CKD management is risk reduction, not just watching creatinine. Protect remaining kidney function and address cardiovascular risk — they are inseparable.

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Clinical QuickieCardiac / Vascular

Hypertension Management

One high reading is a data point — confirm the pattern, assess cardiovascular risk, and treat the diagnosis, not the number.

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Clinical QuickieInfection

C. difficile Infection

Test the right stool, interpret the assay in clinical context — a positive result alone does not equal active infection. Treat the clinical infection, not the test.

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Clinical QuickieENT / Upper Respiratory

URI / Acute Sinusitis

Most early upper-respiratory syndromes are viral. Mucus color does not diagnose bacterial sinusitis — identify the clinical pattern before prescribing antibiotics.

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Clinical QuickiePulmonary

Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is usually viral. A cough after a URI is not automatically an antibiotic problem — exclude pneumonia and manage supportively.

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Clinical QuickieENT / Upper Respiratory

Pharyngitis

Use clinical probability to guide testing — testing confirms who benefits from antibiotics. Avoid antibiotics without a confirmed bacterial target.

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Clinical QuickieENT / Upper Respiratory

Otitis Media / Otitis Externa

Ear pain is not the diagnosis — identify the anatomic location of inflammation. Anatomy and pathogen differences determine whether treatment is topical or systemic.

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Clinical QuickieInfection

Pyelonephritis

A kidney infection is more than a positive urinalysis.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Rash Assessment — First Pass

Describe the rash before naming it.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Viral vs Drug vs Allergic Eruptions

The timeline is often more useful than the color of the rash.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Contact Dermatitis vs Atopic Dermatitis

Distribution and exposure history often separate them.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Urticaria vs Anaphylaxis

Hives are skin findings. Anaphylaxis is a systemic syndrome.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Cellulitis vs Mimics

Not every red leg is cellulitis.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Fungal Skin Infections

Name the site before choosing the treatment.

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Clinical QuickieCardiac / Vascular

Atrial Fibrillation

AF is three decisions: stability, symptom/rate-rhythm strategy, and stroke prevention.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Acne / Rosacea

Same face, different inflammation.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Psoriasis

Treat the skin — and screen the joints.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Scabies / Lice

Infestations fail treatment when contacts and application are ignored.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Pressure Injuries / Wounds

A better dressing cannot fix ongoing pressure or poor perfusion.

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Clinical QuickieDermatology / Skin

Skin Cancer Warning Signs

Know what not to watch.

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Clinical QuickieLiver / GI

Diarrhea — Acute vs Persistent

Before ordering a stool panel, ask what the result would change.

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Clinical QuickieLiver / GI

Nausea / Vomiting

Antiemetics treat nausea — they do not explain why the patient is vomiting.

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Clinical QuickieNeurologic

Headache — Primary vs Secondary

The most important headache question is often: is this different from usual?

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Clinical QuickieNeurologic

Dizziness / Vertigo

Define what 'dizzy' means before prescribing meclizine.

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Clinical QuickieMusculoskeletal

Low Back Pain

Most uncomplicated acute low back pain does not need imaging on day one.

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Clinical QuickieMusculoskeletal

Gout

Treat the flare, then treat the urate.

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Clinical QuickieMusculoskeletal

Osteoarthritis

Treat function and risk — not just the x-ray.

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Clinical QuickieBehavioral Health / Sleep

Anxiety / Depression Medication Basics

Before treating 'depression,' make sure antidepressant monotherapy is actually the right pathway.

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Clinical QuickieBehavioral Health / Sleep

Insomnia

Treat the cause before the sedative.

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Clinical QuickieMedication Safety / TOC

Medication Reconciliation / Polypharmacy

Medication reconciliation is medication decision-making, not list verification.

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Clinical QuickieInfection

Vaginitis — BV vs Candida vs Trichomonas

Vaginal discharge is not one diagnosis.

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Clinical QuickieInfection

Uncomplicated Cystitis

Treat the bladder syndrome, not the urinalysis.

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Clinical QuickieWomen's Health

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

Stabilize, classify, then treat.

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Clinical QuickieEnd of Life / Advance Care Planning

POLST / Portable Medical Orders

POLST = Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment. It's a medical order, not an advance directive.

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Clinical QuickieEnd of Life / Advance Care Planning

Advance Directives

Future wishes ≠ current medical orders.

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Clinical QuickieEnd of Life / Advance Care Planning

Healthcare Power of Attorney

Emergency contact ≠ healthcare decision-maker.

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Clinical QuickieEnd of Life / Advance Care Planning

Advance Care Planning

The form is not the conversation.

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Clinical QuickieEnd of Life / Advance Care Planning

Hospice Appropriateness

Recognize the trajectory, not just the diagnosis.

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Clinical QuickieEnd of Life / Advance Care Planning

Palliative Care vs Hospice

Similar goals. Different timing.

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Clinical QuickieRenal / Electrolytes

Hypokalemia

Low potassium is the finding. The clinical question is why it is low — and whether it is dangerous.

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Clinical QuickieRenal / Electrolytes

Hypernatremia

High sodium is usually a water problem before it is a sodium problem.

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Clinical QuickieRenal / Electrolytes

Hypomagnesemia & Hypermagnesemia

Magnesium abnormalities rarely live alone — look at potassium, calcium, kidney function, medications, and symptoms.

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Clinical QuickieRenal / Electrolytes

AKI vs CKD vs Acute-on-Chronic

An abnormal creatinine tells you kidney function is abnormal. The timeline tells you whether it is acute, chronic, or both.

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Deep DiveEndocrine / Metabolic

A1c vs Serum Glucose

A1c reflects average glucose over 2–3 months — not current glucose. Hemolytic anemia and recent transfusion falsely lower it. A1c targets should be individualized — 7% is not universal.