Here are extremely visual mnemonics to remember about Porphyria so as to easily recall during your medical & nursing exams
Porphyria is a group of rare genetic diseases that affect how the body makes heme, a part of hemoglobin that carries oxygen in the blood. The enzymes that help make heme don’t work right, which leads to these diseases.
There are many different kinds of porphyria, and they are grouped by which enzyme is affected. Depending on what kind of porphyria you have and how bad it is, the symptoms and how bad they are can be different.
Some common signs of porphyria are stomach pain, skin that burns easily in the sun, blistering, and urine that isn’t the right color. Porphyria can be treated with a combination of medicines, changes to the way you live, and staying away from things that can make your symptoms worse.
Common Causes Of Porphyria :
- P – Pharmaceuticals (e.g. barbiturates, sulfonamides)
- A – Alcohol use
- N – Nutrition (e.g. fasting, low-carbohydrate diets)
- I – Infections (e.g. Hepatitis C, HIV)
- C – Chemicals (e.g. pesticides, solvents)
Mnemonic: “PANIC“
Mind Map / Concept Map /Memory Aid/ Mnemonic To Remember The Common Causes Of Porphyria
Types Of Porphyria :
- C: Cutaneous Porphyria
- A: Acute Intermittent Porphyria
- F: Familial Porphyria
- U: Ultra-rare Porphyria
- E: Erythropoietic Porphyria
Mnemonic: “Captain America Fights Ultron’s Evilness”
Mind Map / Concept Map /Memory Aid/ Mnemonic To Remember The Types Of Porphyria
Signs & Symptoms Of Porphyria :
- P – Painful abdomen
- O – Over-sensitivity to light
- R – Red urine
- P – Photosensitivity
- H – Hypertension
- Y – Yellowing of the skin
- R – Rapid heart rate
- I – Insomnia
- A – Anemia
Mnemonic: “PORPHYRIA“
Mind Map / Concept Map /Memory Aid/ Mnemonic To Remember Signs & Symptoms Of Porphyria
Risk factors Of Porphyria :
- P – Positive family history
- O – Oral contraceptives use
- R – Renal insufficiency
- P – Previous alcohol use disorder
- H – Hepatitis C infection
- Y – Your gender (more common in females)
- R – Radiation therapy
- I – Iron overload
- A – Age (onset is usually in adulthood)
Mnemonic: “PORPHYRIA“
Mind Map / Concept Map /Memory Aid/ Mnemonic To Remember Risk factors Of Porphyria
Tests For Diagnosis of Porphyria :
- P – Plasma and urine porphyrins
- O – Osmotic fragility test
- R – Red blood cell porphyrins
- P – Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
- H – Heme biosynthesis studies
- Y – Yearly monitoring for complications and symptoms
- R – Reticulocyte count
- I – Iron studies
- A – Abdominal imaging
Mnemonic: “PORPHYRIA“
Mind Map / Concept Map /Memory Aid/ Mnemonic To Remember The Tests For Diagnosis of Porphyria
Differential Diagnosis Of Porphyria :
- P – Pseudo porphyria
- O – Oxidative stress disorders
- R – Raynaud’s disease
- P – Polymorphic light eruption
- H – Hemolytic anemia
- Y – Yellow fever
- R – Rheumatoid arthritis
- I – Iron deficiency anemia
- A – Acute intermittent porphyria
Mnemonic: “PORPHYRIA“
Mind Map / Concept Map /Memory Aid/ Mnemonic To Remember Differential Diagnosis Of Porphyria
Drugs To Avoid In Porphyria :
- Chloramphenicol
- Alcohol
- Rifampin
- Barbiturates/Benzodiazepines
- Sulfonamides
- L-asparaginase
- Metoclopramide
- Phenobarbital/Phenytoin
Mnemonic: “CARBS LAMP“