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