Acute Cough Mnemonic

Many of the CS mnemonics are already made. Today I came up with a Mnemonic for differential diagnosis of ACUTE COUGH. Hope you will like it.

A–>Acute Bronchitis; Aspiration

C–>Coxsackie viruses are the culprit for Pleurodynia (uncommon acute illness, which occurs in summer and early fall and presents with acute severe paroxysmal pain of the thorax and abdomen that worsens with cough or breathing)

U–>URI-associated cough (acute cough frequently follows URI)

T–>oTher Pulmonary Problems: Pneumoinia (when the case is respiratory always think of Bronchitis, Pneumonis, TB, Lung cancer); PCP pneumonia (if the Pt has STD Hx screen for HIV)

E–>pulmonary Embolism (check for risk factors like DVTs); pulmonary Edema (signs and symptoms of heart failure will be present)

[Mnemonic generated by dokidok]

The Mnemonic is made based on First Aid for USMLE step 2 CS