CONFIRMS is the test that makes the diagnosis — the one an exam question is
usually asking for. SUPPORTS points that way without settling it.
MONITOR is what you keep checking once treatment starts.
🫀Heart & vessels9
🫀Myocardial infarction (MI)
Tests for Myocardial infarction (MI)| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Troponin I or Tconfirms | The one that confirms it. Rises 3–4 h after the injury, peaks 12–24 h, and stays up 10–14 days. Most specific to cardiac muscle — a raised troponin with chest pain is an MI until proven otherwise. |
|---|
| 12-lead ECGconfirms | Done within 10 minutes of the door. ST elevation = STEMI and the cath lab is activated; ST depression or T inversion = NSTEMI. |
|---|
| CK-MBsupports | Rises 4–6 h, back to normal in 48–72 h. Because it clears fast it is the one that catches a re-infarction while troponin is still high from the first. |
|---|
| Myoglobinsupports | The earliest to rise (1–3 h) but it is in skeletal muscle too, so it can only rule out, never rule in. |
|---|
| BNPmonitor | Ordered if the heart is failing after the infarct. |
|---|
🫀Heart failure
Tests for Heart failure| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| BNP / NT-proBNPconfirms | The lab that separates cardiac from pulmonary shortness of breath. Under 100 makes heart failure unlikely; over 400 makes it likely. Released by stretched ventricles. |
|---|
| Echocardiogramconfirms | Confirms it and gives the ejection fraction — under 40% is reduced (systolic), preserved EF points to diastolic failure. |
|---|
| Chest X-raysupports | Big heart, pulmonary congestion, pleural effusions. |
|---|
| BMP and creatininemonitor | Watched constantly on diuretics — potassium falls on a loop diuretic, and the kidneys take the hit if you over-diurese. |
|---|
| Daily weightmonitor | Not a lab, but the most sensitive number you have. 2–3 lb in a day or 5 lb in a week is fluid, and it is reportable. |
|---|
🫀Infective endocarditis
Tests for Infective endocarditis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Blood culturesconfirms | Three sets from three different sites, drawn before the first antibiotic. This is the confirming test and the order matters more than the speed. |
|---|
| Transesophageal echoconfirms | Shows the vegetations on the valve. |
|---|
| ESR and CRPmonitor | Raised, and they track whether the treatment is working. |
|---|
🫀Pericarditis
Tests for Pericarditis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| ECGconfirms | Diffuse ST elevation in nearly every lead with PR depression — the pattern that separates it from an MI, where elevation is regional. |
|---|
| Echocardiogramconfirms | Looks for the effusion and for tamponade. |
|---|
| ESR, CRP, WBCsupports | Raised with the inflammation. |
|---|
| Troponinsupports | Can be mildly up if the muscle underneath is irritated — not as high as an MI. |
|---|
🫀Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Tests for Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Venous duplex ultrasoundconfirms | The confirming test — non-invasive, and it sees the clot. |
|---|
| D-dimersupports | Very sensitive, not at all specific. A negative D-dimer is the useful result: it rules a clot out. A positive one only means go and look. |
|---|
| PT/INR and aPTTmonitor | Baseline before anticoagulation starts, then the number you titrate to. |
|---|
| Platelet countmonitor | Checked on heparin — a falling platelet count is heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. |
|---|
🫀Pulmonary embolism
Tests for Pulmonary embolism| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| CT pulmonary angiogramconfirms | The confirming test. Check BUN and creatinine first — it is an iodine contrast study. |
|---|
| D-dimersupports | Same rule as DVT: a negative result is the one that helps. |
|---|
| ABGsupports | Low PaO₂ with a low PaCO₂ — respiratory alkalosis, because she is blowing off CO₂ trying to breathe. |
|---|
| V/Q scansupports | Used instead of CT when contrast is contraindicated — pregnancy, kidney injury, iodine allergy. |
|---|
🫀Hypertension
Tests for Hypertension| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| No lab confirms itconfirms | The diagnosis is made from repeated blood pressures, not bloodwork. The labs are looking for what it has damaged and whether something is causing it. |
|---|
| BMP — potassium and creatininesupports | A rising creatinine means the kidneys are being damaged; a low potassium can point to hyperaldosteronism as the cause. |
|---|
| Urinalysissupports | Protein in the urine is early kidney damage. |
|---|
| Lipid panel and TSHsupports | Cardiovascular risk, and thyroid disease as a treatable cause. |
|---|
🫀Atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia
Tests for Atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Lipid panelconfirms | Fast 9–12 hours first. LDL is the one to drive down, HDL is the one you want high, and triglycerides are the one that moves most with diet. |
|---|
🫀Shock (any cause)
Tests for Shock (any cause)| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum lactateconfirms | The number that says the tissues are not getting oxygen. Over 2 is abnormal, over 4 is severe. It is also how you tell whether resuscitation is working. |
|---|
| ABGsupports | Metabolic acidosis with a low bicarbonate as the lactate builds. |
|---|
| Blood culturesconfirms | Two sets before antibiotics if it might be septic. |
|---|
| CBC, BMP, coagulationmonitor | Source, kidney injury, and whether it has tipped into DIC. |
|---|
🫁Lungs & breathing7
🫁Pneumonia
Tests for Pneumonia| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Chest X-rayconfirms | The confirming test — infiltrate or consolidation in a lobe. |
|---|
| Sputum culture and sensitivityconfirms | Collected before the first antibiotic, first thing in the morning, a deep cough and not saliva. |
|---|
| CBCsupports | White count up with a left shift. In an older adult it can be normal even with a real pneumonia — confusion may be the only sign. |
|---|
| Blood culturessupports | If she is admitted or septic. |
|---|
| Pulse oximetry and ABGmonitor | How much it is costing her. |
|---|
🫁Asthma
Tests for Asthma| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Spirometry with reversibilityconfirms | The confirming test: FEV₁ improves by 12% or more after a bronchodilator. |
|---|
| Peak expiratory flowmonitor | Her own personal best is the yardstick. Green 80–100%, yellow 50–79%, red under 50% and that is an emergency. |
|---|
| ABGmonitor | Early attack shows respiratory alkalosis. A CO₂ that is normalizing in a struggling asthmatic is not reassuring — it means she is tiring, and it is the sign that comes before respiratory arrest. |
|---|
🫁COPD
Tests for COPD| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Spirometryconfirms | FEV₁/FVC under 0.70 after a bronchodilator confirms it — obstruction that does not fully reverse. |
|---|
| ABGsupports | Chronic compensated respiratory acidosis: CO₂ high, bicarbonate high to match, pH near normal. That is her baseline, not an emergency. |
|---|
| CBCsupports | Hematocrit high — the marrow making more red cells to carry the oxygen she cannot get. |
|---|
🫁Tuberculosis
Tests for Tuberculosis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Sputum for acid-fast bacilliconfirms | Three early-morning specimens. This is what confirms active disease. |
|---|
| Mantoux (TST)supports | A screen, not a diagnosis. Read at 48–72 hours, and measure induration, not redness. A positive test says exposed — the chest X-ray and sputum say active. |
|---|
| IGRA blood testsupports | A blood alternative to the skin test, and it is not confounded by a previous BCG vaccination. |
|---|
| Chest X-raysupports | Upper lobe infiltrates and cavitation. |
|---|
🫁ARDS
Tests for ARDS| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| ABGconfirms | Hypoxaemia that will not correct however much oxygen you give — that refractoriness is the hallmark. PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio of 300 or less. |
|---|
| Chest X-rayconfirms | Bilateral white-out infiltrates. |
|---|
| Echocardiogram / BNPsupports | Done to prove it is not cardiac pulmonary edema. |
|---|
🫁Acute respiratory failure
Tests for Acute respiratory failure| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| ABGconfirms | This is the diagnosis. PaO₂ under 60 is hypoxaemic failure; PaCO₂ over 50 with a pH under 7.35 is hypercapnic failure. |
|---|
🫁Cystic fibrosis
Tests for Cystic fibrosis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Sweat chloride testconfirms | The confirming test — over 60 mmol/L on two occasions. |
|---|
| Newborn screen (IRT)supports | Immunoreactive trypsinogen picks it up before symptoms. |
|---|
| Genetic testingsupports | CFTR mutations. |
|---|
🚰Kidney & urinary7
🚰Acute kidney injury
Tests for Acute kidney injury| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum creatinineconfirms | The confirming number: a rise of 0.3 mg/dL in 48 hours, or one and a half times baseline. |
|---|
| BUN:creatinine ratiosupports | Over 20:1 says the problem is before the kidney — dehydration, blood loss, low output. Around 10:1 with a high creatinine says the kidney itself. |
|---|
| Urine outputconfirms | Under 0.5 mL/kg/hr for 6 hours. Often the first thing to change. |
|---|
| Potassiummonitor | The one that kills. It cannot be excreted, and it climbs. |
|---|
| Urinalysissupports | Muddy brown casts point to acute tubular necrosis. |
|---|
🚰Chronic kidney disease
Tests for Chronic kidney disease| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| GFRconfirms | What stages it. Under 15 is end-stage and dialysis territory. |
|---|
| Creatinine and BUNconfirms | Both climb and stay up. |
|---|
| Phosphate high, calcium lowsupports | The kidney stops activating vitamin D, so calcium falls, phosphate rises, and PTH goes up trying to fix it. |
|---|
| Hemoglobinmonitor | Anemia, because the kidney is no longer making erythropoietin. |
|---|
| Potassium and bicarbonatemonitor | Potassium high, bicarbonate low — metabolic acidosis. |
|---|
🚰UTI and pyelonephritis
Tests for UTI and pyelonephritis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Urine culture and sensitivityconfirms | The confirming test, and the one that picks the antibiotic. Collect it before starting treatment. |
|---|
| Urinalysissupports | Nitrites and leukocyte esterase positive, WBCs and bacteria on microscopy. |
|---|
| CBCsupports | White count up — more so with pyelonephritis, which also brings flank pain and fever. |
|---|
| Blood culturessupports | If she is febrile and systemically unwell. |
|---|
🚰Glomerulonephritis
Tests for Glomerulonephritis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Urinalysisconfirms | Red cell casts are the finding that names it — plus protein and tea- or cola-colored urine. |
|---|
| ASO titresupports | Raised after a streptococcal throat or skin infection, which is the usual trigger in a child. |
|---|
| Complement C3supports | Low while it is active, back up as it resolves. |
|---|
| BUN, creatinine, GFRmonitor | How much function has been lost. |
|---|
🚰Nephrotic syndrome
Tests for Nephrotic syndrome| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| 24-hour urine proteinconfirms | Over 3.5 g in 24 hours is the confirming number. |
|---|
| Serum albuminconfirms | Low — it is all going out in the urine, and that is why she edematous. |
|---|
| Serum cholesterolsupports | High. The liver makes more lipoprotein as the albumin drops. |
|---|
| Urinalysissupports | Frothy urine, heavy protein, and — unlike glomerulonephritis — not much blood. |
|---|
🚰Kidney stones
Tests for Kidney stones| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Non-contrast CT of the abdomenconfirms | The confirming test, and no contrast means no renal risk. |
|---|
| Urinalysissupports | Blood in the urine in almost every case. |
|---|
| Strain every urine and send the stoneconfirms | What the stone is made of decides the diet and the drug afterwards. |
|---|
| Serum calcium and uric acidsupports | Looking for the reason she made it. |
|---|
🚰BPH
Tests for BPH| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| PSAsupports | Raised in BPH and in prostate cancer, so it is a prompt to look further, not an answer. |
|---|
| Post-void residualconfirms | How much she cannot empty. |
|---|
| Urinalysis and creatininemonitor | Infection from stasis, and back-pressure on the kidneys. |
|---|
🧪Endocrine10
🧪Diabetes mellitus
Tests for Diabetes mellitus| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Hemoglobin A1Cconfirms | 6.5% or more confirms it. It is the three-month average, so it cannot be fooled by one good morning. Target under 7% for most people once treated. |
|---|
| Fasting plasma glucoseconfirms | 126 mg/dL or more on two separate occasions. Fast 8 hours. |
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| Oral glucose tolerance testconfirms | 2-hour value of 200 or more. |
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| Random glucoseconfirms | 200 or more with the classic symptoms — thirst, urinating constantly, losing weight. |
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🧪DKA
Tests for DKA| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum glucoseconfirms | Over 250, but usually not enormous — it is the acid that is the emergency, not the sugar. |
|---|
| ABGconfirms | pH under 7.30 with bicarbonate under 18 — metabolic acidosis. Kussmaul breathing is her blowing off CO₂ to compensate. |
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| Ketonesconfirms | Positive in serum and urine. This is the difference from HHS. |
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| Anion gapmonitor | Over 12, and closing it is how you know the treatment is working. |
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| Potassiummonitor | Serum potassium can look high while total body potassium is badly depleted. It falls fast once insulin starts — which is why you do not give insulin until potassium is at least 3.3. |
|---|
🧪HHS
Tests for HHS| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum glucoseconfirms | Over 600, often far higher than DKA. |
|---|
| Serum osmolalityconfirms | Over 320 — this is what causes the altered mental status. |
|---|
| Ketones and pHconfirms | Minimal ketones and a normal pH. That absence is what separates it from DKA. |
|---|
🧪Hypothyroidism
Tests for Hypothyroidism| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| TSHconfirms | The screening test and the one that moves first. High TSH with a low free T4 is primary hypothyroidism — the gland has failed and the pituitary is shouting at it. |
|---|
| Free T4confirms | Low. |
|---|
| Lipid panelsupports | Cholesterol runs high while she is undertreated. |
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🧪Hyperthyroidism and Graves
Tests for Hyperthyroidism and Graves| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| TSHconfirms | Low — suppressed, because there is already too much hormone. |
|---|
| Free T4 and T3confirms | High. |
|---|
| Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulinsupports | Positive in Graves disease specifically. |
|---|
| Radioactive iodine uptakesupports | High and diffuse in Graves. |
|---|
🧪Cushing’s syndrome
Tests for Cushing’s syndrome| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Low-dose dexamethasone suppression testconfirms | The confirming test — in Cushing’s the cortisol does not suppress the way it should. |
|---|
| 24-hour urine free cortisolconfirms | High. |
|---|
| Late-night salivary cortisolconfirms | High — the normal night-time dip is gone. |
|---|
| Glucose high, potassium low, sodium highsupports | What too much cortisol does to the chemistry. |
|---|
🧪Addison’s disease
Tests for Addison’s disease| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| ACTH stimulation testconfirms | The confirming test — give ACTH, and the cortisol fails to rise. |
|---|
| Serum cortisolconfirms | Low, especially the morning sample. |
|---|
| Sodium low, potassium high, glucose lowsupports | The mirror image of Cushing’s, and the combination worth memorising. |
|---|
🧪SIADH
Tests for SIADH| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum sodiumconfirms | Low — dilutional. Under 120 brings seizures. |
|---|
| Serum osmolality low, urine osmolality highconfirms | Dilute blood and concentrated urine. She is holding on to water she does not need. |
|---|
| Urine sodiumsupports | High. |
|---|
🧪Diabetes insipidus
Tests for Diabetes insipidus| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum sodium and osmolalityconfirms | Both high — she is pouring water out and the blood is concentrating. |
|---|
| Urine specific gravityconfirms | Under 1.005. Enormous volumes of urine that look like water. |
|---|
| Water deprivation testconfirms | Withhold fluid and the urine still will not concentrate. |
|---|
🧪Parathyroid disorders
Tests for Parathyroid disorders| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum calcium and PTH togetherconfirms | Hyper: calcium high, phosphate low, PTH high. Hypo: calcium low, phosphate high, PTH low. |
|---|
| Chvostek and Trousseau signssupports | Bedside tests for the low-calcium end — facial twitch, and carpal spasm under a blood-pressure cuff. |
|---|
🩸Blood & immune7
🩸Anemia
Tests for Anemia| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| CBC with MCVconfirms | The MCV sorts it: small cells point to iron deficiency, large cells to B12 or folate, normal size to blood loss or chronic disease. |
|---|
| Ferritin, iron, TIBCconfirms | Ferritin low is the earliest sign of iron deficiency — it falls before the hemoglobin does. |
|---|
| Reticulocyte countsupports | Whether the marrow is responding. Low means it cannot; high means it is trying. |
|---|
| B12 and folatesupports | For the large-cell picture. |
|---|
🩸Sickle cell disease
Tests for Sickle cell disease| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Hemoglobin electrophoresisconfirms | The confirming test — it shows hemoglobin S. |
|---|
| Newborn screeningconfirms | How it is usually found now, before any crisis. |
|---|
| CBC and reticulocytesmonitor | Chronic anemia with a high reticulocyte count from the constant turnover. |
|---|
🩸Hemophilia
Tests for Hemophilia| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| aPTTconfirms | Prolonged. PT and platelet count are normal, and that combination is the clue. |
|---|
| Factor VIII or IX assayconfirms | Names it: VIII is hemophilia A, IX is B. |
|---|
🩸DIC
Tests for DIC| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Platelets low, PT and aPTT prolongedconfirms | Clotting factors are being consumed faster than they are made. |
|---|
| D-dimer very high, fibrinogen lowconfirms | Clotting and bleeding at the same time — that paradox is the diagnosis. |
|---|
🩸Leukemia
Tests for Leukemia| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Bone marrow biopsyconfirms | The confirming test. |
|---|
| CBC with differential and peripheral smearconfirms | Blast cells; white count may be very high or very low. |
|---|
| Absolute neutrophil countmonitor | Under 500 is severe neutropenia — a fever there is an emergency, and it may be the only sign of infection she can mount. |
|---|
🩸HIV
Tests for HIV| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| 4th-generation antigen/antibody immunoassayconfirms | The screening test — it picks up p24 antigen early, before antibodies appear. |
|---|
| Antibody differentiation assayconfirms | Confirms a positive screen. |
|---|
| CD4 countmonitor | Under 200 is AIDS by definition, and the point at which prophylaxis starts. |
|---|
| Viral loadmonitor | Whether the treatment is working. Undetectable is the goal. |
|---|
🩸Anticoagulant monitoring
Tests for Anticoagulant monitoring| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Warfarin → PT/INRmonitor | Target 2–3 for most, 2.5–3.5 for a mechanical valve. Over 4 is a bleeding alarm. Antidote is vitamin K. |
|---|
| Heparin → aPTTmonitor | 1.5–2.5 times the control. Antidote is protamine sulfate. |
|---|
| Platelet count on heparinmonitor | A falling count is heparin-induced thrombocytopenia — stop the heparin. |
|---|
🍽GI & liver9
🍽Pancreatitis
Tests for Pancreatitis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum lipaseconfirms | The confirming test — more specific to the pancreas than amylase and it stays raised longer, so it still catches a late presentation. |
|---|
| Serum amylasesupports | Rises too, but it also rises in other abdominal problems. |
|---|
| Serum calciummonitor | Falls — and a falling calcium is a bad sign, not an incidental one. |
|---|
| Glucose and WBCsupports | Both up. |
|---|
🍽Cholecystitis
Tests for Cholecystitis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Abdominal ultrasoundconfirms | The confirming test — stones, a thick wall, fluid around the gallbladder. |
|---|
| Bilirubin and alkaline phosphatasesupports | Raised if a stone is obstructing the duct. |
|---|
| WBCsupports | Up with the inflammation. |
|---|
🍽Hepatitis
Tests for Hepatitis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Hepatitis serology panelconfirms | Names which one: anti-HAV IgM for acute A, HBsAg for B, anti-HCV for C. |
|---|
| ALT and ASTconfirms | Markedly raised — hundreds to thousands. ALT is the more liver-specific of the two. |
|---|
| Bilirubinsupports | Up, and it is what makes her jaundiced and itchy. |
|---|
| PT/INRmonitor | Prolonged only in severe disease — the liver has stopped making clotting factors, and that is the worrying one. |
|---|
🍽Cirrhosis
Tests for Cirrhosis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum albuminconfirms | Low — the liver is not making it, and that is why she has ascites and edema. |
|---|
| PT/INRconfirms | Prolonged. Clotting factors come from the liver too. |
|---|
| Serum ammoniamonitor | High, and it tracks with the confusion of hepatic encephalopathy. |
|---|
| Bilirubin and plateletssupports | Bilirubin up, platelets down from portal hypertension and a big spleen. |
|---|
🍽GI bleed
Tests for GI bleed| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Upper endoscopy or colonoscopyconfirms | Finds and treats the source — the confirming test. |
|---|
| Hemoglobin and hematocritmonitor | Serially. The first draw can look normal because she has lost whole blood and not yet diluted. |
|---|
| BUNsupports | Rises in an upper GI bleed — blood in the gut is protein, and it gets absorbed. |
|---|
| Type and crossmatchconfirms | Sent early, before it is needed. |
|---|
🍽Peptic ulcer and H. pylori
Tests for Peptic ulcer and H. pylori| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Urea breath test or stool antigenconfirms | Confirms H. pylori, and confirms cure afterwards. Stop PPIs beforehand or you will get a false negative. |
|---|
| Endoscopy with biopsyconfirms | Sees the ulcer and rules out cancer. |
|---|
🍽Celiac disease
Tests for Celiac disease| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Tissue transglutaminase IgAconfirms | The screening test — and she must still be eating gluten when it is drawn, or it will be falsely negative. |
|---|
| Small bowel biopsyconfirms | Confirms it. |
|---|
🍽Appendicitis
Tests for Appendicitis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| CT of the abdomenconfirms | The confirming test. No blood test diagnoses appendicitis. |
|---|
| WBCsupports | Up with a left shift — supportive, never sufficient. |
|---|
🍽Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis
Tests for Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Colonoscopy with biopsyconfirms | Confirms it and tells the two apart — skip lesions through the whole wall in Crohn’s, continuous shallow disease from the rectum up in UC. |
|---|
| ESR, CRP, faecal calprotectinmonitor | How active it is right now. |
|---|
| CBC and albuminmonitor | Anemia from blood loss, low albumin from malabsorption. |
|---|
🧠Brain & nerves6
🧠Meningitis
Tests for Meningitis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Lumbar punctureconfirms | The confirming test. Bacterial: cloudy, high protein, low glucose, neutrophils. Viral: clear, normal glucose, lymphocytes. That glucose is the fastest way to tell them apart. |
|---|
| CT head before the LPconfirms | Done first if there are signs of raised pressure — herniation is the risk. |
|---|
| Blood culturesconfirms | Before antibiotics. |
|---|
🧠Stroke
Tests for Stroke| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Non-contrast CT headconfirms | First, and fast. It is not there to show the stroke — it is there to rule out a bleed before anyone gives a thrombolytic. |
|---|
| Blood glucoseconfirms | Checked immediately. Hypoglycaemia imitates a stroke exactly, and it is fixable in a minute. |
|---|
| PT/INR, aPTT, plateletsconfirms | Whether thrombolysis is safe. |
|---|
🧠Seizures
Tests for Seizures| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| EEGconfirms | Shows the abnormal electrical activity. |
|---|
| Glucose and sodiumconfirms | Both are reversible causes, and both get checked first. |
|---|
| Anticonvulsant drug levelsmonitor | Phenytoin 10–20 mcg/mL. Most breakthrough seizures are a level that has drifted, not a new problem. |
|---|
🧠Myasthenia gravis
Tests for Myasthenia gravis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Acetylcholine receptor antibodiesconfirms | Positive in most cases — the confirming blood test. |
|---|
| Tensilon (edrophonium) testconfirms | Strength improves briefly. It also tells a myasthenic crisis (improves) from a cholinergic crisis (gets worse). |
|---|
| EMG with repetitive stimulationsupports | The response fades with repetition — which is the disease in one picture. |
|---|
🧠Guillain-Barré syndrome
Tests for Guillain-Barré syndrome| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Lumbar punctureconfirms | High protein with a normal cell count. That mismatch has a name — albuminocytologic dissociation — and it is the classic finding. |
|---|
| Vital capacity at the bedsidemonitor | The number that actually matters day to day. A falling vital capacity means the paralysis is climbing towards the diaphragm. |
|---|
🧠Multiple sclerosis
Tests for Multiple sclerosis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| MRI with gadoliniumconfirms | Plaques scattered in space and time — the confirming test. |
|---|
| Lumbar puncturesupports | Oligoclonal bands in the CSF. |
|---|
🦴Bones & joints6
🦴Osteoporosis
Tests for Osteoporosis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| DEXA scanconfirms | The confirming test. A T-score of −2.5 or lower is osteoporosis; −1 to −2.5 is osteopenia. |
|---|
| Calcium and vitamin Dsupports | Checked before starting treatment. |
|---|
🦴Rheumatoid arthritis
Tests for Rheumatoid arthritis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Anti-CCP antibodyconfirms | More specific than rheumatoid factor, and it appears earlier. |
|---|
| Rheumatoid factorsupports | Positive in most, but also positive in plenty of people without RA. |
|---|
| ESR and CRPmonitor | How active the disease is now. |
|---|
🦴Gout
Tests for Gout| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Joint aspirationconfirms | Needle-shaped urate crystals in the fluid — the confirming test. |
|---|
| Serum uric acidsupports | Usually high, but it can be normal during an acute attack, so a normal level does not rule it out. |
|---|
🦴Rhabdomyolysis
Tests for Rhabdomyolysis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Creatine kinaseconfirms | Enormously raised — this is the confirming test. |
|---|
| Urine myoglobinconfirms | Tea-colored urine that tests positive for blood with no red cells on microscopy. |
|---|
| Potassium and creatininemonitor | Potassium pours out of the broken muscle, and the myoglobin injures the kidney. |
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🦴Osteomyelitis
Tests for Osteomyelitis| Test | What the result tells you |
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| Bone biopsy and cultureconfirms | The confirming test, and what chooses the antibiotic. |
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| MRIconfirms | Earliest imaging to show it. |
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| ESR, CRP, blood culturessupports | Raised; cultures may name the organism. |
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🦴Compartment syndrome
Tests for Compartment syndrome| Test | What the result tells you |
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| Compartment pressure measurementconfirms | Over 30 mmHg. This is a clinical emergency — pain out of proportion, and pain on passive stretch, come before any number. |
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| Creatine kinasemonitor | Rising if muscle is already dying. |
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🤰Maternity & newborn5
🤰Preeclampsia and HELLP
Tests for Preeclampsia and HELLP| Test | What the result tells you |
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| Blood pressure and urine proteinconfirms | 140/90 or higher after 20 weeks with proteinuria. That pair is the diagnosis. |
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| Platelets, liver enzymes, hemolysisconfirms | HELLP: hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets under 100,000. The name is the lab panel. |
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| Creatinine and uric acidmonitor | Both rise as it worsens. |
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| Magnesium levelmonitor | Once magnesium sulfate is running: 4–7 mEq/L is therapeutic. Lost reflexes come first, then respiratory depression. The antidote is calcium gluconate. |
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🤰Gestational diabetes
Tests for Gestational diabetes| Test | What the result tells you |
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| 1-hour 50 g glucose challengesupports | The screen at 24–28 weeks. No fasting needed. |
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| 3-hour 100 g OGTTconfirms | The confirming test — two abnormal values make the diagnosis. |
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🤰Rh incompatibility
Tests for Rh incompatibility| Test | What the result tells you |
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| Blood type and Rhconfirms | On every pregnant patient at the first visit. |
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| Indirect Coombs on the motherconfirms | Whether she has already made antibodies. |
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| Direct Coombs on the newbornconfirms | Whether the baby’s cells are coated. |
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🤰Preterm labour
Tests for Preterm labour| Test | What the result tells you |
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| Fetal fibronectinsupports | Most useful when it is negative — that makes delivery in the next two weeks very unlikely. |
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| Cervical length on ultrasoundsupports | Short cervix raises the risk. |
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| Group B strep cultureconfirms | 35–37 weeks, or on admission in preterm labour. |
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🤰Placenta previa and abruption
Tests for Placenta previa and abruption| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Transabdominal ultrasoundconfirms | Confirms previa — and until it has, no vaginal examination. |
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| CBC and coagulation studiesmonitor | Abruption can consume clotting factors and tip into DIC. |
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| Kleihauer-Betkesupports | How much fetal blood has crossed into the mother. |
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👁Eyes & ears5
👁Glaucoma
Tests for Glaucoma| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Tonometryconfirms | The confirming test. Dr. Halecka gives normal as 12–20, with anything over 22 suspicious — use her numbers on the exam. The textbook says 10–21. |
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| Visual field testingconfirms | Peripheral vision goes first in open-angle, and she will not notice until a lot is gone. |
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| Ophthalmoscopysupports | Cupping of the optic disc. |
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| Gonioscopyconfirms | Looks at the drainage angle — open or closed. |
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👁Macular degeneration
Tests for Macular degeneration| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Amsler gridconfirms | The one to match with macular degeneration. Straight lines look wavy, and the center goes missing. |
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| Optical coherence tomographyconfirms | Images the layers of the macula. |
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| Fluorescein angiographysupports | Shows the leaking vessels of the wet type. |
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👁Cataract
Tests for Cataract| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Slit-lamp examinationconfirms | Done by the ophthalmologist at around 40× magnification. No blood test and no drop diagnoses or treats a cataract — surgery is the only fix. |
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| Visual acuitysupports | How much it is costing her. Night driving and glare go first. |
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👁Retinal detachment
Tests for Retinal detachment| Test | What the result tells you |
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| Ophthalmoscopyconfirms | Sees the detached retina — the confirming test. |
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| Ocular ultrasoundsupports | Used when blood or a cataract blocks the view. An eye ultrasound generally means trauma or a tumor is being considered. |
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👁Otitis media
Tests for Otitis media| Test | What the result tells you |
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| Otoscopyconfirms | A red, bulging, immobile tympanic membrane — the confirming finding. |
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| Tympanometrysupports | Measures whether the drum moves; flat tracing means fluid behind it. |
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🩹Skin & burns2
🩹Major burns
Tests for Major burns| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Urine outputmonitor | The number that steers fluid resuscitation — 30–50 mL/hr in an adult, and it matters more than the formula. |
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| Hematocritsupports | High early from haemoconcentration as plasma leaks out of the vessels. |
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| Potassiummonitor | High in the first 24–48 hours as cells rupture, then low once fluid shifts back. |
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| Carboxyhaemoglobin and ABGconfirms | If there is any chance of smoke inhalation. Pulse oximetry reads falsely normal in carbon monoxide poisoning. |
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| Albumin and total proteinmonitor | Low — protein is leaking out through the burn. |
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🩹Cellulitis
Tests for Cellulitis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Clinical diagnosisconfirms | Looked at, and the border marked with a pen so you can see whether it is spreading. |
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| CBC and blood culturessupports | If she is febrile or systemically unwell. |
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🦠Infection & sepsis2
🦠Sepsis
Tests for Sepsis| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Serum lactateconfirms | Drawn within the first hour, and repeated. Over 2 is abnormal, over 4 is severe. |
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| Blood culturesconfirms | Two sets from two sites, before the first antibiotic. After the antibiotic they may grow nothing. |
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| CBCsupports | White count high or low — a low count is the more ominous of the two. |
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| Procalcitoninsupports | Points towards a bacterial cause. |
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🦠C. difficile
Tests for C. difficile| Test | What the result tells you |
|---|
| Stool PCR or toxin assayconfirms | Confirms it. Only test a stool that is actually loose — testing formed stool finds carriers, not disease. |
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| WBCsupports | Can be strikingly high. |
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Nothing matches that. Try a shorter word — potassium rather than
serum potassium level.