Medical triads are classic combinations of three clinical features that point toward a specific disease or syndrome. They play a vital role in medical education because they simplify complex clinical presentations and make diagnosis easier to remember, especially during examinations and bedside practice. From commonly asked triads like Beck’s and Charcot’s to rare but high-yield syndromes such as Alport’s and Kartagener’s, these triads are frequently tested in undergraduate, postgraduate, and competitive medical exams. This blog presents an alphabetically arranged, high-yield list of important medical triads to help students, interns, and healthcare professionals strengthen their concepts, improve recall, and revise efficiently in a short time.
- Alport’s syndrome – Sensorineural deafness, Progressive renal failure, Ocular anomalies
- Anaphylaxis – Hypotension, Bronchospasm, Urticaria
- Aortic regurgitation – Bounding pulse, Wide pulse pressure, Dyspnea
- Aortic stenosis – Angina, Syncope, Dyspnea
- Appendicitis (McBurney’s) – Pain, Fever, Vomiting
- Asthma – Wheeze, Dyspnea, Cough
- Bartter syndrome – Metabolic alkalosis, Hypokalemia, Normal/low BP
- Beck’s triad – Hypotension, Muffled heart sounds, Raised JVP
- Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome – Macroglossia, Omphalocele, Gigantism
- Behçet’s syndrome – Oral ulcers, Genital ulcers, Uveitis
- Beri-beri – Neuropathy, Cardiomyopathy, Edema
- Bochdalek hernia – Respiratory distress, Dextrocardia, Scaphoid abdomen
- Bronchiectasis – Chronic cough, Copious sputum, Hemoptysis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome – Pain, Numbness, Tingling
- Charcot’s triad – Pain, Fever, Jaundice
- Cholecystitis (Murphy’s) – Pain, Fever, Vomiting
- Cirrhosis – Ascites, Jaundice, Portal hypertension
- Congenital rubella syndrome – PDA, Cataract, Deafness
- COPD – Dyspnea, Chronic cough, Sputum
- Crohn’s disease – Abdominal pain, Diarrhea, Weight loss
- Cushing’s triad – Hypertension, Bradycardia, Irregular respiration
- Dengue – Fever, Myalgia, Thrombocytopenia
- Diabetic ketoacidosis – Hyperglycemia, Ketosis, Metabolic acidosis
- Down syndrome – Intellectual disability, Epicanthic fold, Hypotonia
- Eclampsia – Hypertension, Seizures, Proteinuria
- Eisenmenger syndrome – Pulmonary HTN, Cyanosis, Clubbing
- Fat embolism syndrome – Dyspnea, Neurological signs, Petechial rash
- Glaucoma (acute) – Eye pain, Red eye, Visual loss
- Gout – Pain, Redness, Swelling
- Gradenigo’s syndrome – Abducens palsy, Otorrhea, Retro-orbital pain
- Grancher’s triad – Skodaic resonance, ↑ Vocal fremitus, ↓ Vesicular breath sounds
- Graves’ disease – Goiter, Exophthalmos, Tachycardia
- HELLP syndrome – Hemolysis, Elevated liver enzymes, Low platelets
- Hemobilia (Sandblom’s) – Melena, Obstructive jaundice, Biliary colic
- HELLP syndrome – Hemolysis, Elevated liver enzymes, Low platelets
- Horner’s syndrome – Ptosis, Miosis, Anhidrosis
- Hutchinson’s triad – Hutchinson teeth, Interstitial keratitis, Deafness
- Insulinoma (Whipple’s) – Hypoglycemia, Plasma glucose <40 mg/dL, Relief with glucose
- Kartagener’s syndrome – Bronchiectasis, Sinusitis, Situs inversus
- Kwashiorkor – Growth retardation, Mental changes, Edema
- Leprosy – Hypopigmented patch, Sensory loss, Nerve thickening
- Ménière’s disease – Vertigo, Tinnitus, SN hearing loss
- Melkersson–Rosenthal syndrome – Facial palsy, Fissured tongue, Facial edema
- Mitral regurgitation – Dyspnea, Fatigue, Palpitations
- Mitral stenosis – Dyspnea, Hemoptysis, Atrial fibrillation
- Nephrotic syndrome – Proteinuria, Hypoalbuminemia, Edema
- Nephritic syndrome – Hematuria, Hypertension, Oliguria
- Osler–Weber–Rendu syndrome – Telangiectasia, Epistaxis, Bleeding tendency
- Pancoast tumor – Shoulder pain, Horner’s syndrome, Hand muscle wasting
- Parkinsonism – Tremor, Rigidity, Bradykinesia
- Pellagra – Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Dementia
- Peptic ulcer disease – Pain, Nausea, Hematemesis
- Pheochromocytoma – Headache, Sweating, Hypertension
- Pneumonia – Fever, Cough, Breathlessness
- Polycystic ovary syndrome – Oligomenorrhea, Hirsutism, Obesity
- Raynaud’s phenomenon – Pallor, Cyanosis, Redness
- Rheumatoid arthritis – Morning stiffness, Joint swelling, Deformity
- Rickets – Bow legs, Delayed dentition, Bone pain
- Saint’s triad – Hiatus hernia, Gallstones, Diverticulosis
- Samter’s triad – Aspirin sensitivity, Asthma, Nasal polyps
- Sarcoidosis – Lymphadenopathy, Lung infiltration, Skin lesions
- Scurvy – Bleeding gums, Petechiae, Poor wound healing
- Septic arthritis – Pain, Fever, Restricted movement
- SIADH – Hyponatremia, Low serum osmolality, Euvolemia
- SLE – Malar rash, Arthritis, Renal involvement
- Temporal arteritis – Headache, Jaw claudication, Visual loss
- Tuberculosis – Cough, Weight loss, Night sweats
- Turner syndrome – Short stature, Webbed neck, Amenorrhea
- Trotter’s syndrome – Conductive deafness, Trigeminal neuralgia, Palatal paralysis
- Ulcerative colitis – Bloody diarrhea, Tenesmus, Weight loss
- Virchow’s triad – Stasis, Hypercoagulability, Endothelial injury
- Weil’s disease – Jaundice, Renal failure, Hemorrhage
- Wernicke’s encephalopathy – Confusion, Ophthalmoplegia, Ataxia
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