Useful Mnemonics for History Taking

Last updated: November 10, 2024
  • DOC PA FA Hx of Non-Painful c/o
    • Describe, Duration
    • Onset
    • Constant or Intermittent
    • Precipitating, Progression, Previous episodes
    • Alleviating or Exacerbating factors
    • Frequency
    • Associations
  • LIQOPRAA Hx of Painful c/o
    • Location
    • Intensity
    • Quality
    • Onset
    • Precipitating events, Progression, Previous episodes
    • Radiation
    • Associated symptoms
    • Aggravating symptoms
    • Alleviating symptoms
  • SOCRATES Hx of Painful c/o
    • Site
    • Onset
    • Character
    • Radiation
    • Association
    • Time course
    • Exacerbating or Relieving factors
    • Severity
  • ONERESPS for Cardiovascular and Respiratory History
    • Onset
    • Nature
    • Exercise Tolerance
    • Relieving factors
    • Exacerbating factors
    • Sleep
    • Pillows
    • Smoking
  • PAM HUGS FO SAD SAD for Past History in Adults
    • PMHx
    • Allergies
    • Medication
    • Hospitalizations (HITS – Hospitalizations, Ill contacts, Trauma, Surgery)
    • Urinary signs and symptoms
    • GI symptoms
    • Sleep
    • Family Hx
    • OBGYN **(**MVP LAP)
    • Smoking
    • Alcohol
    • Drugs
    • Sexual History
    • Activity
    • Diet
  • PAM HITS FOSS for Past History in Adults
    • Past Medical History
    • Allergy
    • Medication
    • Hospitalization in the past
    • Ill contacts
    • Trauma
    • Surgery
    • Family Hx
    • OB/GYN (LMP RTV CS PAP)
    • Sexual Hx (With who? # of partners? Men or Women? Protection? # of partners since last year?)
    • Social Hx
  • LMP RTV CS PAP for OBGYN History
    • LMP
    • Menarche
    • Period lasts?
    • Regularly?
    • Tampons? (# per day)
    • Vaginal discharge, Itching, Dryness
    • Cramps
    • Spotting? (Intermenstrual/ Post-coital)
    • Pregnancy (# of times? Complication)
    • Abortion/Miscarriage
    • Pap Smear (Last pap? Anormal>)
  • MVP LAP for OBGYN History
    • Menarche/ Menstrual Age
    • Vaginal discharge (foul?, frothy?, white?, green? and amount)
    • Parity Index (GPA)
    • Last Normal Menstrual Period (LNMP) – with duration, number of pads or tampons
    • Abnormal symptoms (Cramps, Spotting, Heavy flow, Clots, Itching, Dryness)
    • Pap Smear (Last or abnormal results)
  • WHARTED for Social Hx
    • Work
    • Home
    • Alcohol (CAGE questionnaire)
    • Recreational drugs (Name? Last time used, method of use>)
    • Tobacco (#pack per day, Educate)
    • Exercise
    • Diet
    ***Social stressors, living situation, marital statusxx
  • SAD SAD for Social Hx
    • Smoking
    • Alcohol
    • Drugs
    • Sexual History
    • Activity
    • Diet
  • THEN FR CS PUB SAW ID for Review of System in adults
    • Trauma or Travel
    • Headache
    • Edema
    • Nausea or Vomiting (onset, color, frequency)
    • Fever or Chills or Night sweats or Fatigue
    • Rash or Racing heart
    • Chest pain or Cough (Sputum, odor, color, blood)
    • SOB
    • Pain in joints
    • Urinary problems
    • Bowel problems (abdominal pain, diarrhoea, consrtipation)
    • Sleep problems
    • Appetite
    • Weight loss or gain (Intentional?)
    • Infection (recent)
    • Dizziness (if yes, Vision too?)
  • SAFEGARDS for Domestic Abuse
    • Safety at home or of children
    • Aware friends or family
    • Fear of Spouse
    • Emergency plan
    • Guns or Weapons at home
    • Alcohol or Drug abuse
    • Relationship with spouse
    • Depression (if yes then SIGEMCAPS)
    • Suicidal Ideation
  • SIG EM CAPS for Depression
    • Sleep
    • Interest
    • Guilt or Guns
    • Energy loss or fatigue
    • Mood
    • Concentration
    • Appetite
    • Psychomotor
    • Suicide
  • ABCDE for Pediatric Patients
    • Allergies and Medications
    • Birth History
    • Complete immunization
    • Day Care,
    • Development and Growth,
    • Dietary History
    • Environment exposure
  • PAM IF BIG DEALS for Pediatric patients
    • Past Medical Hx
      • Past Surgical Hx
      • Previous hospitalization
      • Prenatal Hx
    • Allergies
    • Medication
    • Ill contacts
    • Family Hx
    • Birth Hx
    • Immunization
    • Growth and development
    • Day care (Sick contacts?)
    • Eating habits
    • Appetite
    • Last check up (was it normal?)
  • SAD CUB FEVERS for Review of Systems in Pediatric Patients
    • Sleep
    • Activity (Awake, Playful, Eyeball test)
    • Dehydration (Dry Mouth, Shrunken eyes, Fontanelles)
    • Cold or Cry (Recent URTI, Cough, Chest pain, SOB, Difficulty swallowing)
    • Urination (Frequency, Odor, Colour, Dysuria)
    • Bowel Changes (Diarrhea, Constipation, Color, Blood, Mucus)
    • Fever
    • Ear Pulling
    • Vomiting (Onset, Colour, Frequency)
    • Ear or Eye discharge
    • Rash or Rhinorrhoea
    • Seizures
  • SNOOP for potentially serious causes of headache
    • Systemic symptoms (weight loss) or disease
    • Neurologic symptoms(FNDs)
    • Onset sudden
    • Old age first occurrence
    • Previous headaches were different (evolving presentation)
Reference Intervals ›
Biochemistry
ACTHP: <80 ng/L
ALTP: 5–35 U/L
AlbuminP: 35–50 g/L
AldosteroneP: 100–500 pmol/L
Alk. phosphataseP: 30–130 U/L
α-AmylaseP: 0–180 IU/dL
α-FetoproteinS: <10 kU/L
Angiotensin IIP: 5–35 pmol/L
ADHP: 0.9–4.6 pmol/L
ASTP: 5–35 U/L
BicarbonateP: 24–30 mmol/L
BilirubinP: 3–17 μmol/L
BNPP: <50 ng/L
CRPP: <10 mg/L
CalcitoninP: <0.1 mcg/L
Calcium (ionized)P: 1.0–1.25 mmol/L
Calcium (total)P: 2.12–2.60 mmol/L
ChlorideP: 95–105 mmol/L
CholesterolP: <5.0 mmol/L
VLDLP: 0.128–0.645 mmol/L
LDLP: <2.0 mmol/L
HDLP: 0.9–1.93 mmol/L
Cortisol AMP: 450–700 nmol/L
Cortisol MidnightP: 80–280 nmol/L
CK ♂P: 25–195 U/L
CK ♀P: 25–170 U/L
CreatinineP: 70–100 μmol/L
FerritinP: 12–200 mcg/L
FolateS: 2.1 mcg/L
FSHP: 2–8 U/L ♂; >25 menopause
GGT ♂P: 11–51 U/L
GGT ♀P: 7–33 U/L
Glucose (fasting)P: 3.5–5.5 mmol/L
Growth hormoneP: <20 mu/L
HbA1C (DCCT)B: 4–6%
HbA1C (IFCC)B: 20–42 mmol/mol
Iron ♂S: 14–31 μmol/L
Iron ♀S: 11–30 μmol/L
Lactate (venous)P: 0.6–2.4 mmol/L
Lactate (arterial)P: 0.6–1.8 mmol/L
LDHP: 70–250 U/L
LHP: 3–16 U/L
MagnesiumP: 0.75–1.05 mmol/L
OsmolalityP: 278–305 mosmol/kg
PTHP: 0.8–8.5 pmol/L
PotassiumP: 3.5–5.3 mmol/L
Prolactin ♂P: <450 U/L
Prolactin ♀P: <600 U/L
PSAP: 0–4 mcg/mL
Protein (total)P: 60–80 g/L
Red cell folateB: 0.36–1.44 μmol/L
Renin (erect)P: 2.8–4.5 pmol/mL/h
Renin (recumbent)P: 1.1–2.7 pmol/mL/h
SodiumP: 135–145 mmol/L
TBGP: 7–17 mg/L
TSHP: 0.5–4.2 mU/L
T4P: 70–140 nmol/L
Free T4P: 9–22 pmol/L
TIBCS: 54–75 μmol/L
TriglyceridesP: 0.50–2.3 mmol/L
T3P: 1.2–3.0 nmol/L
Troponin TP: <0.1 mcg/L
Urate ♂P: 210–480 μmol/L
Urate ♀P: 150–390 μmol/L
UreaP: 2.5–6.7 mmol/L
Vitamin B12S: 0.13–0.68 nmol/L
Vitamin DS: 50 nmol/L
Arterial Blood Gases
pH7.35–7.45
PaCO₂4.7–6.0 kPa
PaO₂>10.6 kPa
Base excess±2 mmol/L
Urine
Cortisol (free)<280 nmol/24h
Hydroxyindole acetic acid16–73 μmol/24h
Hydroxymethylmandelic acid16–48 μmol/24h
Metanephrines0.03–0.69 μmol/mmol cr.
Osmolality350–1000 mosmol/kg
17-Oxogenic steroids ♂28–30 μmol/24h
17-Oxogenic steroids ♀21–66 μmol/24h
17-Oxosteroids ♂17–76 μmol/24h
17-Oxosteroids ♀14–59 μmol/24h
Phosphate (inorganic)15–50 mmol/24h
Potassium14–120 mmol/24h
Protein<150 mg/24h
Protein/creatinine ratio<3 mg/mmol
Sodium100–250 mmol/24h
Haematology
WCC4.0–11.0 ×10⁹/L
RBC ♂4.5–6.5 ×10¹²/L
RBC ♀3.9–5.6 ×10¹²/L
Hb ♂130–180 g/L
Hb ♀115–160 g/L
PCV ♂0.4–0.54 L/L
PCV ♀0.37–0.47 L/L
MCV76–96 fL
MCH27–32 pg
MCHC300–360 g/L
RDW11.6–14.6%
Neutrophils2.0–7.5 ×10⁹/L (40–75%)
Lymphocytes1.0–4.5 ×10⁹/L (20–45%)
Eosinophils0.04–0.44 ×10⁹/L (1–6%)
Basophils0–0.10 ×10⁹/L (0–1%)
Monocytes0.2–0.8 ×10⁹/L (2–10%)
Platelets150–400 ×10⁹/L
Reticulocytes0.8–2.0% / 25–100 ×10⁹/L
Prothrombin time10–14 s
APTT35–45 s
Paediatric
Pulse Rate (bpm)
Neonate140–160
Infant <1yr120–140
1–5 years110–130
5–12 years80–120
>12 years70–100
Respiratory Rate (tachypnoea)
0–2 months≥60/min
2–12 months≥50/min
1–5 years≥40/min
>5 years≥30/min
Blood Pressure (mmHg)
Term65/45
1 year75/50
4 years85/60
8 years95/65
10 years100/70
Weight Formulas
3–12 months(a + 9)/2 kg
1–6 years2a + 8 kg
>6 years(7a − 5)/2 kg
Haemoglobin (g/dL)
Term newborn13–20
1 month11–18
2 months10–15
1–2 years10–13
>2 years11–14
MUAC (6 months–5 years)
Obese>17.5 cm
Normal13.5–17.4 cm
At risk12.5–13.4 cm
Moderate malnutrition11.5–12.4 cm
Severe malnutrition<11.5 cm
Developmental Milestones
Social smile1.5 months
Head control4 months
Sits unsupported7 months
Crawls10 months
Stands unsupported10–12 months
Walks12–13 months
Talks18 months
CSF WBC (/mm³)
Term newborn0–25
>2 weeks0–5
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