GI Mnemonics

Abdominal Assessement:
Mnemonic: To assess abdomen, palpate all 4 quadrants for DR. GERM:

Distension: liver problems, bowel obstruction
Rigidity (board like): bleeding
Guarding: muscular tension when touched
Eviseration/ Ecchymosis
Rebound tenderness: infection
Masses
By Lyssa Lenske Mount Saint Mary’s College BSN Program

Acute Pancreatitis: causes
Mnemonic: GET SMASHED:

Gallstones
Ethanol
Trauma
Steroids
Mumps
Autoimmune (PAN)
Scorpion stings
Hyperlipidemia/ Hypercalcemia
ERCP
Drugs (including azathioprine and diuretics)
_ Note: ‘Get Smashed’ is slang in some countries for drinking, and ethanol is an important pancreatitis cause.
By Chris Perry Edinburgh Medical School

Causes Of Food Poisoning
Mnemonic: “Eating Contaminated Stuff Causes Very Big Smelly Vomit”:

E. coli O157-H7 [undercooked meat, esp. hamburgers]
Clostridium botulinum [canned foods]
Salmonella [poultry, meat, eggs]
Vibrio parahaemolyticus [seafood]
Bacillus cereus [reheated rice]
Staphylococcus aureus [meats, mayo, custard]
Clostridium perfringens [reheated meat]
Vibrio vulnificus [seafood]
By Joel Camilo Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

SPLENOMAGALY: Causes
Mnemonic: CHICAGO:

Cancer
Hem, onc
Infection
Congestion (portal hypertension)
Autoimmune (RA, SLE)
Glycogen storage disorders
Other (amyloidosis)
By Gerard Dang Chicago Medical School

Acute Ulcerative Colitis: s/s
Mnemonic: A STATE:

Anemia less than 10g/dl
Stool frequency greater than 6 stools/day with blood
Temperature greater than 37.5
Albumin less than 30g/L
Tachycardia greater than 90bpm
ESR greater than 30mm/hr
By Anil Pandit Manipal College of Mecdical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal

Alcohol Abuse: Questions
Mnemonic: CAGE:
1. Ever felt it necessary to Cut down on drinking?
2. Has anyone ever said they felt Annoyed by your drinking?
3. Ever felt Guilty about drinking?
4. Ever felt a need to have a morning drink as an Eye opener?

Parts of the Intestines:
“Dow Jones Industrial Climbing Average Closing Stock Report”

From proximal to distal:
Duodenum
Jejunum
Ileum
Cecum
Appendix
Colon
Sigmoid
Rectum

RLQ (Right Lower Quadrant) Pain: Causes
Mnemonic: APPENDICITIS:

Appendicitis/ Abscess
PID/ Period
Pancreatitis
Ectopic/ Endometriosis
Neoplasia
Diverticulitis
Intussusception
Crohns Disease/ Cyst (ovarian)
IBD
Torsion (ovary)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Stones

Names of B Vitamins
Mnemonic: “The Rhythm Nearly Proved Contagious”:

_ In increasing order:
Thiamine (B1)
Riboflavin (B2)
Niacin (B3)
Pyridoxine (B6)
Cobalamin (B12)
S/S of Niacin (B3)/ Nicotinic Acid Deficiency : Pellagra
Mnemonic: The 3 D‘s of pellagra:
Dermatitis
Diarrhea
Dementia
_ Note vitamin B3 is the 3 D’s.
By Andrew J. Vasi, MD

Fat Soluble Vitamins
Mnemonic: “The FAT cat is in the ADEK (attic)”:

Fat soluble vitamins are A,D,E,K.
By Presley Ross Medicine

Elevated BILIRUBINS: Causes
Mnemonic: “HOT Liver”:

Hemolysis
Obstruction
Tumor
Liver disease
By Sung H. Kim

GLUTEN Rich Grains
Mnemonic: BROW:

Barley
Rye
Oats
Wheat
_ Flattened intestinal villi of celiac sprue are smooth, like an eyebrow.
By Jack A. Pasquale, MD St. George’s University, School of Medicine

GALLSTONES – Charcot’s triad
Mnemonic: “Charge a FEE“:

Charcot’s triad is:
Fever and chills
Epigastric & RUQ pain
Emesis & nausea

HEPATIC CIRRHOSIS: Causes
Mnemonic: HEPATIC:

Hemochromatosis (primary)
Enzyme deficiency (alpha-1-anti-trypsin)
Post hepatic (infection + drug induced)
Alcoholic
Tyrosinosis
Indian childhood (galactosemia)
Cardiac/ Cholestatic (biliary)/ Cancer/ Copper (Wilson’s)
By Dr. Chetan Wasekar

CIRRHOSIS: Common vs Rare Causes
Mnemonic: _Common causes are ABC:

Alcohol
B (Hepatitis)
C (Hepatitis)
_ Rarer are also ABC:
Autoimmune
Biliary cirrhosis
Copper (Wilson’s)
By Jamal Khan Birmingham University Medical Student

Chron’s Disease: S/S
Mnemonic: CHRISTMAS:

Cobblestones
High temperature
Reduced lumen
Intestinal fistulae
Skip lesions
Transmural (all layers, may ulcerate)
Malabsorption
Abdominal pain
Submucosal fibrosis
By Samuel Atom Baek-Kim

pH Level in Stomach
Mnemonic:
With vomiting both the pH and food come up.

With diarrhea both the pH and food go down.
Joel Topf Indiana University

Amino acids forming AcetylCoA and acetacetylCoA:
Mnemonic: “A Lighter Lease” (A LyTr LeIs):

A=AcetylCoA or Acetoacetyl CoA
Ly=Lysine
Tr=Tryptophan
Le=Leucine
Is=Isoleucine
By Dr. Waqas H. Sheikh BVI Co.

Citric Acid Cycle
Mnemonic: “Can I Keep Selling Sex For Money, Officer?”:

Citrate
Isocitrate
alpha Ketogluterate
Succinyl CoA
Succinate
Fumerate
Malate
Oxaloacetate
By Ramon Ter-Oganesyan and Rebecca University of California Irvine

Enzyme Classification
Mnemonics: “Over The HILL“:

Oxidoreductases
Transferases
Hydrolases
Isomerases
Ligases
Lyases