Assessment and prioritization

AEIOU-TIPS

Alcohol, Epilepsy, Insulin, Overdose, Uremia — Trauma, Infection, Psychiatric, Stroke

A memory aid for the causes of an altered level of consciousness.

What each letter stands for

  1. 1 Alcohol
  2. 2 Epilepsy (seizure)
  3. 3 Insulin (blood glucose too high or too low)
  4. 4 Overdose
  5. 5 Uremia (kidney failure)
  6. 6 Trauma
  7. 7 Infection
  8. 8 Psychiatric
  9. 9 Stroke

How it gets tested

Tested as a recall item and as the structure behind "which should be checked first" items — the glucose is the classic answer because it is the quickest to find.

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What does AEIOU-TIPS stand for?

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