Differentials Flashcards
(32 cards)
What is the differential for headache? (11)
Migraine
Tension headache
Cluster headache
Pseudomotor cerebri
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
Meningitis
Sinusitis
Intracranial Neoplasm
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Temporal arteritis
Caffeine or analgesic withdrawal
What is the differential for confusion/memory loss? (10)
Alzheimer’s
Vascular dementia
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Normal pressure hydrocephalus
Subdural hematoma
Depression
Delirium
Hypothyroidism
B12 deficiency
Hypoglycemia
What is the differential for sore throat? (5)
Viral pharyngitis
Bacterial pharyngitis
URI
HIV retroviral syndrome
Mycoplasma pneumonia
Peritonsillar abscess
Epiglottitis
GERD
What is the differential for acute(2)/subacute(3)/chronic cough(11)?
Acute:
Viral URI (viral, influenza)
CAP
Subacute:
atypical pneumonia
Whooping cough
Post-infection cough
Chronic:
UACS
Sinusitis
GERD
ACEI
Asthma
Non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis
HF
COPD
Cancer
Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis
Bronchiectasis
What is the differential for amenorrhea? (10)
Primary:
Kallman syndrome
Turner syndrome
Mullerian agenesis
Secondary:
Pregnancy
Sheehan’s syndrome
Hyperprolactinemia
Hypothyroid
Menopause
Asherman
Premature ovarian failure
What is the differential for vaginal bleeding?
PALM COEIN
ENDOCRINE:
Hyper/hypothyroidism, PCOS,
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
ectopic pregnancy
spontaneous abortion
Atrophic vaginitis
(Polyps, Adenomyosis, Lieomayoma, malignancy/hyperplasia, Coagulopathy, Ovulatory, Endometrial, Iatrogenic, Not otherwise mentioned)
Differential for acute dyspnea (SOB) 13
Foreign body
Anaphylaxis
ACEI
COPD
Asthma
Pneumonia
Malignancy
PTX
PE
ARDS
CHF (arrhythmia, ACS, valvular)
Tamponade
Toxin exposure
Differential for chronic dyspnea (SOB) 13
Obstructive:
COPD
Asthma
Bronchiectasis
Restrictive:
IPF
Scoliosis
Akylosing spondylitis
neuromuscular (MG, LES, GB, ALS, etc)
Obesity
Other:
CHF
Anemia
Pulm HTN
Malignancy
Infectious (TB, Norcardia, etc)
What is the differential for hematuria? (8)
Bladder cancer
Renal cell carcinoma
Prostate cancer
Nephrolithiasis
Pyelonephritis
UTI
Acute glomerulonephritis
Coagulation disorder
What is the differential for vaginal discharge? (4)
Bacterial vaginosis
Vaginitis - candidal
Vaginitis - trichomonal
Cervicitis (chlamydia and/or gonorrhea)
Differential for dyspareunia? (7)
Atrophic vaginitis
Endometriosis
Vaginismus
Cervicitis
PID
Depression
Domestic violence
Differential for low back pain? (7)
Disc herniation
Lumbar muscle strain
Lumbar spinal stenosis
Compression fracture
Tumor in the spinal canal
Ankylosing spondylitis
knee or leg fracture
Child with fever differential? (14)
neonatal sepsis
meningitis
pneumonia
pyelonephritis
otitis media
URI
Measles
Rubella
Roseola
Varicella
Scarlet fever
Gastroenteritis
Volvulus
Intussusception
Differential for ankle pain?
Fracture
Ligament injury
Gout
Septic arthritis
Cellulitis
Osteomyelitis
What is the mnemonic for red flag back pain symptoms?
TUNA FISH
Trauma
Unexplained weight loss
Neurological symptoms
Age >50
Fever
IVDU
Steroids/immunosuppressed
History of cancer
Differential for lower back pain?
muscle strain
herniated disc
fracture
osteomyelitis
cancer
kidney stone
Pyelonephritis
AAA
In someone with neck/back tauma, should you check ROM before imaging?
NO! get imaging before assessing ROM and you could further damage neurological function
What questions should you ask someone after trauma/MVA? What physical exam maneuvers?
LOC, seatbelt, neurological symptoms
HEENT (everything, look to see if neck is midline), chest, heart, abdomen, extremities, NEURO
What is the differential for limb weakness?
Stroke
TIA
Nerve damage
Vascular compromise
If someone presents with possible stroke/TIA, what should you order that may help elucidate the cause?
Head CT without contrast (ischemic or hemorrhagic)
CBC and CMP
EKG (arrhythmia may cause stroke)
carotid ultrasound (possible stenosis/thrombosis)
What is the differential for fever with cough?
Something to consider:
Malignancy
HIV/AIDS
TB
Pneumonia
what information should you gather in a OBGYN case?
Period start age
period duration
Heavy/medium/light
LMP
GP
Sexual history
Contraception use
What is the differential for weight loss in an adolescent? (6)
Depression
Anorexia
Hyperthyroidism
Drug use
Malignancy
Diabetes
What is the differential for enuresis?
Primary enuresis (always has wet the bed) Secondary enuresis (previously potty trained, something is causing it lie trauma, constipation, UTI, diabetes, etc)
