they leave the pelvis
A memory aid for the structures passing through the greater sciatic foramen.
Group and save identifies the blood type; crossmatch reserves specific units
A memory aid for pre-transfusion testing and the safety rules.
Pulsatile secretion controlled by GHRH and somatostatin, acting largely through IGF-1
A memory aid for the control and actions of growth hormone.
Fermentation, vitamin synthesis, colonisation resistance and immune education
A memory aid for what the intestinal microbiota does.
Mucosa, submucosa, muscularis externa and serosa or adventitia
A memory aid for the four layers of the gastrointestinal wall.
Peyer's patches, M cells, lamina propria lymphocytes and secretory IgA
A memory aid for the immune apparatus of the gut.
Ulnar nerve and ulnar artery
A memory aid for the structures passing through Guyon's canal at the wrist.
Trace a big H in the air, that's how all six muscles show their care
Mnemonic for the shape traced when testing all six extraocular muscles.
Nose to lip to eye, an H shaped tie, infections here risk the brain nearby
Mnemonic for the danger zone of facial infection spread.
Begins and ends in the mitochondrion, with ALA synthase rate limiting
A memory aid for haem synthesis and where the porphyrias arise.
Four globin chains each with a haem group; HbA is two alpha and two beta
A memory aid for haemoglobin structure and the main variants.
Sickle is a qualitative defect, thalassaemia a quantitative one
A memory aid for sickle cell disease and the thalassaemias.
Raised reticulocytes, bilirubin and LDH with low haptoglobin
A memory aid for the markers of haemolysis.
Vasoconstriction, platelet plug, coagulation cascade, then fibrinolysis
A memory aid for the stages of haemostasis.
Anagen growing, catagen regressing, telogen resting
A memory aid for the hair follicle and its growth cycle.
Self-sufficiency in growth, evasion of death, limitless replication, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis
A memory aid for the acquired capabilities of a malignant cell.
True hamstrings cross both the hip and knee and are mainly supplied by the tibial division of the sciatic nerve
A memory rule for identifying true hamstring muscles.
Radial nerve wrist drop, ulnar nerve claw hand, median nerve hand of benediction or ape hand
A memory aid linking each major nerve palsy to its hand deformity.
Look, feel, move and function, with characteristic deformity patterns
A memory aid for examining the rheumatological hand.
Reflects average glucose over the preceding 8 to 12 weeks
A memory aid for what HbA1c measures and when it misleads.
Outer ear collects, middle ear amplifies, cochlea transduces by place coding
A memory aid for how sound is transduced and conducted.
First degree long PR, second degree some dropped beats, third degree complete dissociation
A memory aid for the degrees of atrioventricular block.
Sympathetic activation, renin-angiotensin activation, and ventricular remodelling
A memory aid for the compensatory mechanisms in heart failure and why they fail.
ACE inhibitor, beta blocker, mineralocorticoid antagonist and SGLT2 inhibitor
A memory aid for the drugs that improve survival in heart failure.
S1 atrioventricular valves close, S2 semilunar valves close, S3 rapid filling, S4 atrial contraction
A memory aid for what produces each of the four heart sounds.
Right ventricle anteriorly, left ventricle laterally, left atrium at the base
A memory aid for which chamber forms each surface of the heart.
Tricuspid has anterior, posterior and septal cusps; mitral has anterior and posterior
A memory aid for the names of the cusps of each heart valve.
Endocardium, myocardium and epicardium, from inside out
A memory aid for the three layers of the heart wall.
Central nervous system dysfunction defines heat stroke
A memory aid for distinguishing heat exhaustion from heat stroke.
Triple therapy: a proton pump inhibitor plus two antibiotics for 7 days
A memory aid for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.
pH depends on the ratio of bicarbonate to carbon dioxide, not their absolute values
A memory aid for the relationship between pH, bicarbonate and carbon dioxide.
Zone 1 is periportal and best oxygenated; zone 3 is centrilobular and most vulnerable
A memory aid for the three zones of the hepatic lobule and their vulnerability.
Surface antigen means infection, surface antibody means protection
A memory aid for interpreting the hepatitis B serological markers.
Splanchnic vasodilatation causes intense compensatory renal vasoconstriction
A memory aid for the mechanism of renal failure in liver disease.
Inflation inhibits further inspiration; deflation stimulates it
A memory aid for the pulmonary stretch reflexes.
Examine standing and lying, with a cough impulse and reducibility
A memory aid for examining a groin or abdominal hernia.
Sliding hernia moves the junction upwards; rolling hernia keeps it in place
A mnemonic for the two main types of hiatus hernia.
Uneven hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction overperfuses some capillaries
A memory aid for the mechanism of high altitude pulmonary oedema.
MUDPILES or GOLDMARK for the unmeasured anions
A mnemonic for the causes of a raised anion gap metabolic acidosis.
Anaemia, pregnancy, thyrotoxicosis, sepsis, beriberi, Paget disease and arteriovenous fistula
A mnemonic for the causes of a high output circulation.
The left hilum is normally higher than the right, never lower
A memory aid for the normal position of the lung hila on a chest film.
Look, feel, move, with the Trendelenburg and Thomas tests
A memory aid for examining the hip, including Trendelenburg and Thomas tests.
Iliofemoral, pubofemoral and ischiofemoral ligaments
A memory aid for the three capsular ligaments of the hip joint.
Flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, medial rotation and lateral rotation
A memory aid for the movements of the hip and their main muscles.
Absent ganglion cells starting at the rectum and extending proximally, with the narrow segment being the abnormal one
A memory aid for the anatomy of aganglionic megacolon.
Fourth generation antigen and antibody test, negative from 45 days
A memory aid for the HIV test, its window period and the monitoring markers.
Specific tissue types predisposing to specific autoimmune diseases
A memory aid for the classic HLA associations.
Hodgkin has Reed-Sternberg cells and spreads contiguously; non-Hodgkin does not
A memory aid for distinguishing the two groups of lymphoma.
Cystathionine beta synthase deficiency, resembling Marfan syndrome with thrombosis
A memory aid for the features of homocystinuria.
Compare the trophic hormone with the target hormone to localise the lesion
A memory aid for interpreting paired hormone measurements.
Oestrogen for symptoms, progestogen to protect the endometrium
A memory aid for the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy.
PAM, Ptosis Anhidrosis Miosis
Mnemonic for the three signs of Horner's syndrome.
The kidney ascends from the pelvis to the lumbar region, and a fused lower pole is caught by the inferior mesenteric artery
A memory aid for the embryological ascent of the kidney and the origin of a horseshoe kidney.
The only bone that touches no other bone, floats alone, on muscle sling it's grown
Mnemonic for the unusual isolated position of the hyoid bone.
Hyoid sits at C3, feel it just below your chin
Mnemonic for the vertebral level of the hyoid bone.
Primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancy account for 90 per cent
A memory aid for the causes of a raised calcium.
Protect the heart, shift it in, then remove it
A mnemonic for the emergency treatment of a high potassium.
Stabilise the membrane, shift potassium into cells, then remove it from the body
A memory aid for the three-step approach to hyperkalaemia.
Extreme hyperglycaemia and dehydration without significant ketosis
A memory aid for contrasting HHS with diabetic ketoacidosis.
Physiological, pharmacological, pathological and the stalk effect
A memory aid for the causes of a raised prolactin.
Organic dust exposure causing an immune reaction in the alveoli
A memory aid for extrinsic allergic alveolitis and its named causes.
ACID: Anaphylactic, Cytotoxic, Immune complex, Delayed
A mnemonic for the four types of hypersensitivity.
Raised cardiac output early, raised systemic vascular resistance later
A memory aid for the mechanisms underlying essential hypertension.
End organ damage, not the number, defines the emergency
A memory aid for distinguishing hypertensive emergency from urgency.
Respiratory alkalosis causes paraesthesiae, tetany and cerebral vasoconstriction
A memory aid for the physiological consequences of acute hyperventilation.
Neuromuscular irritability with tetany, Chvostek and Trousseau signs
A memory aid for the signs of low calcium.
Twelve has its own private door
Mnemonic for the nerve passing through the hypoglossal canal.
Tongue points toward the injured side, like it's pointing out the problem
Mnemonic for the clinical sign of a hypoglossal nerve palsy.
Autonomic symptoms first, then neuroglycopenic
A memory aid for recognising and treating hypoglycaemia.
Check osmolality, then volume status, then urine sodium
A memory aid for the stepwise assessment of hyponatraemia.
GnRH, TRH, CRH and GHRH stimulate; dopamine and somatostatin inhibit
A memory aid for the hypothalamic hormones controlling the pituitary.
Opponens digiti minimi, Abductor digiti minimi, Flexor digiti minimi brevis
A mnemonic for the three hypothenar muscles of the little finger.
Graded by core temperature, rewarmed according to severity
A memory aid for grading and rewarming the hypothermic patient.
Pulmonary arterioles constrict in hypoxia, diverting blood to better ventilated alveoli
A memory aid for the pulmonary vascular response to alveolar hypoxia.
Peripheral chemoreceptors respond only below about 8 kPa
A memory aid for the ventilatory response to hypoxia.
IVC at T8, oesophagus at T10, aorta at T12
A mnemonic for the vertebral levels of the three major diaphragmatic apertures.
Iliohypogastric, Ilioinguinal, Genitofemoral, Lateral femoral cutaneous, Obturator, Femoral
A mnemonic for the branches of the lumbar plexus.
A one-way valve between ileum and caecum; a competent valve creates a closed loop
A memory aid for the ileocaecal valve and its role in bowel obstruction.
Sympathetic overactivity, inflammation and opioids inhibit coordinated motility
A memory aid for the mechanism of postoperative ileus.
Tensed by tensor fasciae latae and gluteus maximus, it stabilises the extended knee
A memory aid for the muscles that tense the iliotibial tract and its role.
Autoimmune inflammation of any organ, ending in -itis
A memory aid for the toxicity of checkpoint inhibitors.
Linear, granular or absent, each indicating a mechanism
A memory aid for the immunofluorescence patterns in renal and skin biopsy.
GAMED: IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, IgD
A mnemonic for the five antibody classes and their roles.
Antibodies against lineage-specific proteins identify a tumour's origin
A memory aid for the immunohistochemical markers identifying tissue lineage.
Steroids, calcineurin inhibitors, antimetabolites and biologics
A memory aid for the immunosuppressant classes used in transplantation and autoimmunity.
Incidentaloma, cascade and overdiagnosis
A memory aid for the harms of testing and how to manage an incidental finding.
GLP-1 and GIP are released by the gut and amplify insulin secretion
A memory aid for why oral glucose provokes more insulin than intravenous.
White infarcts in solid organs with a single supply; red infarcts in loose or dual-supplied tissue
A memory aid for red and white infarcts.
Vegetations on damaged valves, with embolic and immune complications
A memory aid for the organisms, valves and complications of endocarditis.
Supplies gluteus maximus; injury causes difficulty rising, climbing and standing from sitting
A memory aid for the inferior gluteal nerve and its function.
Left colic, sigmoid and superior rectal arteries
A memory aid for the branches of the inferior mesenteric artery.
Formed at L5 by the common iliac veins, receiving lumbar, gonadal, renal, adrenal, phrenic and hepatic veins
A memory aid for the tributaries of the inferior vena cava.
Aminosalicylates, steroids, immunomodulators and biologics
A memory aid for the drugs used in Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis.
Transmural granulomatous inflammation versus mucosal crypt abscesses
A memory aid for the histological differences between Crohn and ulcerative colitis.
Crohn is transmural and patchy anywhere; colitis is mucosal and continuous from the rectum
A memory aid for the physiological differences between Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis.
Some Say Thyroid Often
Mnemonic for the four infrahyoid strap muscles below the hyoid bone.
Lacunar and pectineal ligaments extend from the medial end of the inguinal ligament
A memory aid for the ligaments formed by the inguinal ligament.
Haemophilia bleeds into joints, von Willebrand from mucosa
A memory aid for haemophilia and von Willebrand disease.
Innate is immediate and non-specific; adaptive is slower, specific and has memory
A memory aid for the two arms of the immune system.
Promotes storage of glucose, fat and protein, and drives potassium into cells
A memory aid for the anabolic actions of insulin.
Insulin stores in the fed state, glucagon mobilises in the fasted
A memory aid for the opposing actions of insulin and glucagon.
Rapid, short, intermediate and long acting, matched to basal and prandial needs
A memory aid for the classes of insulin by duration of action.
A receptor tyrosine kinase acting through IRS and PI3K to recruit GLUT4
A memory aid for how insulin acts at the cellular level.
Posterior intercostals from the aorta; anterior intercostals from the internal thoracic and musculophrenic arteries
A memory aid for where the anterior and posterior intercostal arteries come from.
External intercostals run downwards and forwards, like hands in pockets
A memory aid for the fibre direction of the external and internal intercostal muscles.
Collateral, lateral cutaneous and anterior cutaneous branches, plus rami communicantes
A memory aid for the branches of a typical intercostal nerve.
Seven and eight ride together through the internal gate
Mnemonic for the nerves passing through the internal acoustic meatus.
Cats Prowl Caves Carefully
Mnemonic for the four main segments of the internal carotid artery.
Sigmoid sinus drops through the jugular foramen and becomes the vein
Mnemonic for the origin of the internal jugular vein.
Anterior intercostal, perforating and pericardiacophrenic branches, ending as superior epigastric and musculophrenic arteries
A memory aid for the branches and terminal division of the internal thoracic artery.
Liver, bone, placenta or gut, distinguished by GGT and clinical context
A memory aid for finding the source of a raised ALP.
CHARTS for the upper zones, STAIR for the lower
A mnemonic for the upper and lower zone causes of pulmonary fibrosis.
Upper zone and lower zone causes have distinct differentials
A memory aid for classifying interstitial lung disease by zone.
A large muscular part and a small membranous part
A memory aid for the two parts of the interventricular septum.
About 9 litres enters the gut daily and only 100 ml is lost in stool
A memory aid for the daily fluid load handled by the gut.
Lipid, protein, glycogen and pigments
A memory aid for the substances that accumulate within cells.
Extradural, subdural, subarachnoid and intracerebral, each with a characteristic vessel and shape
A memory aid for the patterns of intracranial bleeding.
One segment of bowel telescopes into the next, most often ileocolic
A memory aid for the anatomy of intussusception.
Absorbed in the duodenum, controlled by hepcidin acting on ferroportin
A memory aid for the control of iron absorption.
Ferritin low in deficiency, normal or high in chronic disease
A memory aid for distinguishing iron deficiency from anaemia of chronic disease.
Oxygen returns to injured tissue and generates free radicals
A memory aid for why restoring blood flow can worsen tissue damage.
Perfusion falls, then metabolism, then diastolic and systolic function, then ECG changes, then pain
A memory aid for the sequence of events after coronary occlusion.
A wedge-shaped space between the anal canal and the ischium, containing fat and the pudendal canal
A memory aid for the fat-filled space beside the anal canal.
Different molecular forms of the same enzyme, characteristic of different tissues
A memory aid for the concept and clinical use of isoenzymes.
Jaundice, Anaemia, Clubbing, Cyanosis, Oedema, Lymphadenopathy
A clinical examination mnemonic for key systemic signs.
Sclera, conjunctiva, tongue and fingers
A memory aid for where and how to look for the colour signs.
Five in, five out, the only reflex that's all trigeminal about
Mnemonic for the nerve involved in both limbs of the jaw jerk reflex.
Jejunum is thicker walled with long vasa recta and few arcades; ileum is thinner with short vasa recta and many arcades
A memory aid for distinguishing jejunum from ileum.
Avascular, aneural cartilage nourished by synovial fluid
A memory aid for the properties of articular cartilage and synovial fluid.
Look, feel, move, then special tests and function
A mnemonic for examining any individual joint.
Jugular Vein Attracts Girls
Mnemonic for the structures passing through the jugular foramen.
Nine, Ten, Eleven ride the jugular bus, sitting right next to the vein
Mnemonic for the three nerves riding through the jugular foramen with the internal jugular vein.
Macula densa, juxtaglomerular cells and extraglomerular mesangial cells
A memory aid for the components of the juxtaglomerular apparatus.
Macula densa, granular cells and extraglomerular mesangium
A memory aid for the microscopic components of the juxtaglomerular apparatus.
a, c and v waves with x and y descents
A memory aid for the waves and descents of the jugular venous pulse.
Keloid grows beyond the wound; hypertrophic stays within it
A memory aid for distinguishing keloid from hypertrophic scarring.
Made in the liver from acetyl-CoA, used by brain, heart and muscle
A memory aid for ketone production and use.
From T12 to L3, with the right kidney lying lower than the left
A memory aid for the vertebral levels of the kidneys.
Prepatellar bursitis is housemaid's knee; infrapatellar bursitis is clergyman's knee
A memory aid for the named bursae around the knee.
Look, feel, move, then ligament and meniscal tests
A memory aid for the sequence of a knee examination.
Flexion and extension, with rotation possible only when the knee is flexed
A memory aid for the movements of the knee and how it locks.
The medial meniscus is C-shaped and fixed; the lateral is more circular and mobile
A memory aid for the difference between the medial and lateral menisci.
Anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and medial meniscus
A memory aid for the three structures torn in the unhappy triad of the knee.
Phase 1 gives systolic pressure and phase 5 gives diastolic
A memory aid for the five phases of the Korotkoff sounds.
Acetyl-CoA is oxidised, generating NADH, FADH2 and GTP
A memory aid for the yield and role of the citric acid cycle.
Cervical dilatation, delivery of the fetus, then delivery of the placenta
A memory aid for the three stages of labour and their control.
Gland weeps above, punctum sips at the inner corner, sac drains down the duct, nose catches the run
Mnemonic for the direction tears flow through the lacrimal apparatus.
Type A from hypoperfusion, type B without it
A memory aid for interpreting a raised lactate.
Prolactin makes milk; oxytocin ejects it
A memory aid for the control of milk production and ejection.
Type A from hypoperfusion, type B without hypoxia
A memory aid for the two types of lactic acidosis.
Reynolds number over about 2000 predicts turbulence
A memory aid for the difference between laminar and turbulent flow.
Taeniae coli, haustra and appendices epiploicae
A mnemonic for the three features distinguishing large from small bowel.
Left Anterior, Right Posterior
A mnemonic for the position of the vagal trunks on the oesophagus.
Those Cats Are Eating
Mnemonic for the four main cartilages of the larynx.
Front flap, back peaks, side folds seal the leaks
Mnemonic for the structures forming the boundaries of the laryngeal inlet.
From the epiglottis down to the cricoid's ring, food passes safely past the airway's wing
Mnemonic for the boundaries of the laryngopharynx.
Lateral pectoral nerve, Lateral root of the median nerve, Musculocutaneous nerve
A mnemonic for the branches of the lateral cord of the brachial plexus.
Fibularis longus and fibularis brevis, supplied by the superficial fibular nerve
A memory aid for the muscles and nerve of the lateral leg.
Lateral pterygoids pull it open, working as a pair
Mnemonic for the unique protrusive action of lateral pterygoid.
Extension, adduction and medial rotation of the arm, supplied by the thoracodorsal nerve
A memory aid for the actions and nerve supply of latissimus dorsi.
Wall stress equals pressure times radius divided by twice the wall thickness
A memory aid for how chamber size and wall thickness affect wall stress.
Bulk, osmotic, stimulant and softening agents
A memory aid for the laxative classes and when to use each.
It crosses the midline behind the manubrium to reach the superior vena cava
A memory aid for why the left brachiocephalic vein is longer than the right.
Left anterior descending and circumflex arteries
A memory aid for the branches of the left coronary artery and the territory they supply.
Apicoposterior, anterior, superior and inferior lingular; superior and three or four basal segments
A memory aid for the bronchopulmonary segments of the left lung.
The left testicular vein drains at a right angle into the left renal vein
A memory aid for why varicoceles are almost always left-sided.
Thick wall, fine trabeculae carneae, two papillary muscles, no moderator band
A memory aid for how to recognise the left ventricle.
Left failure causes pulmonary congestion; right failure causes systemic congestion
A memory aid for distinguishing left from right heart failure.
Force is greatest at optimal length and falls as shortening velocity rises
A memory aid for the two fundamental muscle mechanics relationships.
Hepatogastric and hepatoduodenal ligaments
A memory aid for the two parts of the lesser omentum.
Pudendal nerve, internal pudendal vessels, nerve to obturator internus and the tendon of obturator internus
A memory aid for the structures passing through the lesser sciatic foramen.
ALL in children, AML in adults, CLL in the elderly, CML in middle age
A memory aid for the four main leukaemias by age and lineage.
Lifts from the back of the orbit, a short straight climb to the lid it'll orbit
Mnemonic for the bony origin of levator palpebrae superioris.
A fibromuscular band suspending the duodenojejunal flexure from the right crus of the diaphragm
A memory aid for the suspensory ligament of the duodenum and its clinical importance.
A longitudinal plane about 1 cm behind the lateral convex border, between the anterior and posterior arterial divisions
A memory aid for the relatively avascular plane of the kidney.
Every device has a correct position and a characteristic malposition
A memory aid for checking the position of lines and tubes on a film.
Hormone sensitive lipase releases it, albumin carries it, carnitine admits it
A memory aid for how stored fat is mobilised and transported.
A narrow therapeutic index drug requiring regular level, renal and thyroid monitoring
A memory aid for the safe use of lithium.
Five vessels kiss at the front of the septum
Mnemonic for the arteries forming Kiesselbach's plexus at Little's area.
Hepatic lobules with portal triads, and pancreatic acini with islets
A memory aid for hepatic and pancreatic microarchitecture.
Portal vein gives 75 per cent of flow, hepatic artery gives 50 per cent of oxygen
A memory aid for the two sources of hepatic blood flow.
Transaminases versus alkaline phosphatase and gamma GT
A memory aid for distinguishing hepatitic from cholestatic liver tests.
Transaminases indicate hepatocellular injury; ALP and GGT indicate cholestasis
A memory aid for interpreting the liver enzyme pattern.
Synthesis, storage, metabolism, detoxification, excretion and immune function
A mnemonic for the major functions of the liver.
Steatosis, hepatitis, cholestasis, fibrosis and cirrhosis
A memory aid for the histological patterns of liver damage.
Falciform, coronary, triangular and round ligaments, plus the ligamentum venosum
A memory aid for the peritoneal ligaments of the liver.
Fenestrated endothelium, Kupffer cells and stellate cells
A memory aid for the microarchitecture of the hepatic sinusoid.
Upper border at the fifth intercostal space, lower border at the right costal margin
A memory aid for percussing the liver and defining hepatomegaly.
Lateral two lumbricals, Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis, Flexor pollicis brevis
A mnemonic for median nerve-supplied intrinsic hand muscles.
Block voltage-gated sodium channels from the inside of the axon
A memory aid for how local anaesthetics work and why they fail in infection.
Perioral tingling and tinnitus first, then seizures and cardiac arrest
A memory aid for recognising and treating local anaesthetic systemic toxicity.
Adenosine, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and potassium ions, and hypoxia
A memory aid for the metabolites that increase local blood flow.
Long head of biceps from the supraglenoid tubercle, long head of triceps from the infraglenoid tubercle
A memory aid for the origins of the long heads of biceps and triceps.
L4 medial leg, L5 dorsum of the foot and big toe, S1 lateral foot and little toe
A memory aid for the key sensory landmarks of the lower limb dermatomes.
Femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial and dorsalis pedis pulses
A memory aid for the four palpable pulses of the lower limb.
Knee jerk L3 to L4, ankle jerk S1 to S2
A mnemonic for the nerve roots of the lower limb reflexes.
Right crus sling, angle of His, abdominal segment, mucosal rosette and the phreno-oesophageal ligament
A memory aid for the anatomical factors preventing gastro-oesophageal reflux.
Lateral rectus CN VI, superior oblique CN IV, all others CN III
A mnemonic for extraocular muscle innervation.
Tongue goes up, airway's stuck
Mnemonic for the key danger of Ludwig's angina.
Petit's inferior triangle and Grynfeltt's superior triangle
A memory aid for the two lumbar triangles of the posterior abdominal wall.
Lateral two lumbricals by the median nerve, medial two by the ulnar nerve
A memory aid for the split nerve supply of the four lumbricals.
Local invasion, distant spread and hormone secretion
A memory aid for the local, metastatic and paraneoplastic features of lung cancer.
Small cell is central and rapidly metastasising; non-small cell divides into squamous, adeno and large cell
A memory aid for the histological types of lung cancer and their behaviour.
A capacity is two or more volumes added together
A memory aid for the four lung capacities and the volumes that make them up.
Change in volume per unit change in pressure, determined by elastic tissue and surface tension
A memory aid for the determinants of lung compliance.
Embryonic, Pseudoglandular, Canalicular, Saccular, Alveolar
A mnemonic for the five stages of lung development.
Pulmonary vein anterior and inferior, pulmonary artery next, bronchus posterior
A memory aid for the arrangement of structures at the lung root.
Right lung has three lobes and two fissures; left lung has two lobes and one fissure
A memory aid for the lobes and fissures of each lung.
Pulmonary, bronchopulmonary, tracheobronchial, then paratracheal nodes
A memory aid for the sequence of lymph node groups draining the lung.
Right lung is grooved by the azygos vein and superior vena cava; the left by the aortic arch and descending aorta
A memory aid for the grooves on the mediastinal surface of each lung.
Volume, Air, Tidal, Inspiratory, Residual, Expiratory
A mnemonic for the key lung volumes and capacities measured in spirometry.
Four volumes combining into four capacities
A memory aid for the lung volumes and which cannot be measured by spirometry.
Site, size, consistency, tenderness, fixation and the drainage area
A memory aid for examining lymph nodes and interpreting lymphadenopathy.
Cortex with follicles, paracortex with T cells, and medulla with plasma cells
A memory aid for the histological zones of a lymph node.
Returns interstitial fluid and protein, absorbs fat, and carries immune cells
A memory aid for the roles of the lymphatic system.
Blind ended, highly permeable, with valves and no basement membrane
A memory aid for how lymphatic capillaries differ from blood capillaries.
Enzyme deficiency causes substrate accumulation within lysosomes
A memory aid for the main lysosomal storage diseases.
A cofactor for ATP-dependent enzymes and a natural calcium antagonist
A memory aid for the roles and disturbances of magnesium.
About 25 to 30 ml/kg/day of water with 1 mmol/kg each of sodium and potassium
A memory aid for daily fluid and electrolyte requirements.
Blood early, in balanced ratios, with tranexamic acid
A memory aid for the management of massive blood loss.
Luminal, mucosal or postmucosal failure
A memory aid for localising the cause of malabsorption.
LH acts on Leydig cells for testosterone; FSH acts on Sertoli cells for spermatogenesis
A memory aid for the control of testicular function.
Uncontrolled calcium release causes sustained contraction and hypermetabolism
A memory aid for the mechanism and treatment of malignant hyperthermia.
Muscle Above, Aponeurosis Anterior, Ligament below, Transversalis fascia behind, 2 Ms, 2 As, 2 Ls, 2 Ts
A mnemonic for the boundaries of the inguinal canal.
BLIA runs the lower jaw
Mnemonic for the branches of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve.
Three goes oval, the big jaw needs the big oval door
Mnemonic for where the mandibular nerve leaves the skull.
A continuous anastomotic channel along the mesenteric border of the colon
A memory aid for the collateral artery running along the colon.
Musculocutaneous, Axillary, Radial, Median, Ulnar
A mnemonic for the five terminal branches of the brachial plexus.
Granulated connective tissue cells releasing histamine on IgE cross-linking
A memory aid for mast cell structure and function.
Infection spreads through the mastoid air cells straight to the brain's back door
Mnemonic for how mastoiditis can spread to threaten the brain.
ZIPS across the midface
Mnemonic for the branches of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve.
Two goes round, matches its round cheek
Mnemonic for where the maxillary nerve leaves the skull.
Two-thirds of the way along a line from the umbilicus to the right anterior superior iliac spine
A memory aid for the surface marking of the base of the appendix.
Diastolic pressure plus one third of the pulse pressure
A memory aid for calculating mean arterial pressure.
Deuterium for total body water, inulin for extracellular fluid, albumin for plasma
A memory aid for the indicators used to measure each fluid compartment.
Osmotic, secretory, inflammatory and motility related
A mnemonic for the four mechanisms of diarrhoea.
Trigeminal ganglion rests in Meckel's cave, like a nerve tucked safe
Mnemonic for the structure housed within Meckel's cave.
2 per cent, 2 feet from the ileocaecal valve, 2 inches long, 2 types of ectopic tissue, under 2 years
A mnemonic for the features of a Meckel's diverticulum.
The medial plantar nerve behaves like the median nerve and the lateral plantar nerve like the ulnar nerve
A memory aid for the plantar nerves as the median and ulnar of the foot.
Medial pectoral nerve, Medial cutaneous nerve of the arm, Medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm, Ulnar nerve, Medial root of the median nerve
A mnemonic for the branches of the medial cord of the brachial plexus.
Adductor longus, brevis and magnus, gracilis, pectineus and obturator externus, supplied by the obturator nerve
A memory aid for the adductor muscles of the medial thigh.
Hand of benediction, ape hand and loss of thumb opposition
A memory aid for the signs of a median nerve lesion.
Superior mediastinum above the sternal angle; anterior, middle and posterior below it
A memory aid for how the mediastinum is divided.
Pushed away by extra volume, pulled towards by lost volume
A mnemonic for which way the mediastinum moves in thoracic disease.
Declarative memory needs the hippocampus; procedural memory does not
A memory aid for the types of memory and their anatomical basis.
Dumb Aunts Party
Mnemonic for the three meningeal layers from outermost to innermost.
Dense fibrous dura, avascular arachnoid, delicate vascular pia
A memory aid for the histological structure of the meninges.
A non-blanching rash in an unwell patient is meningococcal until proven otherwise
A memory aid for recognising and treating meningococcal disease.
Ovarian follicle depletion causes low oestrogen with high FSH and LH
A memory aid for the hormonal changes of the menopause.
Follicular phase, ovulation at the LH surge, then a fixed 14-day luteal phase
A memory aid for the hormonal and ovarian events of the menstrual cycle.
Appearance, behaviour, speech, mood, thought, perception, cognition, insight
A mnemonic for the components of the mental state examination.
ASEPTIC: Appearance, Speech, Emotion, Perception, Thought, Insight, Cognition
A mnemonic for the components of the mental state examination.
Mentalis wrinkles the chin like a golf ball skin
Mnemonic for the wrinkling action of mentalis on the chin.
Generation is one thing; maintenance requires impaired bicarbonate excretion
A memory aid for why metabolic alkalosis persists.
One differentiated epithelium replaced by another better suited to the stress
A memory aid for the common sites of epithelial metaplasia.
The forgotten suture, fuses early, by age two it's gone from view
Mnemonic for the early disappearance of the metopic suture.
Parasympathetic S2 to S4 empties the bladder; sympathetic and somatic control storage
A memory aid for the neural control of bladder emptying.
Temporal and pituitary's nest, cavernous sinus at the side of the crest
Mnemonic for the main contents of the middle cranial fossa.
Roof Floor Front Back In Out, six walls about
Mnemonic for the six walls of the tympanic cavity.
Heart and pericardium, roots of the great vessels, main bronchi, phrenic nerves
A memory aid for what lies in the middle mediastinum.
Herniates at week 6, rotates 270 degrees anticlockwise, returns by week 10
A memory aid for the rotation of the midgut during development.
Cyclical waves of contraction every 90 to 120 minutes between meals
A memory aid for the housekeeping motility of the fasting gut.
Along the mammary ridge, running from the axilla to the groin
A memory aid for where accessory nipples and breast tissue occur.
Minute ventilation includes dead space; alveolar ventilation does not
A memory aid for the difference between total and effective ventilation.
Maternally inherited, affecting the most energy dependent tissues
A memory aid for the features and inheritance of mitochondrial disease.
PMAT: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase
A mnemonic for the stages of mitosis.
A mid-diastolic murmur with an opening snap, almost always rheumatic
A memory aid for the signs and complications of mitral stenosis.
Brachioradialis, Extensor carpi radialis longus, Extensor carpi radialis brevis
A memory aid for the three muscles of the radial mobile wad.
Merocrine, apocrine and holocrine, by how much cell is lost
A mnemonic for the three ways glands release their product.
Testing that determines which targeted treatment will work
A memory aid for the predictive biomarkers tested on tumour tissue.
The suffix tells you the source, the syllable before it the target
A memory aid for reading the name of a monoclonal antibody.
Brain, blood and cerebrospinal fluid occupy a fixed volume within a rigid skull
A memory aid for the relationship between intracranial contents and pressure.
The hepatorenal recess, the lowest part of the peritoneal cavity in the supine patient
A memory aid for the hepatorenal recess and why it matters in trauma.
Recruitment of more units and increased firing rate, following the size principle
A memory aid for how muscle force is graded.
Motor nuclei sit medial, sensory nuclei sit lateral
Mnemonic for the general rule on brainstem nuclei position.
Lips, mucosa, tongue, teeth, palate and tonsils, with a good light
A memory aid for examining the oral cavity and oropharynx.
Cilia beat in a watery sol layer, moving an overlying gel layer of mucus upwards
A memory aid for the airway's mucociliary escalator.
Epithelium, lamina propria and muscularis mucosae
A memory aid for the layers of a mucous membrane.
MEN1 is three Ps; MEN2A is two Cs and a P; MEN2B adds mucosal neuromas
A mnemonic for the MEN syndromes.
SCRIPT: Site, Character, Radiation, Intensity, Pitch, Timing
A mnemonic for describing a heart murmur completely.
Systolic murmurs come from stenotic outflow or leaking inflow valves, and diastolic murmurs the reverse
A mnemonic for the causes of systolic and diastolic murmurs.
Arrest of inspiration on palpating the right upper quadrant, from an inflamed gallbladder meeting the examining hand
A memory aid for the anatomical basis of Murphy's sign.
Phosphocreatine for seconds, glycolysis for minutes, oxidative for hours
A memory aid for the three energy systems supplying muscle.
Central and peripheral mechanisms, with metabolite accumulation and substrate depletion
A memory aid for the causes of muscle fatigue.
Spindles sense length and drive the monosynaptic stretch reflex
A memory aid for the stretch reflex and the role of the muscle spindle.
Some Muscles Make You Munch
Mnemonic for the number and identity of the muscles of mastication.
My Try Might Ache
Mnemonic for the three muscles of mastication that elevate the mandible.
The diaphragm alone at rest, with accessory muscles for forced inspiration and abdominals for forced expiration
A memory aid for which muscles are used in quiet and forced breathing.
Temporalis pulls it back, gravity does the rest of the opening act
Mnemonic for the muscle actions opposing lateral pterygoid protrusion.
Silent, missense, nonsense and frameshift, in order of severity
A memory aid for the classes of DNA mutation and their consequences.
Concentric wrapping of plasma membrane with nodes of Ranvier between
A memory aid for the structure and function of myelin.
CRAB: Calcium raised, Renal failure, Anaemia, Bone lesions
A mnemonic for the clinical features of multiple myeloma.
Polycythaemia vera, essential thrombocythaemia, myelofibrosis and CML
A memory aid for the chronic myeloproliferative disorders.
Coagulative necrosis, then neutrophils, macrophages, granulation tissue and scar
A memory aid for the histological evolution of a myocardial infarct.
Heart rate, contractility and wall stress
A memory aid for the determinants of myocardial oxygen consumption.
Stunning follows restored flow; hibernation persists with reduced flow
A memory aid for distinguishing stunned from hibernating myocardium.
Inflammation of the myocardium, usually viral, often mimicking infarction
A memory aid for the causes and features of myocarditis.
The area of Fruchaud, bounded by rectus, the oblique muscles, the iliopubic tract and the pubic ramus
A memory aid for the single weak area through which all groin hernias pass.
Hypothermia, hypoventilation, hyponatraemia and reduced consciousness
A memory aid for the features and treatment of severe hypothyroidism.
Clubbing, koilonychia, leuconychia, splinter haemorrhages and pitting
A memory aid for the diagnostic signs found in the nails.
Width tells you where it starts, regularity tells you which one
A memory aid for classifying a tachycardia by QRS width and regularity.
A five way kiss at Kiesselbach's
Mnemonic for the five arteries contributing to Kiesselbach's plexus.
Plate on top, Vomer below, Cartilage in front
Mnemonic for the three structures forming the nasal septum.
Nasalis flares the nostrils wide, compressor and dilator riding side by side
Mnemonic for the flaring action of nasalis.
Behind the nose, above the palate, a passage that connects but does not halt it
Mnemonic for the boundaries of the nasopharynx.
Released by stretched myocardium; they oppose the renin-angiotensin system
A memory aid for the actions of atrial and brain natriuretic peptide.
Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle, slowing emptying and reducing sphincter tone
A memory aid for the gastrointestinal changes of pregnancy.
Nerve, Artery, Vein, Empty space, Lymphatics
A mnemonic for femoral triangle contents from lateral to medial.
Position, movement and age narrow the differential rapidly
A memory aid for the differential diagnosis of a neck lump.
Nephritic is inflammatory with haematuria; nephrotic is leaky with heavy proteinuria
A memory aid for distinguishing the two glomerular syndromes.
Glomerulus, Loop (of Henle), Ascending limb, Renal cortex collecting duct, Collecting Duct
A mnemonic for the main functional segments of the nephron in order.
Glomerulus, proximal tubule, loop of Henle, distal tubule, collecting duct
A memory aid for the sequence of nephron segments and what each does.
A alpha fastest, then A beta, A gamma, A delta, B and C slowest
A memory aid for nerve fibre types by diameter and conduction velocity.
Long thoracic, thoracodorsal and intercostobrachial nerves
A memory aid for the nerves that can be injured during axillary surgery.
The terminal branches of the anterior and posterior vagal trunks supplying the pylorus
A memory aid for the terminal gastric branches of the vagus.
Each disease has a characteristic misfolded protein and distribution
A memory aid for the protein deposits characterising each neurodegenerative disease.
Hypotension with bradycardia and warm peripheries after high spinal cord injury
A memory aid for the distinctive features of neurogenic shock.
FEVER: Fever, Encephalopathy, Vitals unstable, Elevated CK, Rigidity
A mnemonic for the features of neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
Acetylcholine acts on nicotinic receptors and is broken down by acetylcholinesterase
A memory aid for transmission at the neuromuscular junction.
Unipolar, bipolar and multipolar, with Nissl substance in the cell body
A memory aid for neurone morphology and classification.
Tyrosine gives catecholamines, tryptophan gives serotonin, glutamate gives GABA
A memory aid for which amino acid gives rise to which neurotransmitter.
Glutamate excites, GABA inhibits, and the monoamines modulate
A memory aid for the main central neurotransmitters and their roles.
Nicotinic at all ganglia, muscarinic and adrenergic at effector organs
A memory aid for autonomic receptor types and their drugs.
The six Ps: pain, pallor, pulselessness, perishing cold, paraesthesia, paralysis
A mnemonic for assessing the acutely ischaemic or injured limb.
Margination, rolling, adhesion, transmigration, chemotaxis, phagocytosis and killing
A memory aid for the steps of neutrophil action.
Four classes, graded by the activity that causes symptoms
A memory aid for grading the functional severity of heart failure.
A head to toe screen performed within 72 hours of birth
A memory aid for the routine newborn examination.
Nine conditions in the UK programme, taken at day 5
A memory aid for the conditions detected on the newborn blood spot.
The tides and the flozins, with benefits beyond glucose
A memory aid for the GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors.
Six physiological parameters plus supplemental oxygen
A memory aid for the parameters of the national early warning score.
Two vertical midclavicular lines and two horizontal planes give nine regions
A memory aid for the nine regions of the abdomen and the planes that define them.
Nitric oxide donation causes venodilatation, reducing preload and wall stress
A memory aid for how nitrates relieve angina.
Intake minus loss, positive in growth and negative in catabolism
A memory aid for interpreting nitrogen balance.
Nitrogen splints alveoli open; replacing it with rapidly absorbed oxygen allows collapse
A memory aid for why high inspired oxygen causes collapse.
CPAP for oxygenation, BiPAP for ventilation
A memory aid for when to use CPAP and when to use BiPAP.
Filtration, metabolism, immune defence, acid-base balance and a blood reservoir
A memory aid for the metabolic and defensive roles of the lung.
Cyclo-oxygenase inhibition giving analgesia at the cost of gastric, renal and cardiovascular risk
A memory aid for the actions and risks of NSAIDs.
Chromatin pattern, nucleoli and shape indicate activity and malignancy
A memory aid for interpreting nuclear morphology.
Purines are built onto the ribose; pyrimidines are built first then attached
A memory aid for de novo purine and pyrimidine synthesis.
NNT is the reciprocal of the absolute risk reduction
A memory aid for absolute and relative risk and the number needed to treat.
Peripheral nystagmus is unidirectional and fatigable; central nystagmus is not
A memory aid for classifying nystagmus.
Energy stores are defended by hormonal and metabolic adaptation to weight loss
A memory aid for the physiology of weight regulation.
Fundal height, lie, presentation, engagement and fetal heart
A memory aid for examining the pregnant abdomen.
STOP-BANG for screening, Epworth for sleepiness, polysomnography to confirm
A mnemonic for screening and assessing obstructive sleep apnoea.
Repeated pharyngeal collapse causes intermittent hypoxia and arousals
A memory aid for the mechanism and consequences of obstructive sleep apnoea.
Obstruction traps gas and raises volumes; restriction reduces all volumes
A memory aid for the physiological differences between obstruction and restriction.
Through the obturator canal, causing the Howship-Romberg sign
A memory aid for the obturator hernia and its characteristic sign.
Adducts the thigh and supplies sensation to the medial thigh
A memory aid for the motor and sensory role of the obturator nerve.
Occupation, travel, animals, hobbies and contacts
A memory aid for the exposures that change a differential diagnosis.
Transudate from pressure change; exudate from increased permeability
A memory aid for the pathological classification of oedema.
Squamous in the upper two-thirds, adenocarcinoma in the lower third
A memory aid for the two types of oesophageal cancer.
Cricopharyngeus, aortic arch, left main bronchus and the diaphragmatic hiatus
A memory aid for the four normal constrictions of the oesophagus.
Oesophagus, anterior and posterior vagal trunks, and the oesophageal branches of the left gastric vessels
A memory aid for the structures passing through the oesophageal hiatus.
Upper third striated, middle third mixed, lower third smooth
A memory aid for the change from striated to smooth muscle down the oesophagus.
Trachea and heart in front, vertebral column and aorta behind, arch and azygos to the sides
A memory aid for the structures related to the thoracic oesophagus.
Upper oesophagus drains systemically; the lower third drains to the left gastric vein and the portal system
A memory aid for the portosystemic anastomosis at the lower oesophagus.
Cervical, thoracic and abdominal parts, totalling about 25 cm
A memory aid for the three parts of the oesophagus and its overall length.
Mean arterial pressure equals cardiac output multiplied by systemic vascular resistance
A memory aid for the relationship between pressure, flow and resistance.
Omphalocele is covered by a sac and central; gastroschisis is uncovered and to the right
A mnemonic for distinguishing the two congenital anterior abdominal wall defects.
Oncogenes are the accelerator, tumour suppressors the brakes
A memory aid for the two classes of cancer gene.
Automatic breathing is brainstem driven; voluntary breathing bypasses it through corticospinal tracts
A memory aid for the distinction between automatic and voluntary breathing.
Folate carries one carbon units; B12 transfers the methyl group to homocysteine
A memory aid for the folate and B12 methylation cycle.
Frankly Lovely Nose
Mnemonic for the three branches of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve.
One goes through the superior orbital fissure, the eye's own door
Mnemonic for where the ophthalmic nerve leaves the skull.
Divide by two from oral to subcutaneous morphine, and remember the breakthrough dose
A memory aid for converting between opioids and routes.
The triad of reduced consciousness, respiratory depression and pinpoint pupils
A memory aid for recognising and treating opioid toxicity.
Mu receptors give analgesia along with the main side effects
A memory aid for the actions mediated by opioid receptors.
Onset, Provocation/Palliation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity, Time
A pain assessment mnemonic.
Two travels with the artery too
Mnemonic for the structures passing through the optic canal.
Reduce hepatic output, increase secretion, increase sensitivity, or increase excretion
A memory aid for how each class of diabetes drug works.
Glucose-coupled sodium absorption remains intact even in secretory diarrhoea
A memory aid for why oral rehydration solution works.
Orbit the eye, orbicularis closes it, one ring muscle, one job, shut
Mnemonic for the ring shaped closing action of orbicularis oculi.
Orbicularis oris puckers shut, like a drawstring purse pulled tight
Mnemonic for the sphincter action of orbicularis oris.
Optic canal medial, superior orbital fissure lateral, the apex splits the traffic
Mnemonic for the structures at the apex of the orbit and how the two openings split them.
Room For Little Miracles
Mnemonic for the four walls of the bony orbit.
Eye to ear hole, the baseline for a skull CT's role
Mnemonic for the orbitomeatal line used as a baseline in skull imaging.
Organic acidaemias cause acidosis with a raised anion gap; urea cycle defects cause alkalosis
A memory aid for distinguishing the two groups of metabolic crisis in neonates.
From the soft palate down to the hyoid's frame, tonsils and tongue base share this same domain
Mnemonic for the boundaries of the oropharynx.
Twice the sodium plus urea and glucose
A memory aid for calculating and interpreting plasma osmolality.
Osmoreceptors control antidiuretic hormone and thirst
A memory aid for how plasma osmolality is defended.
Measured minus calculated osmolality, raised by unmeasured osmoles
A memory aid for using the osmolar gap in poisoning.
Unreabsorbed solute in the tubule holds water and drags electrolytes with it
A memory aid for the mechanism and causes of osmotic diuresis.
Ma Married Ivan Stapel
Mnemonic reinforcing the ossicle order along the path of sound conduction.
Ma Married Ivan Stapel
Mnemonic for the order of the three ossicles from outer to inner ear.
Intramembranous for flat bones, endochondral for long bones
A memory aid for how bone forms and grows in length.
Osteoporosis is too little normal bone; osteomalacia is poorly mineralised bone
A memory aid for distinguishing the two main metabolic bone diseases.
Left phrenic nerve, superior epigastric vessels, splanchnic nerves, hemiazygos vein and lymphatics
A memory aid for the smaller structures crossing the diaphragm beyond the three main openings.
Hangs under the oval door
Mnemonic for the position of the otic ganglion.
Oocyte number is fixed before birth and declines continuously thereafter
A memory aid for the decline in female fertility with age.
Electrons pass down the chain, pumping protons that drive ATP synthase
A memory aid for the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis.
Target saturations of 94 to 98 per cent, or 88 to 92 per cent if at risk of hypercapnia
A memory aid for prescribing oxygen safely.
Oxygen tension falls stepwise from atmospheric to about 1 kPa in the mitochondrion
A memory aid for the fall in oxygen tension from air to mitochondria.
Tension drives diffusion, saturation describes haemoglobin, content determines delivery
A memory aid for distinguishing oxygen tension, saturation and content.
Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption repays stores and restores homeostasis
A memory aid for why oxygen consumption stays high after exercise.
From nasal cannulae to non-rebreathe and Venturi masks
A memory aid for the oxygen delivery devices and the concentrations they give.
Delivery equals cardiac output multiplied by arterial oxygen content
A memory aid for calculating oxygen delivery to the tissues.
A sigmoid curve with P50 of about 3.5 kPa or 27 mmHg
A memory aid for the shape and key points of the oxyhaemoglobin curve.
Acid, carbon dioxide, temperature and 2,3-DPG all shift it right
A mnemonic for what shifts the oxygen dissociation curve right.
Variable devices depend on the patient's breathing pattern; fixed devices do not
A memory aid for fixed and variable performance oxygen devices.
Pulmonary damage from free radicals, plus central nervous system toxicity at high pressure
A memory aid for the harmful effects of prolonged high inspired oxygen.
A p value measures compatibility with the null hypothesis, not the size of an effect
A memory aid for what a p value does and does not tell you.
Phase 4 funny current, phase 0 calcium influx, phase 3 potassium efflux
A memory aid for the three phases of the sinoatrial node action potential.
Palmar ADduct, Dorsal ABduct
A mnemonic for palmar and dorsal interossei actions.
Gross motor, fine motor and vision, hearing and speech, social
A memory aid for the four domains and key developmental milestones.
Birth, development, feeding, immunisation and social history
A memory aid for the additional elements of a paediatric history.
Large fibre input inhibits transmission of small fibre pain signals
A memory aid for the gate control theory of pain.
Transduction, transmission, modulation and perception
A memory aid for the transmission of pain from periphery to cortex.
Hard in front is bone, soft behind stands alone
Mnemonic for the composition of the hard and soft palate.
Palatine shelves swing down then up then fuse, miss the timing, get the cleft
Mnemonic for the direction of palatal shelf fusion.
Superficial palmar arch mainly from the ulnar artery, deep palmar arch mainly from the radial artery
A memory aid for the two palmar arches and which artery forms each.
Head from the pancreaticoduodenal arcades; body and tail from the splenic artery
A memory aid for the arterial supply of the pancreas.
Head, uncinate process, neck, body and tail
A memory aid for the five parts of the pancreas.
Aorta, inferior vena cava, portal vein and left kidney behind; stomach in front
A memory aid for the structures behind and around the pancreas.
Ventral and dorsal buds fuse after the ventral bud rotates behind the duodenum
A memory aid for the two pancreatic buds and the origin of an annular pancreas.
Main duct of Wirsung to the major papilla; accessory duct of Santorini to the minor papilla
A memory aid for the two pancreatic ducts and their openings.
Beta for insulin, alpha for glucagon, delta for somatostatin
A memory aid for the cells of the islets of Langerhans.
Bicarbonate from duct cells under secretin, enzymes from acinar cells under cholecystokinin
A memory aid for the two components of pancreatic juice.
NAPQI depletes glutathione, causing centrilobular necrosis
A memory aid for the mechanism and monitoring of paracetamol toxicity.
Grooves lateral to the ascending and descending colon; the right is deeper and continuous with the subhepatic space
A memory aid for the paracolic gutters and where fluid tracks within them.
Middle for most, superior for posterior ethmoid, sphenoid drains above all
Mnemonic for where each paranasal sinus group drains within the nasal cavity.
Frontal Ethmoid Sphenoid Maxillary, all drain to the nose
Mnemonic for the four paired paranasal sinuses.
Four pairs drain the face, frontal ethmoid sphenoid maxillary find their place
Mnemonic for the number of paired paranasal sinus groups.
Effects not explained by the tumour mass, its metastases or its hormones of origin
A memory aid for the syndromes caused by tumours at a distance.
Four glands, two up two down, tucked behind the thyroid's crown
Mnemonic for the typical number and arrangement of parathyroid glands.
Acetylcholine, gastrin and histamine all converge on the proton pump
A memory aid for the three stimuli of acid secretion and the final common pathway.
Costal, mediastinal, diaphragmatic and cervical pleura
A memory aid for the four named regions of the parietal pleura.
Levodopa with a decarboxylase inhibitor, dopamine agonists, MAO-B and COMT inhibitors
A memory aid for the drug classes used in Parkinson disease.
Bradykinesia plus rigidity, tremor or postural instability
A memory aid for examining a patient with suspected Parkinson's disease.
Stensen's duct opens by the second upper molar
Mnemonic for the location of the parotid duct opening.
Facial nerve splits it superficial from deep, like a nerve drawn curtain
Mnemonic for how the facial nerve divides the parotid gland into lobes.
Dystrophic occurs in damaged tissue; metastatic occurs in normal tissue with high calcium
A memory aid for the two types of tissue calcification.
Effort dependent, compared with predicted or personal best
A memory aid for using and interpreting peak flow.
Above is visceral and insensitive; below is somatic and painful
A memory aid for the differences above and below the pectinate line.
Level I lateral to pectoralis minor, level II behind it, level III medial to it
A memory aid for how the axillary lymph nodes are staged surgically.
Distinguish true IgE-mediated allergy from intolerance or a non-allergic rash
A memory aid for evaluating a reported penicillin allergy.
Produces NADPH and ribose-5-phosphate without making ATP
A memory aid for the products and purpose of the pentose phosphate pathway.
Helicobacter pylori and NSAIDs account for the great majority
A memory aid for the causes and complications of peptic ulceration.
Resonant, dull, stony dull and hyperresonant
A memory aid for what each chest percussion note means.
Nitrous oxide is perfusion limited, carbon monoxide is diffusion limited, oxygen is normally perfusion limited
A memory aid for distinguishing perfusion-limited from diffusion-limited gas transfer.
Transverse sinus behind the great arteries; oblique sinus behind the left atrium
A memory aid for the two pericardial sinuses and their surgical relevance.
Enter at Larrey's point, left of the xiphoid, aiming for the left shoulder at 30 degrees
A memory aid for the subxiphoid approach to the pericardium.
Fibrous pericardium, parietal serous layer, pericardial cavity, visceral serous layer
A memory aid for the layers of the pericardium from outside in.
Cheyne-Stokes waxes and wanes; Kussmaul is deep and rapid; Biot's is irregular
A memory aid for the abnormal breathing patterns and their causes.
Inspect, feel the pulses, then Buerger's test and the pressure index
A memory aid for examining the arterial supply to the legs.
Endoneurium around axons, perineurium around fascicles, epineurium around the nerve
A memory aid for the connective tissue layers of a peripheral nerve.
Inspection, tone, power, reflexes, coordination, sensation, gait
A memory aid for the order of a limb neurological examination.
Janeway lesions, Osler nodes, Roth spots, splinter haemorrhages and clubbing
A mnemonic for the peripheral stigmata of endocarditis.
Signs of hyperoestrogenism, portal hypertension and failed synthesis
A memory aid for the peripheral signs of liver disease.
Contraction above the bolus and relaxation below it
A memory aid for the reflex that propels intestinal contents.
Fluid moves upwards towards the diaphragm and is absorbed through diaphragmatic lymphatics
A memory aid for how fluid moves within the peritoneal cavity.
Superior, inferior and paraduodenal recesses, potential sites of internal hernia
A memory aid for the peritoneal recesses around the duodenojejunal flexure.
Parietal peritoneum is somatic and precisely localised; visceral peritoneum is autonomic and vague
A mnemonic for why parietal peritoneum localises pain and visceral peritoneum does not.
Gastrohepatic, gastrosplenic, gastrocolic and gastrophrenic ligaments
A memory aid for the peritoneal ligaments attached to the stomach.
Rectovesical pouch in the male; vesicouterine and rectouterine pouches in the female
A memory aid for the dependent peritoneal pouches of the pelvis.
Uvula runs away from the pus bay
Mnemonic for the direction of uvula deviation in a peritonsillar abscess.
Come Look, Canines First, Please, Please, Molars Meet
Mnemonic for the general order in which permanent teeth erupt.
ADME: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
A mnemonic for the stages of drug handling.
Third makes carotid, fourth makes arch and subclavian, sixth makes pulmonary and ductus
A memory aid for the adult vessels derived from each pharyngeal arch artery.
Arch one Meckel's begun, arch two Reichert's true, arch three hyoid's key, arch four six larynx fix
Mnemonic for the skeletal derivative of each pharyngeal arch.
Arch four six, Vagus fix
Mnemonic for the nerve of the fourth and sixth pharyngeal arches.
Arch one, chew like a Trigeminal son
Mnemonic for the nerve of the first pharyngeal arch.
Arch three, swallow with Glosso key
Mnemonic for the nerve of the third pharyngeal arch.
Arch two, smile like a Facial crew
Mnemonic for the nerve of the second pharyngeal arch.
Sing Movies Play Backwards
Mnemonic for the three pharyngeal constrictor muscles from top to bottom.
Ear, tonsil, thymus below, thymus above
Mnemonic for the adult derivative of each of the four pharyngeal pouches.
My Friend Made Adjustments
Mnemonic for the four layers of the pharyngeal wall from inside out.
The tough inner coat that holds the throat's shape afloat
Mnemonic for the supportive role of the pharyngobasilar fascia.
Cephalic, gastric and intestinal phases
A mnemonic for the three phases of gastric acid secretion.
Once Party Ends
Mnemonic for the three phases of swallowing in order.
Phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency, so phenylalanine accumulates and tyrosine becomes essential
A memory aid for the biochemistry of phenylketonuria.
Reabsorbed proximally, and excretion is increased by parathyroid hormone and FGF23
A memory aid for renal phosphate regulation.
Phrenic nerve passes in Front of the lung root; the vagus passes behind
A mnemonic for the relationship of the phrenic and vagus nerves to the lung root.
Right phrenic runs on the superior vena cava and pericardium; left phrenic crosses the aortic arch
A memory aid for the asymmetric course of the two phrenic nerves.
Piriformis, Gemellus superior, Obturator internus, Gemellus inferior, Obturator externus, Quadratus femoris
A mnemonic for the deep lateral rotators of the hip.
A pocket beside the larynx, where sharp things like to hide and pinch
Mnemonic for why the piriform fossa is a common site for foreign bodies.
Sudden headache, visual loss and ophthalmoplegia with acute hypopituitarism
A memory aid for haemorrhage or infarction of the pituitary.
Acidophils, basophils and chromophobes, each producing different hormones
A memory aid for the cell types of the anterior pituitary.
Chorionic villi with syncytiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast and fetal capillaries
A memory aid for the structure of the placental barrier.
Gas exchange, nutrition, excretion, endocrine and barrier functions
A memory aid for the roles of the placenta.
Adhesion, activation, aggregation, then providing a surface for coagulation
A memory aid for the steps of platelet activation.
Anucleate fragments with alpha and dense granules
A memory aid for platelet structure and the contents of its granules.
Runs from the chest to the jaw, tenses the neck like a drawn up shawl
Mnemonic for the course and action of platysma.
Transudate is pressure, exudate is permeability
A memory aid for the causes of a pleural effusion by type.
Transudates from altered Starling forces; exudates from increased permeability
A memory aid for the formation and classification of pleural effusions.
Exudate or transudate first, then the specific tests
A memory aid for Light's criteria and the pleural fluid tests.
Parietal pleura is somatically innervated and painful; visceral pleura is autonomic and insensitive
A mnemonic for why parietal pleura hurts and visceral pleura does not.
Pleural pressure is more negative at the apex than at the base
A memory aid for the vertical gradient in pleural pressure.
Costodiaphragmatic and costomediastinal recesses
A memory aid for the pleural recesses and their clinical importance.
Coal, silica and asbestos, each with a characteristic pattern
A memory aid for the occupational dust diseases.
The context predicts the organism
A memory aid for which organism to expect in which patient.
Primary or secondary, with symptoms and size deciding treatment
A memory aid for classifying and treating a pneumothorax.
Loss of negative pleural pressure allows the lung to collapse and the chest wall to spring out
A memory aid for the physiological consequences of air in the pleural space.
Interdigitating foot processes bridged by slit diaphragms
A memory aid for podocyte anatomy and its role in proteinuria.
Flow is proportional to the fourth power of the radius
A memory aid for the determinants of flow through a tube.
Insulin resistance drives ovarian androgen production and disrupts ovulation
A memory aid for the mechanism of PCOS.
Denature, anneal, extend, repeated in cycles
A memory aid for the steps of PCR.
Divides into the anterior tibial artery and the tibioperoneal trunk
A memory aid for the terminal branches of the popliteal artery.
From superficial to deep, tibial nerve, popliteal vein, popliteal artery
A memory aid for the contents and borders of the popliteal fossa.
Low pressure system carrying 75 per cent of hepatic blood flow
A memory aid for the portal venous system and portal hypertension.
Duct, Artery, Vein, Epiploic foramen posteriorly
A mnemonic for the arrangement in the hepatoduodenal ligament.
Union of the superior mesenteric and splenic veins behind the neck of the pancreas
A memory aid for how the portal vein is formed and what it drains.
Oesophagus, umbilicus, rectum and retroperitoneum
A mnemonic for the sites where portal and systemic venous systems meet.
It reverses the normal negative intrathoracic pressure, reducing venous return
A memory aid for the physiological consequences of positive pressure ventilation.
Retained solute and impaired tubular function cause a large diuresis after decompression
A memory aid for the diuresis following relief of urinary obstruction.
Treat the cause, control physiology, and delay prognostication
A memory aid for the management of a patient after return of spontaneous circulation.
Psoas major, iliacus, quadratus lumborum and transversus abdominis
A memory aid for the muscles forming the posterior abdominal wall.
Upper subscapular, Lower subscapular, Thoracodorsal, Radial, Axillary
A mnemonic for the branches of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus.
Cerebellum and stem, the deepest of them
Mnemonic for the main contents of the posterior cranial fossa.
PCA parts the cords apart
Mnemonic for the unique action of posterior cricoarytenoid.
Finger drop with radial wrist deviation and no sensory loss
A memory aid for the effects of a posterior interosseous nerve lesion.
Popliteus, Flexor hallucis longus, Flexor digitorum longus and Tibialis posterior, supplied by the tibial nerve
A memory aid for the deep muscles of the posterior leg.
Gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris, the triceps surae, supplied by the tibial nerve
A memory aid for the superficial muscles of the posterior leg.
Oxytocin and antidiuretic hormone, made in the hypothalamus and stored in the posterior lobe
A memory aid for the two posterior pituitary hormones.
Biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus, supplied by the sciatic nerve
A memory aid for the three hamstring muscles and their nerve.
Just behind and below the medial malleolus
A memory aid for where to feel the posterior tibial pulse.
SCM in front, trapezius behind, clavicle's the floor you'll find
Mnemonic for the three boundaries of the posterior triangle of the neck.
Accessory surfs, plexus peeks, artery anchors
Mnemonic for the main contents of the posterior triangle of the neck.
Insulin, beta agonists and alkalosis drive potassium into cells
A memory aid for what moves potassium between compartments.
Filtered, largely reabsorbed proximally, then secreted in the distal nephron
A memory aid for how the kidney regulates potassium.
Potency is the dose needed, efficacy is the maximum effect achievable
A memory aid for distinguishing potency from efficacy.
Preauricular nodes catch drainage from the eyelid and temple first
Mnemonic for the drainage territory of the preauricular lymph nodes.
Predictive values answer the clinician's question but depend on prevalence
A memory aid for why the same test means different things in different populations.
Cardiac output and volume rise, resistance and blood pressure fall
A memory aid for the circulatory adaptations of pregnancy.
hCG early from trophoblast, then progesterone and oestrogen from the placenta
A memory aid for the hormones of pregnancy and their sources.
Urine hCG for the question, serum hCG for the trend
A memory aid for interpreting human chorionic gonadotrophin.
Venous return, venous tone, blood volume, atrial contraction, heart rate and compliance
A memory aid for the factors setting ventricular preload.
Reduced metabolism, reduced protein binding and increased sensitivity
A memory aid for adjusting drugs in liver disease.
Reduce the dose or lengthen the interval for renally cleared drugs
A memory aid for adjusting drugs when renal function is reduced.
Altered pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics with high polypharmacy risk
A memory aid for the principles of safe prescribing in older people.
The greatest fall occurs across the arterioles
A memory aid for how pressure falls from aorta to vena cava.
A rise in arterial pressure increases sodium and water excretion
A memory aid for the relationship between blood pressure and sodium excretion.
Four categories, plus unstageable and deep tissue injury
A memory aid for grading and preventing pressure ulcers.
Filling, isovolumetric contraction, ejection, isovolumetric relaxation, traced anticlockwise
A memory aid for the four sides of the ventricular pressure-volume loop.
Hypertension with hypokalaemia, high aldosterone and suppressed renin
A memory aid for the features and investigation of Conn syndrome.
B cell, T cell, combined, phagocyte or complement
A memory aid for classifying inherited immune defects by the arm affected.
Truncus arteriosus, bulbus cordis, primitive ventricle, primitive atrium and sinus venosus
A memory aid for what each segment of the primitive heart tube becomes.
Procalcitonin rises in bacterial infection and falls quickly with treatment
A memory aid for the biomarkers used to distinguish bacterial infection.
Medial and lateral circumflex femoral arteries and the perforating arteries
A memory aid for the branches of the deep artery of the thigh.
Pronators are pronator teres and pronator quadratus; supinators are supinator and biceps brachii
A memory aid for the muscles that pronate and supinate the forearm.
It makes ventilation more uniform while perfusion remains relatively unchanged
A memory aid for why proning improves oxygenation.
Hyperplasia affects the transition zone; carcinoma affects the peripheral zone
A memory aid for distinguishing benign from malignant prostatic disease.
Only the free fraction is active, and only the free fraction is cleared
A memory aid for why protein binding matters in prescribing.
Pepsin in the stomach, pancreatic proteases in the duodenum, brush border peptidases last
A memory aid for the sequence of protein digestion.
Ammonia from deamination is converted to urea in the liver
A memory aid for nitrogen disposal.
Primary sequence, secondary local folding, tertiary three-dimensional shape, quaternary subunits
A memory aid for the four levels of protein structure.
Two-thirds of sodium and water, and essentially all glucose, amino acids and bicarbonate
A memory aid for what the proximal tubule reabsorbs.
Two non-specific pumps secrete a wide range of drugs and endogenous compounds
A memory aid for the organic anion and cation secretory systems.
Thin as paper, tear beneath, that's the pterion's deadly teeth
Mnemonic for why the pterion is a clinically dangerous landmark.
Frontal Parietal Temporal Sphenoid meet at an H shaped handshake
Mnemonic for the four bones meeting at the pterion.
The crying ganglion hangs from the maxillary nerve
Mnemonic for the position and function of the pterygopalatine ganglion.
Reactivation of pulsatile GnRH secretion after childhood quiescence
A memory aid for what initiates puberty.
Breast then pubic hair then growth spurt then menarche in girls; testicular enlargement first in boys
A memory aid for the order of pubertal changes.
An indirect measure of left atrial pressure, obtained by occluding a pulmonary artery branch
A memory aid for what the wedge pressure measures.
Low pressure, low resistance, high compliance, and it constricts in hypoxia
A memory aid for how the pulmonary circulation differs from the systemic.
Score first, then D-dimer or CT pulmonary angiogram
A memory aid for the Wells score and the PE diagnostic pathway.
Increased dead space, hypoxaemia from mismatch, and right ventricular strain
A memory aid for the physiological consequences of pulmonary embolism.
Five groups, defined by the cause rather than the pressure
A memory aid for the five groups of pulmonary hypertension.
A double fold of pleura hanging below the lung root
A memory aid for what the pulmonary ligament is and why it exists.
Raised hydrostatic pressure or increased permeability floods the interstitium then alveoli
A memory aid for the mechanisms of pulmonary oedema.
Divides into right and left pulmonary arteries below the aortic arch at about T5
A memory aid for the course of the pulmonary trunk and its division.
Four veins, two from each lung, draining to the left atrium
A memory aid for the number and arrangement of the pulmonary veins.
Slow rising in aortic stenosis, collapsing in aortic regurgitation
A memory aid for the abnormal arterial pulse waveforms.
Two wavelengths distinguish oxyhaemoglobin from deoxyhaemoglobin in pulsatile blood
A memory aid for how pulse oximetry works and when it misleads.
Stroke volume divided by arterial compliance
A memory aid for the determinants of pulse pressure.
Upper ribs move like a pump handle, lower ribs like a bucket handle
A mnemonic for the two movements of the ribs during inspiration.
In by two, out by three
Mnemonic for the afferent and efferent nerves of the pupillary light reflex.
Pure As Gold: purines are Adenine and Guanine; the rest are pyrimidines
A mnemonic for distinguishing purines from pyrimidines.
Xanthine oxidase produces uric acid; HGPRT salvages purines
A memory aid for purine degradation and its disorders.
A leftover thumb pointing up from the thyroglossal duct's path
Mnemonic for the origin of the thyroid pyramidal lobe.
Find the source, then the severity, then the risk factors
A memory aid for the assessment of a patient with a fever.
Irreversibly converts pyruvate to acetyl-CoA, requiring five cofactors
A memory aid for the enzyme linking glycolysis to the Krebs cycle.
The angle between the pull of the quadriceps and the patellar tendon, normally about 13 to 18 degrees
A memory aid for the quadriceps angle and its clinical importance.
Low potassium, magnesium and calcium, plus many drugs, prolong the QT interval
A memory aid for the causes of QT prolongation.
The As: antiarrhythmics, antibiotics, antipsychotics, antidepressants, antiemetics
A mnemonic for the drug classes that prolong the QT interval.
Axillary nerve and posterior circumflex humeral artery
A memory aid for the borders and contents of the quadrangular space.
Rectus femoris and the vastus lateralis, medialis and intermedius
A memory aid for the four parts of the quadriceps femoris.
Black eyes with no punch thrown, anterior fossa fracture shown
Mnemonic for the clinical sign and significance of raccoon eyes.
Wrist drop from loss of the wrist and finger extensors
A memory aid for the signs of a radial nerve lesion.
Muscle injury from any cause, with rhabdomyolysis at the extreme
A memory aid for the causes of a raised creatine kinase.
Reduce brain water, blood volume or cerebrospinal fluid, or increase the space
A memory aid for the physiological measures that lower intracranial pressure.
Right Anterior, Left Superior
A mnemonic for pulmonary artery position at the lung hilum.
Roots, Trunks, Divisions, Cords, Branches
A mnemonic for the organisation of the brachial plexus.
The seven Ps, from preparation to post-intubation management
A mnemonic for the preparation and steps of rapid sequence induction.
Two pathways, unidirectional block and slow conduction
A memory aid for the three conditions needed for a re-entrant arrhythmia.
Radial Nerve, Biceps Tendon, Brachial Artery, Median Nerve
A mnemonic for the contents of the cubital fossa from lateral to medial.
Agonists downregulate receptors; antagonists upregulate them
A memory aid for tachyphylaxis, tolerance and rebound.
Superior rectal from the inferior mesenteric, middle rectal from the internal iliac, inferior rectal from the internal pudendal
A memory aid for the three arteries supplying the rectum.
No taeniae, no haustra, no appendices epiploicae and no mesentery
A memory aid for what distinguishes the rectum from the colon.
Above the arcuate line the sheath is complete; below it all aponeuroses pass in front
A memory aid for the composition of the rectus sheath above and below the arcuate line.
Above the arcuate line it is contained; below it, blood can spread freely
A memory aid for why a rectus sheath haematoma behaves differently above and below the arcuate line.
The nerve runs behind the gland, cut carelessly, lose the voice command
Mnemonic for the surgical risk to the recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroidectomy.
Right hooks the pipe, left loops the arch, right's the short cut, left's the long march
Mnemonic for the asymmetric course of the left and right recurrent laryngeal nerves.
Recurrent runs the rest, every intrinsic muscle except the one that's blessed by external
Mnemonic for the muscles supplied by the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
Driven by erythropoietin, requiring iron, B12 and folate
A memory aid for erythropoiesis and its requirements.
AEIOU TIPS, covering the structural and metabolic causes
A mnemonic for the causes of a reduced level of consciousness.
Insulin drives phosphate, potassium and magnesium into cells
A memory aid for the electrolyte shifts on refeeding a malnourished patient.
Most abnormal results are explained before the sample reaches the analyser
A memory aid for the pre-analytical factors that distort biochemistry results.
Reference ranges are defined statistically, not clinically
A memory aid for why so many normal people have an abnormal test result.
Counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 from the ankle upwards
A mnemonic for the spinal root values of the deep tendon reflexes.
Each region has a characteristic epithelium and glandular pattern
A memory aid for identifying the region of the gut from its mucosa.
A line from the eye to the ear, the skull's horizontal frontier
Mnemonic for the anatomical landmark used as the baseline in skull imaging.
Myogenic response and tubuloglomerular feedback
A memory aid for the two mechanisms keeping renal blood flow constant.
The cortex receives most of the flow; the medulla is relatively hypoxic
A memory aid for the distribution of blood flow within the kidney.
The volume of plasma completely cleared of a substance per unit time
A memory aid for the clearance concept and its use.
Slow but powerful, taking days but capable of large adjustments
A memory aid for the timing and extent of renal compensation.
Glomerular capillaries, Bowman capsule, podocytes and mesangium
A memory aid for the components of the renal corpuscle.
Autoregulation and hormonal control persist, but neural reflexes are lost
A memory aid for how a transplanted kidney behaves without nerves.
Filtration of free drug, active secretion, and passive reabsorption depending on pH
A memory aid for how the kidney eliminates drugs.
Renal capsule, perirenal fat, renal (Gerota's) fascia, pararenal fat
A memory aid for the coverings of the kidney from inside out.
Bicarbonate reclamation proximally, then titratable acid and ammonium distally
A memory aid for how the kidney excretes acid.
Reabsorbed passively, with the amount depending on tubular flow rate
A memory aid for urea reabsorption and recycling.
Suppressed antidiuretic hormone allows maximally dilute urine
A memory aid for how the kidney excretes a water load.
Vein, Artery, Ureter from front to back
A mnemonic for the order of structures at the renal hilum.
Papilla, minor calyx, major calyx, renal pelvis, ureter
A memory aid for the sequence of the renal collecting system.
GFR rises by about 50 per cent, so creatinine and urea fall
A memory aid for the renal adaptations of pregnancy.
Low GFR and limited concentrating ability, maturing over the first two years
A memory aid for the immaturity of neonatal renal function.
Renal blood flow falls as blood is diverted to muscle, with sodium and water conservation
A memory aid for renal changes during exercise.
Reduced filtration, increased proximal reabsorption, and hormonal salt and water retention
A memory aid for how the kidney conserves salt and water in hypovolaemia.
Supersaturation, low urine volume, and lack of inhibitors
A memory aid for the physiological factors promoting kidney stones.
Type 1 distal, type 2 proximal, type 4 hypoaldosteronism
A memory aid for the types of renal tubular acidosis.
Renal cell carcinoma in adults, Wilms tumour in children, urothelial carcinoma in the collecting system
A memory aid for the common renal and urothelial tumours.
Renin, angiotensinogen, angiotensin I, ACE, angiotensin II, aldosterone
A memory aid for the steps of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone cascade.
Anything reducing alveolar ventilation, from brain to alveolus
A memory aid for the causes of carbon dioxide retention.
Hypoxia, central stimulation, lung disease, drugs and anxiety
A memory aid for the causes of hyperventilation.
Medullary dorsal and ventral groups, with pontine pneumotaxic and apneustic centres
A memory aid for the brainstem centres controlling breathing.
Tidal volume and minute ventilation rise, functional residual capacity falls
A memory aid for the respiratory adaptations of pregnancy.
Pseudostratified ciliated columnar becomes simple squamous as the airway narrows
A memory aid for how the airway lining changes from trachea to alveolus.
Hands, face, neck, then chest front and back with the same four steps
A memory aid for the order of a respiratory examination.
Type 1 is hypoxaemia alone; type 2 adds hypercapnia
A memory aid for distinguishing type 1 from type 2 respiratory failure.
Carbohydrate 1.0, protein 0.8, fat 0.7, mixed diet about 0.8
A memory aid for the respiratory quotient of different fuels.
Baroreflex tachycardia and vasoconstriction, then fluid shift and hormonal retention
A memory aid for the compensatory response to blood loss.
Blood pools in the legs, venous return falls, and the baroreflex compensates
A memory aid for the circulatory adjustments on standing up.
Potassium permeability dominates, giving about minus 70 millivolts
A memory aid for what sets the resting membrane potential.
Light passes through the retina to reach the photoreceptors at the back
A memory aid for the layers of the retina and its photoreceptors.
A layer of loose areolar tissue between the breast and pectoral fascia
A memory aid for the plane behind the breast and why it matters.
Anterior pararenal, perirenal and posterior pararenal spaces
A memory aid for the three compartments of the retroperitoneum.
Danger space, no floor at all, straight down to the chest you fall
Mnemonic for why the retropharyngeal space is called the danger space.
Membrane damage and mitochondrial failure mark irreversibility
A memory aid for the point of no return in cell injury.
Myoglobin, potassium, phosphate and creatine kinase are released into the circulation
A memory aid for the consequences of muscle breakdown.
JONES for the major criteria, FEAR for the minor
A mnemonic for the Jones criteria for acute rheumatic fever.
Upper ribs suggest severe force, lower ribs threaten abdominal organs, multiple ribs risk flail chest
A memory aid for the significance of rib fractures at different levels.
Only the antimesenteric border of the bowel enters the sac
A memory aid for the hernia in which only part of the bowel circumference is trapped.
Crista terminalis, pectinate muscles, fossa ovalis and the openings of the venae cavae and coronary sinus
A memory aid for the internal landmarks of the right atrium.
The liver pushes the right dome up; the heart presses the left dome down
A memory aid for why the right hemidiaphragm lies higher than the left.
The right head and neck, right arm and right thorax, the right upper quadrant of the body
A memory aid for which parts of the body drain to the right lymphatic duct.
Gas on both sides of the bowel wall makes it visible as a thin line
A memory aid for the radiological signs of free intraperitoneal gas.
Wide to breathe, narrow to whisper, a silent gap grows slimmer
Mnemonic for how the width of the rima glottidis changes with breathing and speech.
Rinne negative, bone beats air, conductive loss is there, Weber runs to the bad ear when it's conductive
Mnemonic for interpreting Rinne and Weber hearing tests.
Rectus abdominis, Inferior epigastric vessels, Poupart's ligament
A mnemonic for the borders of Hesselbach's triangle.
The smiler's muscle, risorius rhymes with glorious grin
Mnemonic for the smiling function of risorius.
Messenger carries, transfer delivers, ribosomal builds
A memory aid for the types of RNA and what each does.
Runs obliquely from the duodenojejunal flexure to the right sacroiliac joint, about 15 cm long
A memory aid for the direction and extent of the mesenteric root.
Supraspinatus abducts, Infraspinatus and Teres minor laterally rotate, Subscapularis medially rotates
A memory aid for the action of each rotator cuff muscle.
Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus and Teres minor on the greater tubercle; Subscapularis on the lesser tubercle
A memory aid for where the rotator cuff muscles insert on the humerus.
Suprascapular nerve, Upper and lower Subscapular nerves, Axillary nerve
A memory aid for the nerves that supply the four rotator cuff muscles.
Enteral routes are convenient; parenteral routes bypass first pass metabolism
A memory aid for the advantages of each route of drug administration.
Local invasion, lymphatic, haematogenous, transcoelomic and perineural
A mnemonic for the ways malignancy spreads.
Pressure in the left iliac fossa produces pain in the right iliac fossa
A memory aid for the mechanism of Rovsing's sign in appendicitis.
Lung borders cross ribs 6, 8 and 10; pleural borders cross ribs 8, 10 and 12
A mnemonic for the surface markings of the lung and pleural borders.
Three arteries, three nerves, three other structures
A mnemonic for the contents of the spermatic cord.
Suprarenal, Aorta and IVC, Duodenum, Pancreas, Ureters, Colon, Kidneys, Esophagus, Rectum
A mnemonic for the retroperitoneal structures of the abdomen.
Runs straight down the middle like a part in your hair
Mnemonic for the surface position of the sagittal suture.
A mixed respiratory alkalosis and metabolic acidosis, with tinnitus
A memory aid for the features and treatment of aspirin poisoning.
Respiratory alkalosis from central stimulation plus a high anion gap metabolic acidosis
A memory aid for the mixed acid-base picture of aspirin overdose.
Hypotonic fluid with amylase, mucins, lysozyme and bicarbonate
A memory aid for what saliva contains and does.
Parotid serous, sublingual mucous, submandibular mixed
A memory aid for distinguishing the major salivary glands microscopically.
The largest cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve, supplying the medial leg and foot
A memory aid for the saphenous nerve as the femoral nerve's leg branch.
Non-caseating granulomas affecting any organ, most often the lung
A memory aid for the multisystem features of sarcoidosis.
A band stays the same, I band and H zone shorten
A mnemonic for the bands of the sarcomere and which shorten on contraction.
Progressive loss of muscle mass, strength and function with age
A memory aid for age-related muscle loss.
Sartorius, Gracilis and semiTendinosus
A mnemonic for the three muscles forming the pes anserinus.
Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation
A mnemonic for structured clinical handover and escalation.
SCALP
Mnemonic for the five layers of the scalp.
The scaphoid is supplied retrogradely from distal to proximal by the radial artery
A memory aid for why a scaphoid fracture risks avascular necrosis.
The sciatic nerve splits into the tibial nerve and the common fibular (peroneal) nerve
A memory aid for the two divisions of the sciatic nerve.
The condition, the test, the treatment and the programme
A memory aid for the Wilson and Jungner criteria for screening.
Superior Thoracic, Thoracoacromial, Lateral Thoracic, Subscapular, Anterior Circumflex Humeral, Posterior Circumflex Humeral
A mnemonic for the six branches of the axillary artery.
Can you get above it, is it separate from the testis, does it transilluminate
A memory aid for examining a scrotal swelling.
Along the SCM's front edge, second cleft hugs the muscle's ledge
Mnemonic for the typical location of a second branchial cleft cyst.
Renal, endocrine, vascular and drug causes
A memory aid for the causes of hypertension other than essential.
The four drugs, plus rehabilitation and risk factor control
A mnemonic for the drugs and measures given after an infarct.
Excessive synchronous neuronal discharge from an imbalance of excitation and inhibition
A memory aid for the mechanism of seizures.
Each is a cofactor whose loss produces a recognisable syndrome
A memory aid for the clinically important trace element deficiencies.
Volume, concentration, motility and morphology
A memory aid for the reference values of a semen analysis.
Three canals, three planes, anterior posterior lateral, each at right angles
Mnemonic for the three planes of the semicircular canals.
SnNout and SpPin
A mnemonic for what sensitivity and specificity mean and when to use each.
Dorsal columns carry fine touch and proprioception; spinothalamic carries pain and temperature
A memory aid for the two main ascending sensory pathways.
Life-threatening organ dysfunction from a dysregulated response to infection
A memory aid for recognising and treating sepsis.
Three in and three out, within one hour
A mnemonic for the six interventions in the first hour of sepsis.
Autonomic, neuromuscular and mental state changes, with clonus
A memory aid for recognising serotonin syndrome and separating it from its mimic.
Serratus anterior protracts the scapula and is supplied by the long thoracic nerve
A memory aid for the action and nerve supply of serratus anterior.
Arises from the outer surface of the upper eight or nine ribs, supplied by the long thoracic nerve
A memory aid for the thoracic wall attachment of serratus anterior and its nerve.
Serratus posterior superior elevates the upper ribs, serratus posterior inferior depresses the lower ribs
A memory aid for the small accessory muscles acting on the ribs from behind.
SRY drives testis formation; without it the default pathway is female
A memory aid for how the embryo develops as male or female.
Hypovolaemic, cardiogenic, obstructive and distributive
A memory aid for the four categories of shock and their haemodynamic profiles.
Inadequate tissue perfusion, recognised before hypotension appears
A memory aid for recognising and classifying shock clinically.
Compensated, decompensated and irreversible
A memory aid for the progression of shock.
Reduced absorptive surface, rapid transit and loss of specialised ileal function
A memory aid for the consequences of extensive small bowel resection.
Measure cortisol before and after synthetic ACTH
A memory aid for the test of adrenal reserve.
Supraspinatus 0 to 15 degrees, Deltoid 15 to 90 degrees, Trapezius and Serratus anterior 90 to 180 degrees
A memory aid for which muscles abduct the arm through each range.
Impingement and cuff tests at the shoulder; ligament and meniscal tests at the knee
A memory aid for the named special tests of the shoulder and knee.
Look, feel, move actively then passively, then the rotator cuff tests
A memory aid for the sequence of a shoulder examination.
Flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, medial rotation, lateral rotation and circumduction
A memory aid for the movements of the glenohumeral joint and their muscles.
Hyponatraemia with concentrated urine in a euvolaemic patient with normal endocrine and renal function
A memory aid for the diagnostic criteria of SIADH.
Never stop insulin, monitor more often, and maintain fluid and carbohydrate intake
A memory aid for managing diabetes during intercurrent illness.
A single amino acid substitution causes polymerisation of deoxygenated haemoglobin
A memory aid for the mechanism and consequences of sickle cell disease.
Sleep, Interest, Guilt, Energy, Concentration, Appetite, Psychomotor changes, Suicidal ideation
A mnemonic for depressive symptoms.
A long, mobile loop on a narrow mesenteric base
A memory aid for why the sigmoid colon is prone to volvulus.
Rate, accessory muscles, recession, position and the ability to speak
A memory aid for recognising increased work of breathing.
Loss of a normal border means the abnormality is in contact with that structure
A memory aid for localising lung pathology by which border it obscures.
Heart rate rises on inspiration and falls on expiration through varying vagal tone
A memory aid for the mechanism of respiratory sinus arrhythmia.
A metastatic nodule at the umbilicus, spreading along the ligamentum teres or peritoneal fluid
A memory aid for the umbilical metastatic nodule and how tumour reaches it.
Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor, Subscapularis
A mnemonic for the rotator cuff muscles.
The six synovial tunnels deep to the extensor retinaculum and their tendons
A memory aid for the contents of the six dorsal extensor compartments of the wrist.
Sympathetic tone at rest, metabolic vasodilatation during exercise
A memory aid for the control of blood flow to skeletal muscle.
Type I slow oxidative, type IIa fast oxidative, type IIx fast glycolytic
A memory aid for the differences between slow and fast muscle fibres.
A band is dark and constant, I band is light and shortens
A memory aid for the bands and lines of the sarcomere.
Hair follicles, sebaceous glands, eccrine and apocrine sweat glands, nails
A memory aid for the adnexal structures of the skin.
Cats Purr Slowly
Mnemonic for the order of major skull sutures from front to back.
Ventilation falls, carbon dioxide rises slightly and upper airway tone is reduced
A memory aid for the respiratory changes during sleep.
Three non-REM stages and REM sleep, cycling about every 90 minutes
A memory aid for the stages of sleep and their EEG features.
Filaments slide past each other without changing length, powered by ATP
A memory aid for the cross-bridge cycle of muscle contraction.
Iron in the duodenum, folate in the jejunum, B12 and bile salts in the terminal ileum
A memory aid for where each nutrient is absorbed in the small bowel.
Left ventricular hypertrophy criteria, and the causes of small complexes
A memory aid for high and low voltage on the ECG.
Plicae, villi and microvilli multiply the area 600-fold
A memory aid for the three levels of folding that amplify absorptive surface.
Runs behind the lateral malleolus up the back of the calf to the popliteal vein
A memory aid for the course of the small saphenous vein.
Impaired clearance, carboxyhaemoglobin, protease imbalance and accelerated decline in FEV1
A memory aid for the physiological effects of cigarette smoking.
Calcium acts through calmodulin and myosin light chain kinase, not troponin
A memory aid for how smooth muscle differs from skeletal muscle.
Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan
A structured clinical documentation mnemonic.
Site, Onset, Character, Radiation, Associations, Time course, Exacerbating factors, Severity
A mnemonic for taking a complete pain history.
Proximal 65 per cent, loop 25 per cent, distal 5 per cent, collecting duct 3 per cent
A memory aid for how much sodium each segment reabsorbs.
Tall Ladies Prefer Pretty Umbrellas
Mnemonic for the five muscles of the soft palate.
Superior gluteal, Inferior gluteal, Sciatic, Posterior femoral cutaneous, Pudendal
A mnemonic for the main branches of the sacral plexus.
Scaphoid, Lunate, Triquetrum, Pisiform, Trapezium, Trapezoid, Capitate, Hamate
A mnemonic for the eight carpal bones in order.
Sensory, Sensory, Motor, Motor, Both, Motor, Both, Sensory, Both, Both, Motor, Motor
A mnemonic for sensory, motor or both functions of cranial nerves.
Aldose reductase converts glucose to sorbitol, which is trapped inside cells
A memory aid for the polyol pathway and diabetic complications.
Pinna funnels, drum vibrates, ossicles amplify, cochlea converts
Mnemonic for the overall journey of sound from outer ear to inner ear.
External spermatic from external oblique, cremasteric from internal oblique, internal spermatic from transversalis fascia
A mnemonic for the three fascial layers of the spermatic cord and their origins.
Spermatogonia to spermatozoa over about 70 days
A memory aid for the stages and timing of sperm production.
Sits beneath the pituitary gland, a neighbour you don't want too grand
Mnemonic for the risky proximity of the sphenoid sinus to the pituitary gland.
Cholecystokinin contracts the gallbladder and relaxes the sphincter
A memory aid for the control of bile delivery to the duodenum.
Through the linea semilunaris, usually just below the arcuate line
A memory aid for the site of a Spigelian hernia.
Dorsal columns behind, corticospinal laterally, spinothalamic anterolaterally
A memory aid for the location and function of the main spinal tracts.
Inspection, movement, palpation and the neurological screen
A memory aid for examining the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.
Obstructive lowers the ratio; restrictive lowers both values proportionately
A memory aid for distinguishing obstructive from restrictive spirometry.
Splanchnic flow rises by up to 100 per cent for several hours after eating
A memory aid for the circulatory response to a meal.
A quarter of cardiac output at rest, arranged largely in series through the portal vein
A memory aid for the features of the gastrointestinal circulation.
Greater T5 to T9, lesser T10 to T11, least T12
A memory aid for the spinal levels of the thoracic splanchnic nerves.
Filtration, immunity, storage and, in the fetus, haematopoiesis
A mnemonic for the functions of the spleen and the consequences of losing it.
White pulp is lymphoid; red pulp filters blood
A memory aid for the red and white pulp of the spleen.
1 by 3 by 5 inches, 7 ounces, between ribs 9 and 11
A mnemonic for the dimensions and position of the spleen.
Enlarges downwards and medially, towards the right iliac fossa
A memory aid for the direction in which an enlarging spleen is felt.
Gastrosplenic ligament carries the short gastric vessels; splenorenal ligament carries the splenic vessels and pancreatic tail
A memory aid for the ligaments anchoring the spleen and their contents.
Splenius extends and rotates the head like a splint holding it straight
Mnemonic for the actions of splenius capitis and cervicis.
Normal splitting widens on inspiration; wide, fixed and reversed splitting are abnormal
A memory aid for the patterns of S2 splitting and their causes.
Effective but slow, with early worsening and a discontinuation syndrome
A memory aid for the practical points of prescribing SSRIs.
Elevation suggests transmural injury; depression suggests subendocardial ischaemia
A memory aid for the significance of ST segment shift.
Hydrostatic pressure pushes fluid out, oncotic pressure pulls it back
A memory aid for the forces governing fluid movement across capillaries.
Glomerular capillary pressure drives filtration; oncotic and capsular pressures oppose it
A memory aid for the forces determining glomerular filtration.
Dynamic exercise is a volume load; static exercise is a pressure load
A memory aid for the different circulatory loads of isometric and isotonic exercise.
Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase; ezetimibe blocks absorption; PCSK9 inhibitors preserve LDL receptors
A memory aid for the lipid-lowering drug classes.
Benzodiazepine twice, then phenytoin or levetiracetam, then anaesthesia
A memory aid for the stepwise treatment of a prolonged seizure.
Crypt base in gut, basal layer in epidermis, limbus in cornea
A memory aid for where stem cells reside in renewing tissues.
The angle of Louis marks T4/T5, the second costal cartilage, the carina and the limits of the aortic arch
A memory aid for the many structures that lie at the level of the sternal angle.
A saddle-shaped synovial joint with an articular disc, the sole articulation of the limb with the trunk
A memory aid for the only bony joint between the upper limb and the axial skeleton.
Same Side Tilt, Opposite Side Turn
Mnemonic for the tilt and turn actions of sternocleidomastoid.
Manubrium, body and xiphoid process, with marrow aspirated from the body at the level of the second space
A memory aid for the three parts of the sternum and the site of sternal puncture.
Steroids act on intracellular receptors and alter gene transcription
A memory aid for how steroid hormones differ from peptide hormones.
pH is determined by the strong ion difference, weak acids and carbon dioxide
A memory aid for the strong ion approach to acid-base balance.
Pancreas, spleen, left kidney and adrenal, diaphragm, transverse mesocolon and splenic artery
A memory aid for the structures forming the bed of the stomach.
Left and right gastric on the lesser curve, left and right gastro-omental on the greater curve, plus short gastrics
A memory aid for the five arteries supplying the stomach.
Inner oblique, middle circular and outer longitudinal
A memory aid for why the stomach has three muscle layers rather than two.
Cardia, fundus, body, antrum and pylorus
A memory aid for the five parts of the stomach.
Culture, toxin, antigen, calprotectin and elastase answer different questions
A memory aid for choosing the right stool test.
Catabolic hormones rise, insulin falls, and salt and water are retained
A memory aid for the hormonal response to injury or surgery.
Ischaemic in about 85 per cent, haemorrhagic in 15 per cent
A memory aid for the types and mechanisms of stroke.
Preload, Afterload, Contractility
A mnemonic for the three determinants of stroke volume.
Presenting complaint, history, past history, drugs, allergies, family, social, systems review
A memory aid for the structure of a full medical history.
Some Anatomists Vow Never Forget
Mnemonic for the order of structures within the parotid gland from superficial to deep.
Ulnar nerve and artery, palmaris longus tendon and the palmar cutaneous branches of the median and ulnar nerves
A memory aid for what passes over rather than through the flexor retinaculum.
Between the style and the mastoid, the face makes its exit
Mnemonic for the nerve exiting the stylomastoid foramen.
VIT-C, D
Mnemonic for the branches of the subclavian artery.
Many little ducts, no single big door
Mnemonic for the multiple small ducts of the sublingual gland.
Wharton's duct opens at the front floor, beside the tongue's tied door
Mnemonic for the location of the submandibular duct opening.
Hangs from the lingual nerve like a drop of drool
Mnemonic for the position of the submandibular ganglion.
Before, during and after the act, plus static and dynamic risk factors
A memory aid for assessing suicide risk after self-harm.
Brachioradialis, Extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis, Extensor digitorum, Extensor digiti minimi, Extensor carpi ulnaris, Anconeus
A memory aid for the superficial extensor muscles of the forearm.
Lower limb, buttock, abdominal wall below the umbilicus, perineum, anal canal below the pectinate line and scrotal skin
A memory aid for the territory drained by the superficial inguinal nodes.
Feel it just in front of the ear, the temple's pulse is always near
Mnemonic for the location of the superficial temporal artery pulse.
Cephalic vein laterally, basilic vein medially, median cubital vein joining them at the elbow
A memory aid for the main superficial veins of the arm.
SIN and RAD
Mnemonic for the combined actions of the oblique eye muscles.
Supplies the hip abductors; injury causes the pelvis to drop on the opposite side
A memory aid for the superior gluteal nerve and the Trendelenburg sign.
Superior intercostal artery from the costocervical trunk; superior intercostal vein to the brachiocephalic or azygos vein
A memory aid for the vessels of the upper two intercostal spaces.
Internal feels, external tightens, two branches with two different heightenings
Mnemonic for the two branches of the superior laryngeal nerve.
Inferior pancreaticoduodenal, jejunal and ileal, ileocolic, right colic and middle colic arteries
A memory aid for the branches of the superior mesenteric artery.
The third part of the duodenum is compressed between the aorta behind and the superior mesenteric artery in front
A memory aid for compression of the duodenum by the superior mesenteric artery.
Live Free To See Anything
Mnemonic for the nerves passing through the superior orbital fissure.
Union of the right and left brachiocephalic veins, with the azygos vein as its only named tributary
A memory aid for how the superior vena cava is formed and what drains into it.
Troisier finds trouble on the left, above the collarbone's cleft
Mnemonic reinforcing the clinical importance of the left supraclavicular lymph node.
Some Guys Marry, Divorce, Get Married
Mnemonic for the four suprahyoid muscles above the hyoid bone.
Vagal manoeuvres, then adenosine, then rate control
A memory aid for the stepwise treatment of a regular narrow complex tachycardia.
Formed by branches of the tibial and common fibular nerves, supplying the posterolateral leg and lateral foot
A memory aid for the formation and use of the sural nerve.
Surfactant deficiency causes high surface tension, alveolar collapse and stiff lungs
A memory aid for the physiology of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.
Reduces surface tension, increases compliance, stabilises alveoli and keeps them dry
A memory aid for the roles of pulmonary surfactant.
Post is quick, ant takes its time
Mnemonic for the relative closure timing of the fontanelles.
Oral voluntary, pharyngeal reflex, oesophageal peristalsis
A memory aid for the three phases of swallowing.
Runs on the heads of the ribs, with about eleven or twelve ganglia and the stellate ganglion at its upper end
A memory aid for the course of the thoracic sympathetic chain.
Depolarisation, calcium entry, vesicle fusion, receptor binding, then termination
A memory aid for the sequence of chemical synaptic transmission.
Reflex, orthostatic or cardiac, with cardiac the one that kills
A memory aid for classifying syncope and identifying the dangerous causes.
Reflex, orthostatic and cardiac causes, all reducing cerebral perfusion
A memory aid for the cardiovascular causes of transient loss of consciousness.
Appearance, cell count, crystals and Gram stain
A memory aid for interpreting a joint aspirate.
A brief screen of each body system to catch what the history has missed
A memory aid for the screening questions in a systems enquiry.
About one-third systole and two-thirds diastole at rest
A memory aid for how the cardiac cycle divides between systole and diastole.
CD4 helper cells coordinate; CD8 cytotoxic cells kill
A memory aid for the T lymphocyte subsets and their functions.
Monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and checkpoint inhibitors
A memory aid for the classes of targeted anticancer drug.
Talus, Calcaneus, Navicular, Cuboid and the medial, intermediate and lateral Cuneiforms
A memory aid for the seven tarsal bones of the foot.
Five basic tastes carried by three cranial nerves, and smell by the olfactory nerve
A memory aid for the chemical senses and their innervation.
Filiform have none; fungiform, circumvallate and foliate do
A memory aid for the tongue papillae and which carry taste buds.
Sweet salty sour bitter, all buds sense them all, no zone is stricter
Mnemonic for correcting the outdated tongue taste map idea.
Front Chorda, Back Glosso
Mnemonic for which nerves carry taste and touch from the anterior and posterior tongue.
The hypothalamus compares core temperature with a set point and drives heat loss or gain
A memory aid for the control of body temperature.
Dense type I collagen with poor blood supply and slow healing
A memory aid for the properties and healing of tendon.
A one-way valve traps air, raising intrathoracic pressure and obstructing venous return
A memory aid for why a tension pneumothorax causes cardiovascular collapse.
From the posterior abdominal wall through the inguinal canal into the scrotum by birth
A memory aid for the path and timing of testicular descent.
Testis drains to para-aortic nodes; scrotum drains to inguinal nodes
A mnemonic for why the testis and scrotum drain to different lymph nodes.
Germ cell tumours predominate, divided into seminoma and non-seminoma
A memory aid for the classification of testicular tumours.
Seminiferous tubules with Sertoli cells; ovarian follicles at successive stages
A memory aid for gonadal microstructure.
PROVe: Pulmonary stenosis, Right ventricular hypertrophy, Overriding aorta, VSD
A mnemonic for the four features of tetralogy of Fallot.
Thymoma, Teratoma, Thyroid (retrosternal), Terrible lymphoma
A mnemonic for the differential diagnosis of an anterior mediastinal mass.
The paediatric assessment triangle: appearance, breathing, circulation
A memory aid for the rapid assessment of an unwell child.
Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis, Flexor pollicis brevis
A mnemonic for the three thenar muscles of the thumb.
Narrow therapeutic index drugs where effect cannot be measured directly
A memory aid for which drugs need level monitoring and when to sample.
The ratio of the toxic dose to the effective dose
A memory aid for the concept of therapeutic window.
Unfavourable reactions are driven by coupling them to ATP hydrolysis
A memory aid for free energy and coupled reactions.
Evaporation is the main route of heat loss, and it fails in high humidity
A memory aid for heat production and loss during exercise.
Wet beriberi, dry beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
A memory aid for the presentations of vitamin B1 deficiency.
Down and out, lid's dropping, pupil's blown
Mnemonic for the classic clinical triad of a complete CN III palsy.
Bronchial, oesophageal, mediastinal and pericardial branches, plus posterior intercostal and subcostal arteries
A memory aid for the visceral and parietal branches of the descending thoracic aorta.
T4 at the nipple, T6 at the xiphoid, T10 at the umbilicus, L1 at the groin
A mnemonic for the key dermatome levels on the trunk.
Begins at the cisterna chyli, crosses to the left at T5, drains into the left venous angle
A memory aid for the course and drainage of the thoracic duct.
Trachea and oesophagus centrally, with vessels and nerves on either side
A memory aid for the structures passing through the superior thoracic aperture.
Parietal nodes drain the wall; visceral nodes drain the organs
A memory aid for the parietal and visceral lymph node groups of the thorax.
Costal facets on the body and transverse process, with long downward-sloping spinous processes
A memory aid for what distinguishes a thoracic vertebra.
T1 inlet, T4/5 sternal angle, T8 caval, T9 xiphisternum, T10 oesophagus, T12 aorta
A memory aid for the vertebral level of the main thoracic structures.
Peter Piper's Salty Snacks
Mnemonic for the three paired major salivary glands.
Reduced production, increased destruction, sequestration or dilution
A memory aid for classifying a low platelet count.
Factor V Leiden is commonest inherited; antiphospholipid syndrome commonest acquired
A memory aid for inherited and acquired thrombophilia.
Lines of Zahn and attachment to the wall mark a true thrombus
A memory aid for distinguishing a thrombus formed in life from clot formed after death.
A triangular projection from the upper mediastinum in an infant, resembling a sail
A memory aid for the normal paediatric thymus on a chest radiograph.
Cortex of dense thymocytes, medulla with Hassall corpuscles
A memory aid for the structure and function of the thymus.
A third pharyngeal pouch derivative lying in the anterior and superior mediastinum
A memory aid for the location and embryological origin of the thymus.
Try Swallowing Slowly
Mnemonic for the branches of the thyrocervical trunk.
From the tongue's back door down to its final address, cysts can pop up anywhere on the way
Mnemonic for the developmental path of the thyroglossal duct.
Timing, binding proteins, assay interference and acute illness all distort results
A memory aid for the common traps in endocrine biochemistry.
Thyroid follicles filled with colloid; parathyroid chief and oxyphil cells
A memory aid for the microscopic appearance of the thyroid and parathyroid.
Shield shaped, guards the throat like ancient armour plate
Mnemonic for the protective shield-like shape of the thyroid cartilage.
Thyroid cartilage marks C4 to C5, the Adam's apple's home address
Mnemonic for the vertebral level of the thyroid cartilage.
Levothyroxine for replacement, thionamides for suppression
A memory aid for the drugs used in thyroid disease.
Inspect, swallow, protrude tongue, palpate from behind, then assess function
A memory aid for examining the thyroid gland.
TSH is the most sensitive marker, moving before free T4 changes
A memory aid for interpreting thyroid function tests.
Superior comes from above, inferior climbs from below
Mnemonic for the origin of the arteries supplying the thyroid gland.
Increases basal metabolic rate and potentiates catecholamine effects
A memory aid for the systemic effects of thyroid hormone.
Iodide trapping, oxidation, organification, coupling, storage and release
A memory aid for the steps of thyroid hormone production.
Over 99 per cent is protein bound, so only the free fraction is active
A memory aid for thyroid hormone binding proteins and their effect on tests.
Two three the isthmus you see, right below the cricoid at C6
Mnemonic for the vertebral level of the thyroid isthmus.
Examine the gland, then the status, then the complications
A memory aid for assessing whether a patient is hyperthyroid or hypothyroid.
Block synthesis, block release, block conversion, block effects, and support
A memory aid for the management of thyrotoxic crisis.
Plantarflexes and inverts the foot and supplies sensation to the sole
A memory aid for the motor and sensory role of the tibial nerve.
Time constant equals resistance multiplied by compliance
A memory aid for how compliance and resistance determine filling and emptying.
Fixation, dehydration, clearing, embedding, sectioning and staining
A memory aid for the steps of preparing a histology slide.
Disc rides on top of the condyle like a saddle, dividing the joint in two
Mnemonic for the position of the articular disc within the TMJ.
TSS holds the jaw on a leash
Mnemonic for the three ligaments supporting the temporomandibular joint.
Rotation opens a little, translation opens a lot, hinge then glide, that's the plot
Mnemonic for the two stage movement of jaw opening at the TMJ.
Receptor downregulation, enzyme induction and physiological adaptation
A memory aid for the mechanisms of drug tolerance and dependence.
Tibialis posterior, flexor Digitorum longus, posterior tibial Artery and Veins, tibial Nerve, flexor Hallucis longus
A mnemonic for tarsal tunnel contents from anterior to posterior.
Anterior two thirds from arch one, posterior third from arch three, different origins, same organ, that's why the nerves differ too
Mnemonic for the pharyngeal arch origin of the anterior and posterior tongue.
Style Helps Genius Pals
Mnemonic for the four extrinsic muscles of the tongue.
Tip and back drain both sides, the sides only drain their own side
Mnemonic for the bilateral versus unilateral lymphatic drainage of the tongue.
Twenty two bones build the skull's house, eight cranial, fourteen facial, quiet as a mouse
Mnemonic for the total number of bones in the skull.
Towne's looks through the foramen magnum, straight down the pipe
Mnemonic for the purpose and technique of the Towne's radiographic view.
Anticholinergic, cholinergic, sympathomimetic, opioid and sedative patterns
A memory aid for the classic poisoning syndromes.
Zinc, copper, iodine, selenium and chromium, each with a characteristic syndrome
A memory aid for the essential trace elements and their deficiency states.
Pushed away by pneumothorax and effusion; pulled towards by collapse and fibrosis
A memory aid for the causes of tracheal deviation and their direction.
Aortic arch and great vessels in front and to the left, oesophagus behind
A memory aid for the structures around the trachea in the superior mediastinum.
Sixteen to twenty C-shaped cartilages, open posteriorly and bridged by the trachealis muscle
A memory aid for the structure of the trachea and why its cartilages are incomplete.
Proximal oesophageal atresia with a distal fistula in about 85 per cent
A memory aid for the commonest form of tracheo-oesophageal fistula.
Between rings two and three, below the cricoid, that's the key
Mnemonic for the correct level of a surgical tracheostomy.
Endurance training improves oxygen delivery and use; resistance training increases muscle size and neural drive
A memory aid for the adaptations to endurance and resistance training.
Transcription in the nucleus, processing, then translation on ribosomes
A memory aid for the steps of gene expression.
TLCO measures diffusion; KCO corrects it for the volume available
A memory aid for interpreting the gas transfer factor.
Acute haemolytic, febrile, allergic, TACO and TRALI
A memory aid for the types of transfusion reaction.
Hyperacute in minutes, acute in weeks, chronic over years
A memory aid for the timing and mechanism of graft rejection.
Alveolar pressure minus pleural pressure
A memory aid for the pressure that actually inflates the lung.
At L1, halfway between the suprasternal notch and the pubic symphysis
A memory aid for the structures lying at the transpyloric plane.
A continuous fascial sheet whose defect forms the deep inguinal ring
A memory aid for the role of transversalis fascia in the groin.
Transversus thoracis in front, innermost intercostals laterally, subcostals behind
A memory aid for the three components of the innermost layer of the thoracic wall.
Upper shrugs, middle retracts, lower depresses
Mnemonic for the three functional parts of trapezius.
Catastrophic haemorrhage first, then Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
A mnemonic for the ATLS primary survey in trauma.
Arch one's a mess, jaw and ear both regress
Mnemonic for the developmental basis of Treacher Collins syndrome.
Lateral border of pectoralis major, anterior border of latissimus dorsi, and a line above the fifth intercostal space
A memory aid for the boundaries of the safe triangle for chest drain insertion.
Triangular space holds the circumflex scapular artery; quadrangular space holds the axillary nerve; triangular interval holds the radial nerve
A memory aid for the contents of the three intermuscular spaces at the back of the shoulder.
Anterior, posterior and septal papillary muscles, with the moderator band to the anterior muscle
A memory aid for the papillary muscles and the moderator band in the right ventricle.
Anticholinergic, cardiac and neurological toxicity together
A memory aid for the features and treatment of tricyclic overdose.
Standing Room Only
Mnemonic for the order of the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve.
Triptans are 5-HT1 agonists causing cranial vasoconstriction
A memory aid for acute and preventive migraine treatment.
A marker of myocardial injury, not of myocardial infarction
A memory aid for interpreting a raised troponin.
Cuff the arm, the hand spasms like a claw, another calcium low flaw
Mnemonic for eliciting and interpreting Trousseau's sign.
Tricuspid, Pulmonary, Mitral, Aortic
A mnemonic for the order in which blood passes the four heart valves.
Chronic cough, weight loss, night sweats and upper lobe cavitation
A memory aid for the presentation of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
Smear, culture and NAAT for active disease; Mantoux and IGRA for latent
A memory aid for the tests used in latent and active tuberculosis.
Proximal tubule has a brush border; distal tubule does not
A memory aid for identifying nephron segments histologically.
Most are for monitoring rather than diagnosis or screening
A memory aid for the common tumour markers and their uses.
Stage is how far it has spread; grade is how abnormal it looks
A memory aid for the difference between stage and grade.
Spot ratios have replaced timed collections for most purposes
A memory aid for when a timed collection is needed and when a spot ratio suffices.
Type 1 is a gas exchange problem, type 2 a ventilation problem
A memory aid for classifying respiratory failure and its causes.
Thrombus, fat, air, amniotic fluid, tumour, septic and foreign body
A mnemonic for the substances that can embolise.
Hypoxic, anaemic, stagnant and histotoxic
A mnemonic for the four classes of tissue hypoxia.
Coagulative, liquefactive, caseous, fat, fibrinoid and gangrenous
A mnemonic for the morphological patterns of necrosis.
Typicals cause movement problems, atypicals cause metabolic ones
A memory aid for the two generations of antipsychotic and their side effects.
All intrinsic hand muscles except the LOAF muscles of the median nerve
A memory aid for the intrinsic hand muscles supplied by the ulnar nerve.
Umbilical hernias pass through the ring itself; paraumbilical hernias pass through the linea alba beside it
A memory aid for the difference between umbilical and paraumbilical hernias.
One median, two medial and two lateral umbilical folds
A memory aid for the peritoneal folds on the inner surface of the anterior abdominal wall.
C5 lateral arm, C6 thumb, C7 middle finger, C8 little finger, T1 medial arm
A memory aid for the key sensory landmarks of the upper limb dermatomes.
Biceps C5 to C6, Supinator C6, Triceps C7 to C8
A mnemonic for the nerve roots of the upper limb deep tendon reflexes.
Upper gives spasticity and brisk reflexes; lower gives wasting and absent reflexes
A memory aid for distinguishing upper from lower motor neurone signs.
Patent urachus, urachal sinus, urachal cyst and bladder diverticulum
A memory aid for the remnants of the allantois between bladder and umbilicus.
Accumulated toxins affect nearly every system once GFR falls very low
A memory aid for the multisystem effects of uraemia.
Sodium, potassium, urea, creatinine and bicarbonate, read together
A memory aid for reading the urea and electrolytes systematically.
Pelviureteric junction, pelvic brim and vesicoureteric junction
A memory aid for the three sites where ureteric stones impact.
Filtered, almost completely reabsorbed, then secreted, with net excretion about 10 per cent
A memory aid for renal handling of urate and the causes of hyperuricaemia.
Blood, protein, leucocytes, nitrites, glucose and ketones
A memory aid for reading a urine dipstick and microscopy.
From 50 to 1200 mOsm per kilogram, needing an intact loop, gradient and hormone
A memory aid for the range of urine osmolality and what is required for each extreme.
Transitional epithelium with umbrella cells and a specialised apical membrane
A memory aid for the specialised epithelium of the urinary tract.
Live attenuated give strong lasting immunity; inactivated are safer but need boosters
A memory aid for the types of vaccine and their properties.
Intrinsic sinoatrial rate is about 100; resting vagal tone brings it down to about 70
A memory aid for the dominance of parasympathetic tone in the resting heart.
Recurrent laryngeal, cardiac, pulmonary and oesophageal branches
A memory aid for the thoracic branches of the vagus nerve.
Pressure rise, reduced venous return, release, then overshoot
A memory aid for the four phases of the Valsalva manoeuvre.
Stenosis creates a pressure load; regurgitation creates a volume load
A memory aid for the loading conditions produced by each valve lesion.
Vein, Artery, Nerve
A mnemonic for the intercostal neurovascular bundle order.
Examine standing, then locate the site of reflux
A memory aid for examining varicose veins and locating the incompetence.
Large, medium and small vessel vasculitis, each with characteristic diseases
A memory aid for classifying vasculitis by vessel size.
Vasopressors squeeze the vessels; inotropes squeeze the heart
A memory aid for classifying vasoactive drugs by their receptor actions.
Sodium blockers, Beta blockers, Potassium blockers, Calcium blockers
A mnemonic for the classes of antiarrhythmic drug.
Mean systemic filling pressure, right atrial pressure and venous resistance
A memory aid for the factors driving blood back to the heart.
Dependent regions receive more ventilation and more perfusion in the spontaneously breathing patient
A memory aid for how posture changes the distribution of ventilation and perfusion.
Ventilation rises linearly with work until the anaerobic threshold, then disproportionately
A memory aid for the ventilatory response to exercise.
A ratio of zero is shunt; a ratio of infinity is dead space
A memory aid for the V/Q ratio and its extremes.
Carbon dioxide is the dominant drive, sensed centrally through cerebrospinal fluid pH
A memory aid for the main stimulus to breathing.
Rapid filling, diastasis and atrial systole
A memory aid for the three phases of diastolic filling.
Voice breaks, swallowing's a task, shoulder droops, nine ten eleven unmasked
Mnemonic for the clinical presentation of jugular foramen syndrome.
Vertebral artery enters at C6, and climbs the transverse foramina all the way up
Mnemonic for the vertebral level at which the vertebral artery enters the transverse foramina.
V1 rises, V2 hides, V3 loops, V4 dives
Mnemonic for the four segments of the vertebral artery.
Semicircular canals sense rotation; otolith organs sense linear acceleration and gravity
A memory aid for how balance is sensed.
Left Virchow's node signals trouble below
Mnemonic for the significance of an enlarged left supraclavicular lymph node.
Stasis, endothelial injury and hypercoagulability
A mnemonic for the three factors predisposing to thrombosis.
Foregut epigastric, midgut periumbilical, hindgut suprapubic
A mnemonic for where pain from each part of the gut is felt.
Lesion site determines the pattern, from monocular loss to homonymous hemianopia
A memory aid for localising lesions in the visual pathway.
Vision, epithelium and differentiation, with teratogenicity in excess
A memory aid for the roles of vitamin A and the dangers of excess.
Bound by R protein, transferred to intrinsic factor, absorbed in the terminal ileum
A memory aid for the steps of vitamin B12 absorption.
B12 releases folate from its methylated form
A memory aid for the methyl trap and why B12 must be replaced first.
Collagen hydroxylation, antioxidant activity and iron absorption
A memory aid for the roles of ascorbic acid.
25-hydroxylation in the liver, 1-alpha hydroxylation in the kidney
A memory aid for the two hydroxylation steps activating vitamin D.
Skin to liver to kidney, with calcitriol acting mainly on the gut
A memory aid for the vitamin D pathway and its effects.
Fat-soluble ADEK and the water-soluble B vitamins and C
A memory aid for the classic vitamin deficiency syndromes.
Cofactor for gamma-carboxylation of factors II, VII, IX and X plus proteins C and S
A memory aid for the role of vitamin K in clotting.
Meckel's diverticulum, vitelline fistula, sinus, cyst and fibrous band
A memory aid for the spectrum of vitelline duct remnants.
Cardiac output is the main limiting factor, not the lungs
A memory aid for maximal oxygen uptake and what limits it.
PCA opens, everyone else closes, CT tightens, TA loosens the noses of sound
Mnemonic combining abduction and tension control of the vocal cords into one memory aid.
CT tightens, TA loosens
Mnemonic for which muscles tighten and which loosen the vocal cords.
The theoretical volume needed to contain the dose at the measured plasma concentration
A memory aid for the meaning and use of volume of distribution.
Four inputs converge on the vomiting centre in the medulla
A memory aid for the pathways triggering vomiting.
Lingual below, palatine at the sides, tubal by the ears, pharyngeal up high, a ring of guards for the throat
Mnemonic for the protective function and layout of Waldeyer's ring.
A ring of guards around the throat
Mnemonic for the four sets of tonsils forming Waldeyer's ring.
Anterior, posterior, medial and lateral walls of the axilla
A memory aid for the four walls of the axilla and their muscles.
Cortisol, aldosterone and antidiuretic hormone disorders each disturb sodium differently
A memory aid for the endocrine causes of sodium abnormalities.
Deprive water, measure urine osmolality, then give desmopressin
A memory aid for interpreting the water deprivation test.
The B group and vitamin C, largely unstored and excreted in urine
A memory aid for the water soluble vitamins and their coenzyme roles.
The ureter (water) passes under the uterine artery or vas deferens (the bridge)
A mnemonic for the relationship of the ureter to the uterine artery and vas deferens.
Waters shows the sinuses, chin up to clear the base
Mnemonic for the purpose and technique of the Waters radiographic view.
Alveolar pressure dominates at the apex, arterial pressure at the base
A memory aid for the three zones of pulmonary blood flow.
Wharton's is under the tongue's floor, Stensen's by the second molar, remember the door
Mnemonic contrasting the two major salivary duct openings.
Neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes and basophils
A memory aid for what each raised or low white cell line indicates.
Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, Basophils
A mnemonic for the white cell types in order of abundance.
Non-opioid, then weak opioid, then strong opioid, with adjuvants at every step
A memory aid for the stepwise approach to analgesia.
Wilson accumulates copper; haemochromatosis accumulates iron
A memory aid for the two classic metal overload disorders.
Elastic arteries store energy in systole and release it in diastole
A memory aid for the role of aortic elasticity.
Medial winging from long thoracic nerve palsy, lateral winging from spinal accessory nerve palsy
A memory aid for the two types of winged scapula and their nerves.
Elastic work plus resistive work, minimised at an optimal respiratory rate
A memory aid for the components of the work of breathing.
Haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodelling
A memory aid for the stages of wound healing.
Any reaction to a black triangle drug, and serious reactions to any drug
A memory aid for what to report to the UK pharmacovigilance scheme.
First order clears a constant proportion, zero order a constant amount
A mnemonic for the two patterns of drug elimination.
Zygomaticus major pulls up and out, a diagonal smile without a doubt
Mnemonic for the diagonal pull of zygomaticus major during smiling.