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Cardiovascular Mnemonics

The best cardio mnemonics for medical student finals, OSCEs and MRCP

 

  • Complications of myocardial infarction (DARTH VADER)

    • Death
    • Arrhythmia
    • Rupture (free ventricular wall/ ventricular septum/ papillary muscles)
    • Tamponade
    • Heart failure (acute or chronic)
    • Valve disease
    • Aneurysm of ventricle
    • Dressler’s syndrome
    • thromboEmbolism (mural thrombus)
    • Recurrence/ mitral Regurgitation

 

  • Beck’s triad of acute cardiac tamponade (3 D’s)

    • Distant heart sounds
    • Decreased arterial BP
    • Distended neck veins