Acute care Flashcards
differentials for collapse
hypoglycaemia
cardiac: postural hypotension,
arrhythmias, outflow obstruction [HOCM, severe AS, massive PE], vasovagal syncope
seizure
Lucy attends A&E finding it hard to breath. her lips are swollen and she has a diffuse rash. Her friend says she had just eaten a snack and then suddenly couldn’t breathe.
How would you manage lucy?
ANAPHYLAXIS
- IM adrenaline 0.5ml 1mg/1ml 1:1000
- 10mg chlorphenamine (anti-histamine)
- 100mg hydrocortisone
what are the boundaries of the triangle of safety for chest drain?
the lateral border of pectoralis major anterior; the mid-axillary line posterior and the level of nipple inferior
management of anaphylaxis
- A-E, stop drug, senior help, anaesthetics if concerned airway
- Adrenaline 1:1000 IM
- anterolateral thigh
- 5 minutes apart, different thigh
- after 2 consider refractory + start more Tx
- additional meds
- cetirizine 10mg adult
- hydrocortisone 200mg
- monitoring - pulse oximetry, ECG, blood pressure
what is refractory anaphylaxis and how is it management?
no response to 2 x adrenaline
-
Peripheral low dose adrenaline IV infusion
- 1 mg (1mL of 1mg/mL 1:1000) adrenaline in 100mLof 0.9% saline
- Start at 0.5-1 mL/kg/hour rate
- Should only be started by critical care/anaesthetics
- Continue IM adrenaline every 5 minutes while this infusion is being set up to address ongoing ABC issues
how do you estimate surface area burned?
A-E assessment for burns
A-E assessment
- A - assess for inhalation injury, consider pre-emptive intubation if high risk, C-spine protection
-
B - 100% O2, ABG, check carboxyhaemoglobin levels
- Inhalation burns - high flow O2 15L and urgent anaesthetic review regarding intubation
- C - 2 large bore IV, routine bloods, G&S, clotting, CK, aggressive fluid therapy, urinary catheter + UO monitoring
- D - GCS, temperature (risk of hypothermia)
-
E - estimate percental burns, tetanus booster
- Chemical burns - immediate irrigation of affected area
what is parkland’s formula
- for fluid resus in burns
- volume of crystalloid fluid to be given in first 24 hours
- Adults - 4mL (Hartmann’s) x weight (kg) x % TBSA burned
- Children - 3mL (Hartmann’s) x weight (kg) x % TBSA burned
- Give 50% calculated in 8 hours post burn and 50% in remaining 16 hours
shockable rhythms?
ventricular fibrillation
pulseless ventricular tachycardia
what are the non-shockable rhythm?
PEA
asystole
what are the reversible causes of arrest?
-
H
- Hypoxia
- Hypothermia
- Hyper/hypo-kalaemia
- Hypovolaemia
-
T
- Tension pneumothorax
- Tamponade
- Thrombosis
- Toxins
management of non-shockable rhythm
PEA and asystole
- Start CPR - 30:2
-
Adrenaline 1mg IM
- Continue giving every other cycle of CPR e.g. 1, 3, 5 (every 3-5 minutes)
- Atropine 3mg IV if rate < 60bpm
management of shockable rhythms
Ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, SVT
- Defibrillation shock (150 J)
- CPR - 2 minute cycle, 30:2
- Reassess rhythm
- Repeat steps 1-3 provided rhythm remains shockable
Drugs
- 1mg IV/IO adrenaline after 3rd shock, then every 3-5 minutes
-
300mg IV amiodarone bolus if shockable rhythm persisting after 3rd shock
- Consider 150mg IV/IO amiodarone after 5 shocks
ECG features of hypothermia
- bradycardia
- “J” wave formation on ECG
- Cardiac irritability starts around 33 degrees
what is hypothermia?
temp < 35
mild 32-25, moderate 30-28, severe < 28
what are the components of the qSOFA score?
-
> 2 indicates higher risk of mortality, used outside ICU
- Respiratory rate > 22/min
- Altered mentation (GCS < 15)
- Systolic BP < 100 mmHg