DoctordleSearch for a condition and read a short definition.
Search by diagnosis name or summary, then narrow the list with a topic filter when you want to stay inside one part of the case bank.
Daily Mix
Giant cell arteritis is a granulomatous vasculitis of medium and large arteries, almost always in patients over 50. Jaw claudication, scalp tenderness, and elevated inflammatory markers are classic, and rapid steroid treatment prevents permanent vision loss.
Daily Mix
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a state of chronic hyperglycemia driven by insulin resistance and progressive beta-cell dysfunction. Acanthosis nigricans, osmotic symptoms, and a family history are common at presentation, and diagnosis is confirmed by A1c or fasting glucose criteria.
Daily Mix
Guillain-Barré syndrome is an acute postinfectious demyelinating polyneuropathy, often after Campylobacter infection. Ascending symmetric weakness with areflexia and cytoalbuminologic dissociation in the CSF are hallmarks; monitoring vital capacity is critical because respiratory failure can develop.
Daily Mix
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a multisystem autoimmune disease that most often affects women of childbearing age. Malar rash, inflammatory arthritis, cytopenias, and renal involvement with anti-dsDNA antibodies and low complement are characteristic findings.
Daily Mix
Pulmonary embolism is an occlusion of pulmonary arteries by thrombus, most often from deep veins of the legs. Sudden dyspnea, pleuritic pain, tachycardia, and risk factors like recent surgery drive the pretest probability, and CT angiography confirms the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous defined by lesions separated in time and space. Optic neuritis, sensory relapses, Lhermitte sign, MRI plaques, and CSF oligoclonal bands are classic features.
Daily Mix
Hypothyroidism is thyroid hormone deficiency, most commonly from chronic autoimmune (Hashimoto) thyroiditis. Fatigue, cold intolerance, weight gain, bradycardia, and delayed reflexes are typical, with a high TSH and low free T4 confirming the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Graves disease is autoimmune hyperthyroidism caused by TSH receptor stimulating antibodies. Diffuse goiter, ophthalmopathy, pretibial myxedema, and suppressed TSH with elevated thyroid hormones distinguish it from other causes of thyrotoxicosis.
Daily Mix
Rheumatoid arthritis is a symmetric inflammatory polyarthritis targeting synovium. Prolonged morning stiffness, anti-CCP positivity, and marginal erosions on imaging are hallmarks, and early DMARD therapy prevents joint destruction.
Daily Mix
Celiac disease is an immune-mediated enteropathy triggered by dietary gluten. Chronic diarrhea, iron deficiency, dermatitis herpetiformis, and tTG-IgA antibodies with villous atrophy on biopsy define the condition, and it resolves with a gluten-free diet.
Daily Mix
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder from dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra. The cardinal triad is resting tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia, with asymmetric onset and a robust response to levodopa supporting the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Acute bacterial meningitis, most often from Neisseria meningitidis in young adults, presents with fever, neck stiffness, and photophobia. Neutrophil-predominant CSF with low glucose and high protein is the classic pattern, and antibiotics must not await test results.
Daily Mix
Iron deficiency anemia results from chronic blood loss or poor iron intake. Microcytosis with a very low ferritin is the signature; in older adults, gastrointestinal evaluation is essential because occult bleeding from lesions such as colon cancer is a common cause.
Daily Mix
Osteoporosis is reduced bone mass with preserved mineralization, leading to fragility fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist. A T-score below -2.5 on DXA confirms the diagnosis, and calcium, vitamin D, and antiresorptive therapy reduce future fractures.
Daily Mix
Ureteral calculi cause acute colicky flank pain radiating to the groin, with hematuria and writhing behavior. Non-contrast CT is the diagnostic standard, and stones under 5 mm usually pass spontaneously with hydration and analgesia.
Daily Mix
Asthma is chronic airway inflammation with reversible airflow obstruction and hyperresponsiveness. Triggers, nocturnal symptoms, wheezing, and a significant bronchodilator response on spirometry define the disease.
Daily Mix
Obstructive sleep apnea is repeated upper airway collapse during sleep, causing snoring, witnessed apneas, and daytime sleepiness. An apnea-hypopnea index above 5 on polysomnography confirms the diagnosis, and CPAP is the mainstay of treatment.
Daily Mix
Gout is inflammatory arthritis from monosodium urate crystal deposition. Podagra, nocturnal onset, alcohol and diuretic associations, and negatively birefringent needle crystals in the joint fluid confirm the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Lyme disease is a tick-borne borreliosis that progresses from erythema migrans to disseminated findings such as facial palsy, meningitis, and arthritis. Endemic exposure, the expanding target lesion, and two-tier serology confirm the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Cellulitis is an infection of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, usually by Streptococcus pyogenes or Staphylococcus aureus entering through broken skin. Warm, tender, spreading erythema with lymphangitis distinguishes it from mimics such as venous stasis.
Daily Mix
Acute appendicitis is obstruction and inflammation of the appendix. Migrating periumbilical pain to the right lower quadrant with anorexia, McBurney tenderness, and CT findings of a dilated appendix is the classic presentation requiring surgery.
Daily Mix
Diverticulitis is inflammation of colonic diverticula, typically sigmoid in older adults with low-fiber diets. Left lower quadrant pain, fever, leukocytosis, and CT evidence of pericolic inflammation define it, with antibiotics and bowel rest for uncomplicated cases.
Daily Mix
Acute cholecystitis is gallbladder inflammation, usually from cystic duct obstruction by a stone. Prolonged postprandial right upper quadrant pain, fever, Murphy sign, and ultrasound findings of wall thickening with stones confirm the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Herpes zoster is reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus in a dorsal root ganglion. A painful unilateral vesicular rash in a single dermatome, with prodromal dysesthesia, is diagnostic, and antivirals work best within 72 hours of rash onset.
Daily Mix
Migraine is a primary headache disorder with recurrent moderate-to-severe unilateral throbbing pain, photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, and sometimes aura. Normal neurologic findings between attacks support the clinical diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Tension-type headache is the most common primary headache, presenting as bilateral pressing pain of mild to moderate intensity without migraine features such as nausea or aura. Stress, posture, and poor sleep are typical triggers.
Daily Mix
Community-acquired pneumonia presents with fever, productive cough, pleuritic pain, and focal consolidation on imaging. Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the classic organism, with lobar consolidation, dullness, and bronchial breath sounds on exam.
Daily Mix
Acute uncomplicated cystitis is lower urinary tract infection, most often E. coli in women. Dysuria, frequency, suprapubic discomfort, and nitrite-positive urinalysis with a positive culture confirm the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Atrial fibrillation is a chaotic atrial rhythm with an irregularly irregular ventricular response. Absent P waves on ECG confirm it, and management centers on rate or rhythm control plus stroke-prevention anticoagulation scored by CHA2DS2-VASc.
Daily Mix
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction presents with exertional dyspnea, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and volume overload. Elevated BNP, congestive exam findings, and a reduced ejection fraction on echocardiography confirm the syndrome.
Daily Mix
COPD is progressive airflow limitation from smoking-related airway and parenchymal damage. Chronic productive cough, dyspnea, hyperinflation, and post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below 0.7 define the disease.
Daily Mix
Pulmonary tuberculosis causes chronic cough, hemoptysis, night sweats, weight loss, and apical cavitary disease. Acid-fast bacilli on smear with positive culture confirm it, and multidrug therapy requires months of adherence.
Daily Mix
Infectious mononucleosis from Epstein-Barr virus presents in young adults with fatigue, exudative pharyngitis, posterior cervical lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, atypical lymphocytosis, and a positive heterophile test. Contact sports are paused to avoid splenic rupture.
Daily Mix
Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory axial spondyloarthritis of young men, marked by inflammatory back pain, sacroiliitis, enthesitis, uveitis, and HLA-B27 positivity. MRI sacroiliitis confirms early disease.
Daily Mix
PCOS is a hyperandrogenic ovulatory dysfunction syndrome. Irregular menses, hirsutism, polycystic ovarian morphology, and biochemical hyperandrogenism with exclusion of mimics establish the Rotterdam diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Endometriosis is ectopic endometrial tissue causing dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dyschezia, and infertility. A fixed retroverted uterus, endometrioma on ultrasound, and peritoneal implants at laparoscopy are characteristic.
Daily Mix
Preeclampsia is new hypertension after 20 weeks gestation with proteinuria or end-organ dysfunction. Headache, visual symptoms, edema, low platelets, and elevated transaminases signal severe disease requiring urgent delivery.
Daily Mix
Ectopic pregnancy implants outside the uterus, most often the fallopian tube. Positive pregnancy test with an empty uterus, adnexal mass, and pain warrants urgent evaluation because tubal rupture causes life-threatening hemorrhage.
Daily Mix
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is smooth enlargement of the transition zone causing obstructive voiding symptoms. A smooth enlarged prostate, elevated post-void residual, and absence of cancer red flags distinguish it from prostate carcinoma.
Daily Mix
Prostate adenocarcinoma is often asymptomatic and found by PSA screening, but advanced disease causes urinary symptoms and osteoblastic bone metastases. A hard prostatic nodule with elevated PSA and biopsy confirmation is the classic pathway.
Daily Mix
Deep vein thrombosis presents with unilateral calf pain and swelling, often with risk factors such as immobility, estrogen use, or thrombophilia. Non-compressibility on compression ultrasound confirms the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Paget disease of bone is disordered osteoclast and osteoblast activity producing enlarged, weakened bones. Elevated alkaline phosphatase with normal calcium, hearing loss from skull involvement, and coarsened trabeculae on imaging are typical.
Daily Mix
Cushing syndrome is sustained glucocorticoid excess causing central obesity, moon facies, striae, proximal weakness, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. Failure of dexamethasone suppression with high urine cortisol confirms it, and low ACTH localizes to an adrenal source.
Daily Mix
Primary adrenal insufficiency from autoimmune destruction causes fatigue, salt craving, orthostatic hypotension, hyperpigmentation, and hyponatremia with hyperkalemia. Low cortisol with high ACTH and adrenal autoantibodies confirm the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Pheochromocytoma is a catecholamine-secreting chromaffin tumor causing triad attacks of headache, sweating, and palpitations with paroxysmal hypertension. Elevated metanephrines and an adrenal mass on imaging confirm the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Systemic sclerosis is autoimmune fibrosis of skin and internal organs. Raynaud phenomenon precedes sclerodactyly, facial tightening, reflux, and pulmonary fibrosis; anti-centromere antibodies mark the limited cutaneous form.
Daily Mix
Sjogren syndrome is autoimmune exocrinopathy causing sicca symptoms of dry eyes and mouth. Positive anti-Ro/SSA antibodies, impaired tear production, and lip biopsy lymphocytic foci confirm the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Vitamin B12 deficiency causes macrocytic anemia, glossitis, and posterior column neurologic signs from demyelination. Low B12 with elevated methylmalonic acid confirms it; gastric surgery and metformin are common contributors.
Daily Mix
Lead toxicity from old paint or contaminated water causes abdominal pain, anemia, neurodevelopmental regression, and gum lines. Basophilic stippling and elevated blood lead levels confirm; chelation is required above 45 mcg/dL in children.
Daily Mix
Alcohol withdrawal presents 6 to 48 hours after cessation with tremor, diaphoresis, hallucinosis, autonomic hyperactivity, and seizures. A prior withdrawal seizure and symptom resolution with benzodiazepines support the diagnosis, and delirium tremens is the severe form.
Daily Mix
Colorectal adenocarcinoma presents with change in bowel habit, narrower stools, iron deficiency anemia, and weight loss, especially with family history. A colonoscopic mass with adenocarcinoma on biopsy is diagnostic.
Daily Mix
Pancreatic head adenocarcinoma causes painless obstructive jaundice, courvoisier gallbladder, back pain, weight loss, and occasionally new diabetes. Imaging mass with biliary obstruction and elevated CA 19-9 suggest the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Lung cancer in long-term smokers presents with chronic cough, hemoptysis, weight loss, and a mass on imaging; apical tumors can erode ribs. Tissue biopsy establishes the cell type that drives therapy.
Daily Mix
Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy causes focal aware auras of epigastric rising and deja vu, progressing to automatisms and postictal confusion. Anterior temporal spikes on EEG with hippocampal sclerosis on MRI are characteristic.
Daily Mix
Myasthenia gravis is autoimmune blockade of postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors causing fatigable ocular, bulbar, and limb weakness that improves with rest. Antibody testing and a response to cholinesterase inhibitors confirm it.
Daily Mix
Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell neoplasm marked by CRAB features: hyperCalcemia, Renal injury, Anemia, and Bone lytic lesions. An M spike with monoclonal light chains and clonal plasma cells on biopsy establish the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Chronic kidney disease is a sustained reduction of eGFR below 60 for over three months, with anemia, mineral bone disorder, and shrunken kidneys on imaging. Diabetes and hypertension are the leading causes.
Daily Mix
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease causes bilateral renal cysts, flank pain, hematuria, hypertension, and progressive renal failure, with a family history and associated intracranial aneurysms.
Daily Mix
SIADH is dilutional hyponatremia from persistent ADH release, classically driven by small cell lung cancer. Hypotonic serum with inappropriately concentrated, sodium-rich urine in a euvolemic patient after excluding thyroid, adrenal, and renal causes confirms it.
Daily Mix
Diabetic ketoacidosis is insulin-deficient hyperglycemia with ketogenesis and high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Kussmaul respiration, fruity breath, and heavy ketonuria are classic; treatment is fluids, insulin, and potassium replacement.
Daily Mix
Acute tubular necrosis is intrinsic kidney injury from ischemia or nephrotoxins, presenting with oliguria, a rising creatinine, and muddy brown casts. Prolonged hypotension with NSAIDs and ACE inhibitors is a classic setup.
Daily Mix
Membranous nephropathy is the leading cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults, driven in most primary cases by anti-PLA2R antibodies. Heavy proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and edema with subepithelial deposits on biopsy define it.
Daily Mix
Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder of gut-brain interaction defined by recurrent abdominal pain related to defecation and altered stool habit, with no alarm features and normal inflammatory markers. Diagnosis is clinical by Rome IV criteria.
Daily Mix
Fibromyalgia is centralized pain sensitization with widespread tenderness, unrefreshing sleep, fatigue, and cognitive symptoms, in the setting of normal inflammatory labs. Graded exercise, sleep care, and cognitive behavioral therapy anchor treatment.
Daily Mix
Cluster headache is a trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia of severe, strictly unilateral orbital pain in nightly attacks lasting 15 minutes to 3 hours, with ipsilateral lacrimation and rhinorrhea. Restlessness during attacks distinguishes it from migraine, and high-flow oxygen aborts episodes.
Daily Mix
Trigeminal neuralgia is recurrent unilateral electric facial pain in a trigeminal division, lasting seconds and triggered by innocuous stimuli, with no neurologic deficit. Carbamazepine responsiveness is characteristic, and neuroimaging excludes structural causes.
Daily Mix
Normal pressure hydrocephalus presents with the triad of gait apraxia, cognitive slowing, and urinary incontinence, with ventriculomegaly out of proportion to atrophy. A positive tap test supports shunt placement, and gait improves first.
Daily Mix
Essential tremor is a bilateral action or postural tremor with a strong family history and temporary improvement with alcohol, without bradykinesia or rigidity. It contrasts with Parkinson rest tremor and often responds to propranolol or primidone.
Daily Mix
Restless legs syndrome is a circadian urge to move the legs with disagreeable sensations at rest, relieved by movement and worst at night. Iron deficiency with low ferritin is a key reversible driver.
Daily Mix
Narcolepsy type 1 is hypersomnia with cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic hallucinations. Short sleep latency with sleep-onset REM periods on MSLT confirms the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a distal symmetric sensorimotor polyneuropathy with burning pain, numbness, and loss of protective sensation in a stocking distribution. Glycemic control and foot-care education prevent ulcers and amputation.
Daily Mix
Lumbar disc herniation is nerve root compression producing radicular pain down a dermatome, worse with sitting and Valsalva. Dermatomal weakness, reflex loss, a positive straight leg raise, and correlating MRI findings confirm the level.
Daily Mix
Osteoarthritis is degenerative joint disease with use-related pain, brief morning stiffness, bony enlargement, and crepitus. Narrowing, sclerosis, and osteophytes on radiographs distinguish it from inflammatory arthritis.
Daily Mix
Pseudogout is calcium pyrophosphate crystal arthritis, usually of older adult knees, mimicking gout. Chondrocalcinosis on imaging and rhomboid weakly positive birefringent crystals in synovial fluid confirm it.
Daily Mix
Septic arthritis is bacterial infection of the joint space, most often Staphylococcus aureus, presenting with an acutely hot, swollen, immobile joint and fever. Urgent needle drainage and IV antibiotics prevent cartilage destruction.
Daily Mix
Osteomyelitis is bone infection, usually from contiguous spread of a diabetic foot ulcer. A nonhealing ulcer that probes to bone, elevated inflammatory markers, and marrow changes on MRI support it, and bone culture guides long antibiotics.
Daily Mix
Polymyalgia rheumatica is girdle pain and prolonged morning stiffness in patients over 50 with a brisk ESR and a dramatic response to low-dose corticosteroids. Screening for associated giant cell arteritis is essential because of vision risk.
Daily Mix
Antiphospholipid syndrome is a thrombophilic autoimmunity with venous or arterial clots and recurrent pregnancy loss, supported by persistently positive antiphospholipid antibodies. Livedo reticularis and mild thrombocytopenia are supporting signs.
Daily Mix
Hereditary hemochromatosis is HFE-mediated iron overload causing fatigue, bronze diabetes, arthropathy of the second and third metacarpophalangeal joints, and liver disease. Elevated ferritin with transferrin saturation above 45 percent triggers genetic testing.
Daily Mix
Wilson disease is an ATP7B copper transport disorder of young people presenting with movement abnormalities, psychiatric change, or liver disease. Kayser-Fleischer rings, low ceruloplasmin, and high urine copper confirm it, and chelation prevents progression.
Daily Mix
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is hepatic steatosis with metabolic risk factors and no significant alcohol use. Bright liver on ultrasound with excluded other causes supports it, and weight loss is the foundation of treatment.
Daily Mix
Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis causes resistant hypertension with hypokalemia, an abdominal bruit, and creatinine rise after ACE inhibitor initiation. Angiographic narrowing of the renal ostium confirms the diagnosis.
Daily Mix
Primary hyperparathyroidism from a parathyroid adenoma causes hypercalcemia with inappropriately high PTH, plus stones, bones, and constitutional symptoms. A positive sestamibi scan guides parathyroidectomy.
Daily Mix
Central diabetes insipidus is ADH deficiency causing polyuria and polydipsia with dilute urine despite serum hypertonicity. A brisk urine concentration response to desmopressin distinguishes it from the nephrogenic form.
Daily Mix
Acromegaly is growth hormone excess from a pituitary adenoma, causing acral enlargement, facial coarsening, sleep apnea, and carpal tunnel. Elevated IGF-1 with nonsuppressible growth hormone and an adenoma on MRI confirm it.
Daily Mix
Prolactinoma is a prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma causing amenorrhea, galactorrhea, infertility, and, with larger tumors, visual field deficits. Markedly elevated prolactin with a pituitary mass confirms it, and dopamine agonists are first-line.
Daily Mix
Atrial flutter is a macro-reentrant atrial tachycardia with sawtooth waves, typically conducting 2:1 at a ventricular rate near 150. Anticoagulation parallels atrial fibrillation care, and isthmus ablation is curative.
Daily Mix
Vasovagal syncope is neurally mediated fainting with a vagal prodrome of nausea, diaphoresis, and tunnel vision, rapid full recovery once supine, and a normal cardiac evaluation. Triggers include blood draws, pain, heat, and prolonged standing.
Daily Mix
Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease of unclear cause that targets lungs and lymph nodes, with erythema nodosum, hypercalcemia, and elevated ACE. Non-caseating granulomas on biopsy with compatible imaging confirm it.
Daily Mix
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is progressive fibrotic interstitial lung disease of older adults with dry cough, velcro crackles, basal honeycombing on CT, and restriction on PFTs. Antifibrotics slow decline.
Daily Mix
Primary spontaneous pneumothorax strikes tall, thin young smokers when a subpleural bleb ruptures. Sudden pleuritic pain with unilateral decreased breath sounds and a visceral line on chest X-ray confirm it; small leaks resolve with oxygen.
Daily Mix
Bronchiectasis is permanent airway dilation from repeated infection or impaired clearance, causing daily copious sputum, recurrent pneumonia, and tram-track airways on CT. Airway clearance and treating exacerbations anchor management.
Daily Mix
Influenza is an acute viral respiratory illness with abrupt onset of fever, myalgia, headache, and cough, typically during community outbreaks. Rapid antigen or PCR confirms it, and early antivirals shorten the course.
Daily Mix
Acute HIV infection presents two to four weeks after exposure as a mononucleosis-like illness with fever, mucocutaneous ulcers, rash, and lymphadenopathy. A reactive antigen-antibody screen with high viral load confirms it, and combination antiretroviral therapy starts immediately.
Daily Mix
Secondary syphilis arises weeks to months after a primary chancre, with a rash that characteristically involves palms and soles, condylomata lata, mucous patches, and alopecia. Nontreponemal plus treponemal testing confirms it, and penicillin treats all stages.
Daily Mix
Acute rheumatic fever is a post-streptococcal inflammatory disease meeting Jones criteria: migratory polyarthritis, carditis with murmur, erythema marginatum, subcutaneous nodules, chorea, and evidence of recent strep with elevated ASO titers.
Daily Mix
Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly spreading deep soft tissue infection with pain out of proportion, induration, bullae, and crepitus from gas-forming organisms. It is a surgical emergency requiring immediate debridement and broad antibiotics.
Daily Mix
Falciparum malaria presents in travelers with periodic fevers, chills, and sweats plus hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia. Diagnosis is by thick and thin blood smears, and falciparum carries cerebral and renal risk requiring urgent therapy.
Daily Mix
Testicular torsion twists the spermatic cord, cutting testicular blood supply with sudden severe scrotal pain, vomiting, a high-riding transverse testis, and an absent cremasteric reflex. Absent Doppler flow mandates surgery within hours to save the testis.
Daily Mix
Breast carcinoma commonly presents as a painless, irregular, fixed mass with skin or nipple changes. A spiculated mammographic mass with biopsy confirmation and receptor profiling guides surgery and systemic therapy.
Daily Mix
Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common thyroid cancer, usually a painless nodule with microcalcifications on ultrasound. Nuclear features on fine-needle aspiration confirm it, and surgery carries an excellent prognosis.
Daily Mix
Hodgkin lymphoma in young adults presents with painless cervical or supraclavicular adenopathy, B symptoms of fever, night sweats, and weight loss, and often a mediastinal mass. Reed-Sternberg cells on biopsy are diagnostic.
Daily Mix
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is an indolent clonal B-cell leukemia of older adults, often found incidentally with lymphocytosis and smudge cells. CD5/CD23-positive clonal cells on flow cytometry confirm it, and early-stage disease is observed.
Daily Mix
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is isolated platelet destruction by autoantibodies, causing mucocutaneous bleeding with isolated thrombocytopenia and an otherwise normal smear. Children often recover spontaneously; adults respond to steroids and IVIG.
Daily Mix
Sickle cell disease is homozygous hemoglobin S causing vaso-occlusive pain crises, hemolytic anemia, and childhood dactylitis. Electrophoresis confirms the diagnosis, and crises are managed with hydration, analgesia, and infection search.
Daily Mix
Von Willebrand disease is the most common inherited bleeding disorder, with mucocutaneous bleeding, menorrhagia, family history, and low von Willebrand activity with normal platelet counts. Desmopressin raises levels in most type 1 cases.
Daily Mix
Polycythemia vera is a myeloproliferative neoplasm with erythrocytosis, aquagenic pruritus, plethora, and suppressed erythropoietin. JAK2 V617F positivity confirms it, and phlebotomy with low-dose aspirin prevents thrombosis.
Daily Mix
New-onset type 1 diabetes is autoimmune beta-cell loss in young, lean patients presenting with polyuria, polydipsia, and weight loss, at times with ketosis. Positive autoantibodies confirm it, and insulin is required from the start.
Emergency Medicine
Acute aortic dissection presents with abrupt tearing chest or back pain, pulse deficits, and a widened mediastinum. An intimal flap on CT angiography confirms it, with type A involving the ascending aorta and requiring emergency surgery.
Emergency Medicine
Tension pneumothorax is a one-way air accumulation in the pleural space causing mediastinal shift, obstructive shock, and respiratory failure. Unilateral absent breath sounds with tracheal deviation and hypotension demand immediate needle decompression.
Emergency Medicine
Cardiac tamponade is hemodynamically significant pericardial fluid restricting ventricular filling. Beck triad of hypotension, muffled heart sounds, and jugular venous distention, plus pulsus paradoxus, calls for urgent pericardiocentesis.
Emergency Medicine
Carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty combustion causes headache, nausea, and confusion in multiple household members simultaneously. Standard pulse oximetry is misleadingly normal, and carboxyhemoglobin levels confirm exposure; treat with high-flow oxygen.
Emergency Medicine
Status epilepticus is a seizure lasting more than five minutes or repeated seizures without recovery. Immediate benzodiazepines followed by a second-line antiseizure agent are essential, with attention to airway and underlying triggers such as medication nonadherence.
Emergency Medicine
Acute ischemic stroke presents with focal neurologic deficits of sudden onset. Time from last-known-well, non-hemorrhagic CT, and deficits on NIHSS determine thrombolytic eligibility, and large-vessel occlusion may require thrombectomy.
Emergency Medicine
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage causes sudden thunderclap headache with meningismus, vomiting, and possible syncope. Basal cistern blood on CT with a source aneurysm on angiography confirms it; nimodipine and aneurysm securing reduce rebleeding.
Emergency Medicine
Septic shock is infection with vasopressor-dependent hypotension and elevated lactate despite fluid resuscitation. Source control, broad antibiotics within an hour, fluids, and norepinephrine form the backbone of management.
Emergency Medicine
Acute pancreatitis presents with severe epigastric pain radiating to the back and lipase at least three times normal, most often from gallstones or alcohol. Aggressive fluids, analgesia, and treating the cause are the priorities.
Emergency Medicine
Boerhaave syndrome is a full-thickness esophageal rupture after forceful vomiting, causing mediastinitis with subcutaneous emphysema and sepsis. Contrast extravasation confirms it and broad antibiotics with surgery are urgent.
Emergency Medicine
Ruptured ectopic pregnancy presents with syncope or collapse, hemodynamic instability, positive pregnancy test, rigid abdomen, and hemoperitoneum. Immediate surgery is life-saving; earlier diagnosis by serial hCG and ultrasound prevents rupture.
Emergency Medicine
Tricyclic overdose causes anticholinergic signs, seizures, and sodium-channel blockade with wide QRS tachycardia. QRS over 120 ms or terminal aVR positivity is the indication for sodium bicarbonate therapy.
Emergency Medicine
Hypertensive emergency is severely elevated blood pressure with acute end-organ damage such as encephalopathy, retinopathy, or renal injury. Controlled IV titration over the first hours avoids overshoot ischemia.
Emergency Medicine
Acute acetaminophen overdose depletes glutathione and injures the liver, with a deceptive early phase followed by rising transaminases. A level above the Rumack-Matthew treatment line mandates N-acetylcysteine.
Emergency Medicine
Anaphylaxis is a rapid IgE-mediated systemic reaction with skin, airway, breathing, and circulation involvement after an allergen exposure. Intramuscular epinephrine is the first-line, life-saving treatment, with antihistamines and steroids as adjuncts.
Emergency Medicine
Exertional heat stroke is core temperature above 40°C with central nervous system dysfunction, often with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney risk. Immediate aggressive cooling, ideally ice-water immersion, is the definitive treatment.
Emergency Medicine
Severe accidental hypothermia presents below 28°C with bradycardia, CNS depression, and Osborn waves on ECG. Rough handling can trigger arrhythmia, so gentle active rewarming is the priority.
Emergency Medicine
Rhabdomyolysis is muscle breakdown releasing myoglobin and creatine kinase, with tea-colored urine, dipstick-positive blood without red cells, and acute kidney injury risk. Aggressive crystalloid fluids protect the kidneys.
Emergency Medicine
Opioid overdose causes the classic triad of coma, pinpoint pupils, and respiratory depression. Naloxone reverses it within minutes, and repeated dosing may be needed with long-acting opioids or fentanyl.
Emergency Medicine
Acute mesenteric ischemia from embolus or thrombosis presents with pain out of proportion to exam findings, rising lactate, and progression to peritonitis. CT angiography confirms, and survival depends on rapid revascularization.
Emergency Medicine
Acute limb ischemia presents with the six Ps: pain, pallor, pulselessness, paresthesia, paralysis, and poikilothermia, most often from atrial fibrillation embolism. Heparin and urgent revascularization salvage the limb.
Emergency Medicine
Serotonin syndrome is serotonergic excess from drug combinations, with the triad of altered mental status, autonomic instability, and neuromuscular hyperactivity including clonus and hyperreflexia. Withdrawal of agents plus cyproheptadine treats it.
Emergency Medicine
Thyroid storm is decompensated thyrotoxicosis triggered by infection or nonadherence, with hyperpyrexia, tachyarrhythmia, delirium, and vomiting. Beta blockade, thionamide, iodine, and steroids given together are life-saving.
Emergency Medicine
Epidural hematoma is arterial bleeding, classically from the middle meningeal artery, after a temporal blow. A lucid interval followed by rapid decline with ipsilateral pupillary dilation demands emergency evacuation.
Dermatology
Psoriasis is an immune-mediated proliferative skin disease. Well-demarcated silvery plaques on extensor surfaces, Auspitz sign, nail pitting, and a positive family history are typical, with histology showing neutrophil microabscesses.
Dermatology
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic itchy eczematous dermatitis of childhood with flexural involvement, xerosis, and a personal or family atopy history. Emollients and topical anti-inflammatory therapy are the mainstays.
Dermatology
Melanoma is a malignant melanocytic tumor identified by asymmetry, border irregularity, color variation, diameter over 6 mm, and evolution. Excisional biopsy with Breslow depth staging guides prognosis and treatment.
Dermatology
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer, a slow-growing pearly telangiectatic nodule with central ulceration in sun-exposed areas. It rarely metastasizes but is locally destructive.
Dermatology
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma arises in sun-damaged skin, often from actinic keratoses, as an indurated keratotic or ulcerated nodule. Invasive keratinocyte nests with keratin pearls on biopsy confirm it; lip and ear lesions carry higher metastatic risk.
Dermatology
Urticaria is transient, pruritic, blanchable wheals from mast cell histamine release, often triggered by foods or drugs. Individual lesions resolving within 24 hours distinguish it from other eruptions; angioedema involvement raises concern for airway compromise.
Dermatology
Allergic contact dermatitis is a type IV delayed hypersensitivity reaction with sharply demarcated eczematous eruption at contact sites. Nickel in jewelry is a classic trigger, and patch testing identifies the allergen.
Dermatology
Erysipelas is a superficial dermal Streptococcus pyogenes cellulitis with sharply demarcated, bright red, raised plaques, fever, and lymphangitis. Rapid response to penicillin is characteristic.
Dermatology
Tinea corporis is dermatophyte infection producing annular plaques with scaly advancing borders and central clearing, spread by direct contact. KOH microscopy showing hyphae confirms it, and topical antifungals usually suffice.
Dermatology
Pemphigus vulgaris is an intraepidermal autoimmune blistering disease with mucosal erosions and flaccid blisters. Nikolsky sign and intercellular (fishnet) IgG deposition on immunofluorescence distinguish it from other bullous disorders.
Dermatology
Rosacea is a chronic centrofacial inflammatory dermatosis of adults with flushing triggers, persistent erythema, papules, pustules, telangiectasia, and ocular grittiness. The absence of comedones distinguishes it from acne vulgaris.
Dermatology
Seborrheic dermatitis is a Malassezia-associated dermatitis of sebum-rich areas with greasy scale on the scalp, face, and chest. It flares in winter, with stress, immunosuppression, or dopamine antagonist use, and responds to antifungal washes.
Dermatology
Seborrheic keratoses are benign, waxy, stuck-on keratinocytic tumors of older adults with horn pseudocysts histologically. They need no treatment, though a sudden crop of many lesions warrants a review for internal malignancy.
Dermatology
Vitiligo is autoimmune melanocyte destruction producing sharply demarcated depigmented patches without scale, often with leukotrichia and associated autoimmune disease. Wood lamp examination accentuates the chalk-white patches.
Dermatology
Melasma is symmetric acquired hypermelanosis of the malar and forehead skin linked to pregnancy, estrogen exposure, and sunlight. Strict photoprotection with topical lightening agents is the mainstay.
Dermatology
Scabies is Sarcoptes scabiei infestation with intense nocturnal pruritus, burrows in web spaces and wrists, and genital papules, spreading among close contacts. Mites on skin scraping confirm it, and permethrin treats the whole household.
Dermatology
Impetigo is a superficial bacterial skin infection of children with honey-crusted or bullous lesions around the mouth, spread by direct contact. Staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus cause it, and topical mupirocin treats limited disease.
Dermatology
Molluscum contagiosum is a poxvirus infection of children with umbilicated, pearly dome-shaped papules spread by contact, including shared pools and eczematous skin. Lesions are self-limited, and treatment speeds clearance.
Dermatology
Erythema multiforme minor is a post-herpes reaction with classic three-ring target lesions on acral sites, minimal or no mucosal involvement, and a self-limited course. Recurrences track recurrent cold sores.
Dermatology
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a severe cutaneous adverse reaction, usually to sulfa, anticonvulsants, or allopurinol, with fever, skin pain, atypical targets, and mucosal erosion of at least two sites. Immediate drug withdrawal and burn-level supportive care determine outcome.
Pediatrics
Croup is viral laryngotracheobronchitis, usually parainfluenza, causing barking cough, hoarseness, and inspiratory stridor in toddlers, worse at night. A steeple sign on X-ray supports it, and a single dexamethasone dose is the key treatment.
Pediatrics
Intussusception is telescoping of bowel, typically ileocolic in infants, causing intermittent severe colic, red-currant-jelly stools, and a palpable sausage mass. The ultrasound target sign confirms it, and pneumatic enema is both diagnostic and therapeutic.
Pediatrics
Bronchiolitis is a viral lower respiratory infection, predominantly RSV, in infants under two. Wheeze, crackles, tachypnea, and feeding difficulty define it; care is supportive, and prematurity is a risk factor for severe disease.
Pediatrics
Kawasaki disease is a vasculitis of young children with five or more days of fever plus conjunctival injection, oral changes, rash, extremity edema, and lymphadenopathy. Coronary aneurysms are the critical complication, and IV immunoglobulin with aspirin reduces risk.
Pediatrics
Childhood nephrotic syndrome, most often minimal change disease, presents with edema, heavy proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and hyperlipidemia. Steroids induce remission in most children, and infection risk rises from urinary immunoglobulin losses.
Pediatrics
Wilms tumor is an embryonal renal neoplasm of young children, often found as an asymptomatic smooth flank mass, sometimes with hypertension from renin production. Imaging shows an intrarenal solid mass, and prognosis with surgery and chemotherapy is excellent.
Pediatrics
IgA vasculitis (Henoch-Schonlein purpura) is a small-vessel vasculitis of children with palpable purpura on the legs and buttocks, arthralgia, abdominal pain, and renal involvement. Postinfectious IgA deposition drives the rash and biopsy findings.
Pediatrics
Neonatal jaundice from unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia is common in the first week, driven by breastfeeding inadequacy, bruising, and hemolysis. Phototherapy based on hour-specific bilirubin nomograms prevents kernicterus.
Pediatrics
Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive chloride channel disease causing failure to thrive, malabsorption with steatorrhea, recurrent respiratory infections, and elevated sweat chloride. Two disease-causing CFTR mutations confirm the diagnosis.
Pediatrics
Transient synovitis is benign post-viral hip inflammation in children, with a mild limp, low-grade effusion, and normal inflammatory markers. It resolves spontaneously and mainly requires differentiation from septic arthritis using the Kocher criteria.
Pediatrics
Acute otitis media follows viral upper respiratory infection with middle ear effusion; bulging, erythematous, poorly mobile tympanic membrane on pneumatic otoscopy is diagnostic. High-dose amoxicillin is first-line in young children.
Pediatrics
Streptococcal pharyngitis presents with fever, tonsillar exudate, tender anterior cervical nodes, and absent cough, confirmed by rapid antigen testing. Penicillin or amoxicillin shortens symptoms and prevents rheumatic fever.
Pediatrics
Scarlet fever is streptococcal pharyngitis with an erythrogenic toxin rash: sandpaper texture, flushed cheeks with circumoral pallor, strawberry tongue, and Pastia lines in the folds. Antibiotics prevent rheumatic sequelae.
Pediatrics
Erythema infectiosum, or fifth disease, is parvovirus B19 infection with slapped-cheek erythema followed by a reticular lacy rash in well-appearing children. Exposure matters in pregnancy because of fetal anemia risk.
Pediatrics
Roseola infantum is human herpesvirus 6 infection of infants with three to five days of high fever in a well-appearing child, followed by a blanching rash that erupts as the fever breaks.
Pediatrics
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a coxsackievirus infection of young children with oral ulcers and vesicles on palms and soles. It spreads fast in daycare and resolves with supportive care.
Pediatrics
Pertussis progresses through catarrhal, paroxysmal, and convalescent stages, with paroxysms, post-tussive vomiting, and apnea in young infants. Household macrolide treatment and maternal vaccination during pregnancy are key controls.
Pediatrics
Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis causes projectile nonbilious vomiting at two to eight weeks of age with hypochloremic alkalosis, a palpable olive, and a target sign on ultrasound. Surgery after fluid correction is curative.
Pediatrics
Developmental dysplasia of the hip ranges from laxity to dislocation, screened by Ortolani and Barlow maneuvers in breech or family-history infants. Ultrasound confirms, and early Pavlik harness treatment succeeds in most cases.
Pediatrics
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is arthritis beginning before 16 and lasting over six weeks. Systemic features like quotidian fevers and salmon rash mark systemic subtype, and ANA-positive girls need regular uveitis screening.
Digestive Health
GERD is reflux of gastric contents causing heartburn and regurgitation, worse recumbent and after trigger meals, with obesity as a key risk factor. A symptomatic response to empiric proton pump inhibitor therapy supports the diagnosis.
Digestive Health
Peptic ulcer disease is mucosal erosion from NSAIDs or Helicobacter pylori. Nocturnal epigastric pain relieved by food, occult bleeding, and H. pylori positivity are typical; treatment combines acid suppression with eradication therapy.
Digestive Health
Celiac disease is gluten-triggered enteropathy with diarrhea, weight loss, iron deficiency, and a family history of autoimmune disease. Serology plus villous atrophy on duodenal biopsy while on a gluten-containing diet confirms it.
Digestive Health
Crohn disease is a relapsing transmural inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any gut segment. Crampy pain, weight loss, perianal disease, skip lesions, and granulomas on biopsy distinguish it from ulcerative colitis.
Digestive Health
Ulcerative colitis is continuous mucosal inflammation starting at the rectum, causing bloody diarrhea, urgency, and tenesmus. Continuous superficial disease with crypt abscesses on biopsy distinguishes it from Crohn disease.
Digestive Health
Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder of gut-brain interaction with recurrent abdominal pain related to defecation and altered stool habit, absence of alarm features, and normal inflammatory markers. Diagnosis is clinical using Rome IV criteria.
Digestive Health
Cirrhosis is advanced hepatic fibrosis with portal hypertension. Ascites, varices, encephalopathy, and synthetic dysfunction with a nodular liver on imaging are the hallmarks, and alcohol remains a leading cause.
Digestive Health
Hepatitis A is an acute self-limited viral hepatitis from fecal-contaminated food or water, causing jaundice, markedly elevated transaminases, and IgM positivity. It does not become chronic.
Digestive Health
Primary biliary cholangitis is autoimmune destruction of small intrahepatic bile ducts, chiefly in middle-aged women, with cholestatic enzymes, pruritus, fatigue, and antimitochondrial antibodies. Ursodeoxycholic acid slows progression.
Digestive Health
Sessile serrated lesions are flat right-colon precursors that progress to cancer through the serrated pathway, often without symptoms and detected by positive stool screening. Endoscopic removal prevents interval colorectal cancer.
Digestive Health
Achalasia is an esophageal motility disorder with absent peristalsis and failed LES relaxation, causing dysphagia to solids and liquids, regurgitation, and weight loss. The bird-beak on barium study and manometry confirm it.
Digestive Health
Acute viral gastroenteritis, most often norovirus or rotavirus, causes abrupt watery diarrhea and vomiting that spreads through households. It is self-limited, and oral rehydration is the treatment.
Digestive Health
An anal fissure is a linear tear of the anal mucosa from hard stool, causing severe defecation pain with scant bright bleeding and a classic posterior midline location. Breaking the pain-spasm cycle with fiber, sitz baths, and topical vasodilators heals most.
Digestive Health
Hemorrhoids are engorged hemorrhoidal cushions producing painless bright bleeding and prolapse, with thrombosed external piles causing acute pain. Fiber, fluids, and sitz baths manage most; bleeding after 40 or with anemia warrants endoscopy.
Digestive Health
Ischemic colitis is reduced perfusion of the colon, typically at watershed areas, causing sudden left-sided pain and bloody diarrhea that usually resolves with supportive care. Segmental injury at the splenic flexure on colonoscopy is characteristic.
Digestive Health
C. difficile colitis follows antibiotic disruption of gut flora, with watery diarrhea, fever, leukocytosis, and toxin detection. Treatment is oral vancomycin or fidaxomicin, and stopping the inciting antibiotic.
Digestive Health
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is infection of cirrhotic ascites without a surgical source, presenting with fever, pain, or encephalopathy. An ascitic neutrophil count of 250 or more triggers immediate antibiotics with albumin.
Digestive Health
Hepatic encephalopathy is toxin-mediated brain dysfunction in cirrhosis, often precipitated by GI bleeding, infection, electrolytes, or constipation. Asterixis and confusion improve with lactulose and rifaximin plus correction of triggers.
Digestive Health
Primary sclerosing cholangitis is progressive fibrous stricturing of bile ducts, strongly associated with ulcerative colitis, presenting with cholestatic itching and beaded ducts on MRCP. It carries high cholangiocarcinoma and colon cancer risk.
Digestive Health
Eosinophilic esophagitis is an allergic, eosinophil-predominant esophageal inflammation of atopic patients, causing dysphagia and food impaction with rings, furrows, and eosinophilia on biopsy. Topical steroids and dietary elimination are mainstays.
Women's Health
PCOS combines oligo-anovulation, clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovarian morphology after exclusion of mimics. Lifestyle therapy combined with hormonal contraception is first-line management.
Women's Health
Endometriosis is ectopic endometrial-gland tissue causing dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, dyschezia, and subfertility. A fixed uterus, endometrioma on imaging, and peritoneal implants at surgery are diagnostic.
Women's Health
Uterine leiomyomas are benign smooth muscle tumors causing heavy menstrual bleeding, bulk symptoms, and an irregular enlarged uterus. Ultrasound shows well-defined hypoechoic myometrial masses; treatment ranges from hormonal control to myomectomy.
Women's Health
Bacterial vaginosis is a dysbiosis with loss of lactobacilli and overgrowth of Gardnerella and anaerobes. Thin gray discharge, amine odor with KOH, elevated pH, and clue cells are the diagnostic Amsel findings.
Women's Health
Pelvic inflammatory disease is ascending infection of the upper genital tract, usually from chlamydia or gonorrhea. Minimum criteria of cervical motion and adnexal tenderness with fever and confirmed STI warrant empiric antibiotics to protect fertility.
Women's Health
Gestational diabetes is glucose intolerance first recognized in pregnancy, driven by placental insulin resistance with risk factors of obesity, family history, and prior macrosomia. Diet followed by insulin or metformin prevents fetal overgrowth and neonatal complications.
Women's Health
Placental abruption is premature separation of the placenta causing painful vaginal bleeding, uterine tenderness, and fetal distress, with hypertension, trauma, and cocaine as risk factors. Delivery, often operative, is the treatment.
Women's Health
Ovarian torsion is rotation of the ovary on its pedicle cutting arterial inflow, presenting as acute unilateral pelvic pain with vomiting, often with an underlying cyst. Absent Doppler flow on ultrasound demands emergency surgery to save the ovary.
Each card gives a short definition and a fast link into the topic it belongs to. It is meant to help you confirm what a condition is, then get back to playing. Ready for today’s round? Open the daily case.