Acute Kidney Injury We have two kidneys in our body. The kidney is like a filter, removing waste and toxins from the blood. This waste and toxins come out in your pee. Acute kidney injury, or AKI, is when your kidneys are damaged, and the kidneys suddenly stops working properly. If the kidneys don’t do…
Osteoarthritis We have cartilage between our joints to cushion the joints. Over time, this cartilage breaks down and wears away. As a result, the bones begin to rub against each other, causing swelling and pain in that joint. Rheumatoid arthritis The body needs a way of protecting itself. We call this the immune system. The…
Epilepsy Your brain cells send electrical signals to your body to tell you to do things, like move. Normally, the brain fires electrical signals in a controlled way. In epilepsy, the brain fires electrical signals in a random and uncontrolled way. When a fit happens, the brain cells are a bit like people at a…
Peptic ulcer disease The stomach is an organ that has walls. When you eat, your stomach makes acid to help break down the food. To protect the stomach walls from this acid, we have a lining between the acid and the stomach walls. If this lining layer wears down, this allows the stomach acid to…
Gastrointestinal history 8 Written by Leya Bedar Diagnosis: Inflammatory bowel disease (diarrhoea, location of pain, fatigue, weight loss, blood in stools, extra-gastrointestinal manifestations) Other differentials: Chronic pancreatitis (possible due to weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain but less likely due to location of pain, no other suggestive symptoms) Coeliac disease (possible due to abdominal pain and…
Gastrointestinal history 7 Written by Moriom Begum Diagnosis: Anal fissure (fresh blood, pain during bowel movement, previous constipation) Other differentials: Haemorrhoids (fresh blood, previous constipation but less likely due to sharp pain during bowel movement and no lumps or pruritus) Inflammatory bowel disease (possible due to family history, may present with perianal disease, blood in…
Gastrointestinal history 6 Written by Moriom Begum Diagnosis: Haemorrhoids (fresh blood, pruritus, recent constipation, lumps) Other differentials: Anal fissure (fresh blood, recent constipation but lumps indicate haemorrhoids) Anal cancer (unlikely due to acute history and age but may be considered if not responding to treatment) Mark scheme for history taking can be found below …
Respiratory history 6 Written by Leya Bedar Diagnosis: Community acquired pneumonia (recent infectious contact, green/yellow sputum, fever, dyspnoea, tachycardia, chills and sweating) Other differentials: Acute bronchitis (similar in presentation but sweating and fever more associated with pneumonia, no wheeze or chest tightness) Influenza (less likely due to chills, productive cough, tachycardia, sweating, and no improvement…
Deep vein thrombosis Deep vein thrombosis is when a blood clot forms in a vein that is deep inside your body, usually in the lower leg. A blood clot is a clump of blood that has turned solid. A blood clot can block the way for blood to get through and get to other parts…
Thyroid disease Explaining the thyroid gland and abnormalities: The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck. It releases chemicals into your bloodstream. These chemicals control the rate of activities, such as how fast your burn calories and how fast your heart beats. In hyperthyroidism, you have too much of these…
