Medications
This medication is commonly used to reduce pain and fever.
Paracetamol
This condition occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted.
Stroke / cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
A heart rate below 60 bpm in an adult is called this.
Bradycardia
A patient is experiencing increased thirst, frequent urination and unexplained weight loss. What condition should you suspect?
Diabetes
This machine records the electrical activity of the heart and is commonly used to assess for arrhythmias and myocardial ischaemia.
ECG
This class of medication is commonly used to reduce blood pressure.
Antihypertensives - ACE inhibitors, ARBs, Beta-blockers.
This chronic respiratory condition is characterised by reversible airway obstruction.
Asthma
A patient is pale, sweaty, shaky and confused. Their BGL is 2.8 mmol/L. What condition are they experiencing?
Hypoglycaemia
A patient is breathing rapidly and deeply and has a fruity-smelling breath. What condition should you suspect?
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
This imaging test uses sound waves to produce images of organs, tissues and structures such as the heart and abdomen.
Ultrasound
A patient taking warfarin requires monitoring of this blood test.
INR (Internalised Normalised Ratio)
This condition commonly presents with chest pain, elevated troponin and ECG changes.
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)/MI
A patient has sudden facial drooping, arm weakness and slurred speech. What condition should you suspect?
Stroke
A patient has severe shortness of breath, pink frothy sputum and widespread crackles. What emergency could this indicate?
Acute pulmonary oedema
A patient receiving unfractionated heparin requires regular monitoring of their anticoagulation therapy. Which blood test is commonly used to assess the effectiveness of heparin?
APTT
This electrolyte abnormality is a major concern with furosemide therapy.
Hypokalaemia (low potassium) — furosemide can increase potassium excretion
A patient has fever, productive cough, pleuritic chest pain and crackles on auscultation. What diagnosis should you suspect?
Pneumonia
A patient has swollen ankles, bilateral crackles and increasing shortness of breath. What condition could this indicate?
Heart failure/fluid overload
A patient suddenly develops crushing central chest pain that radiates to the left arm and jaw, accompanied by sweating, nausea and shortness of breath. What cardiac condition should you suspect?
Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack)
This blood test measures a cardiac biomarker that can become elevated when heart muscle is damaged, such as during a myocardial infarction.
Troponin
A patient develops wheezing, hypotension and facial swelling shortly after receiving an antibiotic. What medication may be required urgently?
Adrenaline (epinephrine) — first-line treatment for anaphylaxis
This neurological condition causes progressive degeneration of motor neurons.
Motor neurone disease (MND)
A patient develops sudden dyspnoea, chest pain, tachycardia, low SpO₂ and loss of conciousness. What potentially life-threatening condition could this be?
Pulmonary Embolism
A patient is hypotensive, tachycardic, confused, febrile and has reduced urine output in the setting of a suspected infection. What type of shock is most concerning?
Septic shock
This test measures oxygen, carbon dioxide and acid-base status in arterial blood and is particularly useful when assessing a critically ill patient with respiratory deterioration.
Arterial Blood Gas