PANRE-LA key terms

A clinical syndrome in which the left ventricle pumps weakly, with ejection fraction at or below 40 percent, causing congestion, fatigue, and breathlessness. Treatment includes diuretics and guideline-directed medical therapy.

An irregular, often rapid supraventricular rhythm with disorganized atrial electrical activity and no effective atrial contraction. It raises stroke risk and may cause palpitations, dyspnea, or heart failure.

Narrowing of the aortic valve that obstructs left ventricular outflow, commonly from calcification in older adults. Symptoms include exertional dyspnea, angina, syncope, and heart failure; severe disease may need valve replacement.

A progressive lung disease with persistent airflow limitation, usually from tobacco smoke, causing chronic cough, sputum, and dyspnea. Exacerbations are treated with bronchodilators, steroids, and antibiotics when indicated.

A chronic inflammatory airway disorder with variable airflow obstruction and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Symptoms include wheeze, cough, chest tightness, and dyspnea; management uses inhaled corticosteroids and reliever bronchodilators.

A blockage of pulmonary arteries, usually by a blood clot from deep veins, causing sudden dyspnea, chest pain, tachycardia, and hypoxemia. Diagnosis uses pretest probability and imaging; anticoagulation is standard treatment.

Advanced liver scarring that distorts architecture and impairs function, often from alcohol, viral hepatitis, or fatty liver disease. Complications include ascites, variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Sudden inflammation of the pancreas, most often from gallstones or alcohol, causing severe upper abdominal pain, nausea, and elevated lipase. Management includes fluids, analgesia, and early feeding when tolerated.

An immune-mediated reaction to gluten that damages small intestinal villi, causing diarrhea, malabsorption, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. Diagnosis uses serology and biopsy; treatment is a strict gluten-free diet.

A degenerative joint disease with cartilage loss, subchondral bone change, and pain that worsens with activity. It commonly affects knees, hips, and hands; treatment includes exercise, weight loss, and analgesia.

A systemic autoimmune disease causing symmetric inflammatory polyarthritis, often of the hands and wrists, with morning stiffness. Extra-articular features occur; early disease-modifying therapy prevents joint damage.

A crystal arthropathy caused by monosodium urate deposition, producing sudden severe monoarthritis, often at the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Acute treatment reduces inflammation; urate-lowering therapy prevents recurrence.

An abrupt decline in kidney function, shown by rising creatinine or falling urine output, from prerenal, intrinsic, or postrenal causes. Management addresses the cause and complications such as hyperkalemia and volume overload.

Long-standing loss of kidney function or structure lasting at least three months, staged by glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria. It increases cardiovascular risk and can progress to kidney failure.

A kidney disorder with heavy proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, edema, and hyperlipidemia. Causes include minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and membranous nephropathy; treatment targets the cause and complications.

Sudden brain injury from arterial occlusion, causing focal deficits such as weakness, aphasia, or visual loss. Time-critical evaluation includes imaging and thrombolysis or thrombectomy when eligible.

A tendency to have recurrent unprovoked seizures caused by abnormal brain electrical activity. Diagnosis requires history and often EEG or imaging; treatment uses antiseizure medications chosen by seizure type.

A recurrent primary headache disorder, often throbbing and unilateral, with nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia. Some attacks include aura; treatment includes acute analgesics and preventive medications.

A chronic metabolic disorder with insulin resistance and progressive beta-cell dysfunction, causing hyperglycemia. Management includes lifestyle change, glucose-lowering drugs, and monitoring for vascular and renal complications.

A deficiency of thyroid hormone causing fatigue, cold intolerance, constipation, weight gain, and bradycardia. Diagnosis uses thyroid-stimulating hormone; treatment is levothyroxine replacement.

A dangerous diabetes complication with insulin deficiency, hyperglycemia, ketonemia, and metabolic acidosis. It causes vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration, and Kussmaul breathing; treatment uses fluids, insulin, and potassium replacement.

A microcytic anemia from insufficient iron for hemoglobin synthesis, often due to blood loss, poor intake, or malabsorption. It causes fatigue and pallor; evaluation seeks the cause, and treatment is iron replacement.

Fever in a patient with severe neutropenia, defined by low absolute neutrophil count, and a sign of possible bloodstream infection. It requires urgent cultures and empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics.

A metabolic emergency after rapid cancer cell breakdown, causing hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia, and hypocalcemia. It can lead to kidney injury and arrhythmia; prevention uses hydration and urate-lowering drugs.

A bacterial skin infection of the deeper dermis and subcutaneous tissue, causing warmth, erythema, swelling, and tenderness. It usually requires systemic antibiotics; abscess formation needs drainage.

A chronic immune-mediated skin disease with well-demarcated erythematous plaques and silvery scale, often on elbows, knees, and scalp. It may involve nails and joints; treatment ranges from topicals to biologics.

A malignant tumor of melanocytes that can arise in skin, mucous membranes, or eyes. Early lesions show asymmetry, border irregularity, color variation, and diameter change; excision and staging guide treatment.

Life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. It requires early recognition, cultures, antibiotics, and fluid resuscitation; shock is a severe subset with persistent hypotension.

An acute lung infection acquired outside hospitals, causing fever, cough, dyspnea, and infiltrates on imaging. Severity scoring guides site of care; antibiotics target common bacterial pathogens.

A toxin-mediated diarrheal illness, usually after antibiotics, caused by Clostridioides difficile colonization of the colon. It ranges from watery diarrhea to fulminant colitis; treatment depends on severity and recurrence risk.

A mood disorder with persistent depressed mood or loss of interest plus sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, or suicidal symptoms for at least two weeks. Treatment includes psychotherapy, antidepressants, and safety planning.

A chronic anxiety disorder with excessive, difficult-to-control worry across many areas, plus restlessness, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension, or sleep disturbance. Treatment includes psychotherapy and serotonergic antidepressants.

A problematic pattern of alcohol use causing impairment or distress, with craving, tolerance, withdrawal, or continued use despite harm. Treatment includes counseling, medications, and management of withdrawal complications.

A pregnancy disorder after 20 weeks with new hypertension and proteinuria or maternal organ dysfunction. It can cause headaches, visual changes, liver pain, seizures, and fetal growth problems; delivery is definitive treatment.

Implantation of a fertilized egg outside the uterine cavity, most often in a fallopian tube. It can cause abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, and rupture with shock; diagnosis uses pregnancy testing and ultrasound.

A noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that causes lower urinary tract symptoms such as hesitancy, weak stream, frequency, and nocturia. Treatment includes medications and surgery for refractory symptoms.