ABFM HALM flashcards

31 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

USPSTF Grade B

The USPSTF assigns Grade B when it recommends the service with high certainty of moderate net benefit or moderate certainty of moderate-to-substantial net benefit.

Colorectal cancer screening start age

Average-risk adults begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45 and continue through age 75, using colonoscopy every 10 years, annual FIT, or other approved strategies.

ASCVD 10-year risk categories

Pooled cohort equations classify 10-year ASCVD risk as low (<5%), borderline (5 to 7.4%), intermediate (7.5 to 19.9%), and high (≥20%), guiding statin decisions.

Heart failure four pillars

For heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, combine an ARNI or ACE inhibitor/ARB, an evidence-based beta-blocker, a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, and an SGLT2 inhibitor to reduce mortality.

CHA2DS2-VASc anticoagulation threshold

Anticoagulation is recommended for atrial fibrillation when CHA2DS2-VASc is ≥2 in men or ≥3 in women; a score of 1 in men or 2 in women warrants shared decision-making.

A1c diagnostic threshold for diabetes

An A1c of 6.5% or higher, fasting glucose of 126 mg/dL or higher, or a 2-hour glucose of 200 mg/dL or higher on an oral glucose tolerance test confirms diabetes when repeated.

Prediabetes range

Prediabetes is defined by an A1c of 5.7 to 6.4%, fasting glucose of 100 to 125 mg/dL, or 2-hour OGTT glucose of 140 to 199 mg/dL, prompting lifestyle intervention.

Metformin contraindications

Metformin should be avoided when the eGFR is below 30 mL/min/1.73 m² or with metabolic acidosis, because of increased risk of lactic acidosis.

Metabolic syndrome criteria

Metabolic syndrome requires at least three of: elevated waist circumference, triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL, low HDL, blood pressure ≥130/85, or fasting glucose ≥100 mg/dL.

Asthma bronchodilator reversibility

A positive bronchodilator response on spirometry is an increase in FEV1 of at least 12% and 200 mL after a short-acting beta-agonist, supporting an asthma diagnosis.

COPD spirometric criterion

COPD is confirmed when post-bronchodilator spirometry shows a persistently reduced FEV1/FVC ratio below 0.70 in a patient with symptoms and relevant exposures.

CURB-65 components

CURB-65 scores community-acquired pneumonia by confusion, urea >7 mmol/L, respiratory rate ≥30, low blood pressure, and age ≥65; a score of 2 or more suggests admission.

PHQ-9 severity cutoffs

PHQ-9 scores of 5 to 9 indicate mild depression, 10 to 14 moderate, 15 to 19 moderately severe, and 20 or higher severe; item 9 positivity requires suicide risk assessment.

Antidepressant time to response

Antidepressants typically show early improvement within 2 weeks but reach full therapeutic effect at 4 to 6 weeks; treatment continues 6 to 12 months after remission.

Serotonin syndrome triad

Serotonin syndrome presents with mental status changes, autonomic instability, and neuromuscular hyperactivity such as clonus, hyperreflexia, and tremor, often from serotonergic drug combinations.

Cauda equina red flags

Saddle anesthesia, urinary retention or incontinence, bilateral leg weakness, and progressive neurologic deficits with back pain require emergent MRI and urgent surgical evaluation.

DXA osteoporosis threshold

Osteoporosis is defined by a DXA T-score of -2.5 or lower at the hip or spine; T-scores between -1.0 and -2.5 indicate osteopenia and FRAX guides treatment.

Septic arthritis synovial fluid

Septic arthritis typically shows synovial white blood cell counts above 50,000 per microliter, often with a positive Gram stain, requiring urgent aspiration and intravenous antibiotics.

Preeclampsia definition

Preeclampsia is new hypertension (≥140/90) after 20 weeks of gestation with proteinuria or evidence of end-organ dysfunction such as renal, hepatic, or neurologic involvement.

Gestational diabetes screening

Screening occurs at 24 to 28 weeks with a 50-gram glucose challenge; diagnosis is confirmed by a 3-hour 100-gram oral glucose tolerance test with at least two abnormal values.

Emergency contraception timing

Levonorgestrel emergency contraception is used within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, ulipristal within 120 hours, and a copper IUD within 5 days with the highest efficacy.

Prostate cancer screening decision

The USPSTF recommends individualized shared decision-making about PSA screening for men aged 55 to 69 and recommends against screening men aged 70 and older.

5-alpha reductase inhibitor PSA effect

Finasteride and dutasteride lower PSA by approximately 50% after six months of use, so clinicians should double measured PSA values when interpreting results.

Testosterone deficiency diagnosis

Male hypogonadism requires symptoms plus at least two morning total testosterone measurements below 300 ng/dL, with LH and FSH distinguishing primary from secondary causes.

Beers criteria purpose

The Beers criteria list potentially inappropriate medications for older adults, including benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, long-acting sulfonylureas, and chronic NSAIDs, to reduce adverse drug events.

Delirium versus dementia

Delirium is an acute, fluctuating disturbance of attention and awareness, whereas dementia is a chronic, progressive cognitive decline; delirium often complicates underlying dementia.

Polypharmacy definition

Polypharmacy generally refers to the concurrent use of five or more medications; it increases risk of drug interactions and adverse events and warrants structured medication review.

Infant fever under 28 days

A febrile infant younger than 28 days requires a full sepsis evaluation, including blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid cultures, and hospitalization with empiric antibiotics.

Autism screening timing

The M-CHAT screening tool is administered at 18 and 24 months of age; a positive screen prompts referral for formal diagnostic evaluation and early intervention services.

Physical activity recommendation

Adults should perform 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly, plus muscle-strengthening exercise on two or more days.

DASH diet effect on blood pressure

The DASH dietary pattern, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy while low in sodium, lowers systolic blood pressure by approximately 8 to 14 mmHg.