Acute care and conditions Flashcards
Acute care and conditions
What are the features of alcohol withdrawal syndrome?
Autonomic hyperactivity Tremulousness Restlessness Hallucinations Seizures Delirium tremens
What is the cause of AWS?
Body has increased levels of glutamate to balance the GABA/alcohol to glutamate ratio
Sudden withdrawal of alcohol means there is an imbalance of GABA to glutamate
high glutamate –> excitatory symptoms
What is delirium tremens?
Rapid onset of confusion and AWS features 2-3 days post-withdrawal
What are the investigations for AWS?
U+E
LFTs, INR
Glucose
Toxicology screen
What is the management for an alcohol-dependant Pt who can be managed at home?
Advice to slowly reduce alcohol
Provide information on local alcohol support services
What is the management of AWS?
- Benzodiazepines (chlordiazepoxide, diazepam)
- Pabrinex (B vitamins) to prevent Wernicke’s
- Glucose (if hypoglycaemic)
- Manage alcohol dependence
What is the CIWA-Ar?
10 item assessment tool used to quantify severity of AWS
What is the medical treatment for AWS?
1st line- benzodiazepines (chlordiazepoxide)/clomethiazole
- oral: mild
- IV: moderate/severe
Seizure- lorazepam
What are the features of anaphylaxis?
Wheeze
Hives
Facial swelling
Nausea/vomiting
What is the immediate management of anaphylaxis?
Call for help Remove trigger Position Pt with raised legs ABC IM adrenaline 0.5mg 1:1000 100% oxygen
What is the post-resusitation management of anaphylaxis?
Slow chlorphenamine/diphenhydramine and ranitidine (antihistamine)
Slow IV hydrocortisone
Neb salbutamol/ipratropium if wheezy
What is the post-resusitation investigation of anaphylaxis?
Serum tryptase + plasma histamine:
- at time of stabilisation
- 1/2 hours later
Don’t need to do if diagnosis of anaphylaxis is definite
What are the features of paracetamol overdose?
Asymptomatic for 24hrs
Nausea, vomiting abdo pain 2-3 days after ingestion
What are the investigations for paracetamol overdose?
Serum paracetamol level ASAP
Serum AST/ALT
Arterial pH/lactate
U+E
What are the causes of opiate overdose?
Substance abuse/recent abstinence
Self harm
Iatrogenic
What are the features of opiate overdose?
Miosis Bradypnoea Altered mental status Needle marks Decreased GI motility Dramatic response to naloxone
What are the investigations for opiate overdose
Therapeutic trial of naloxone
ECG- MI/QRS prolongation
What are the indications for placing a catheter?
Obstruction (BPH) Bladder weakness or nerve damage Childbirth with epidural Before, during and after surgery Delivery of medication directly to bladder (chemo for bladder cancer) Urinary incontinence
What are the complications of placing a catheter?
Recurrent UTIs Trauma Accidental removal Renal complications- kidney stones, hydronephrosis, scarring Pain Recurrent blockage
What are the indications for epidural injections?
Analgesia
- single injection for pain relief
- post operative
Anaesthesia
-slower onset than spinal analgesia – gradual decrease in BP
-adjunct to general anaesthesia
sole anaesthetic technique: Cesarean sections
What are the complications of epidural injections?
Failure to achieve analgesia or anaesthesia Accidental dural puncture with headache Bloody tap Catheter placement into vein Misplacement in subarachnoid space Neurological injury Abscess
What are the indications of ABGs?
Respiratory failure- acute or chronic Cardiac failure Liver failure Renal failure Hyperglycaemic states- DM Multiorgan failure Sepsis Burns Poisons/toxins Ventilated patients Severely unwell patients
What are the complications of ABGs?
Local haematoma Arterial vasospasm Arterial occlusion Air or thrombus embolism Local anaesthetic anaphylactic reaction Infection at puncture site Vessel laceration Needlestick injury to health care professional
How do you take a blood transfusion specimen?
2 G+S pink vials
Label at the bedside handwritten
How do you monitor a blood transfusion?
Assess baseline observations
Monitor Pt vital signs
Document everything
Halt transfusion immediately if adverse reaction occurs
A 21 yo M is brought in to A&E by his friends because he is unresponsive. On examination you find miosis and a respiratory rate of 8 bpm. The patient is deeply unresponsive to pain.
What is the most likely explanation for this presentation?
A. Aspirin overdose B. Anaphylactic shock C. Opiate overdose D. Paracetamol overdose E. The patient is sleeping
C. Opiate overdose
A 40 yo M is brought in to A&E by his friends because he is unresponsive. His friends tell you that he has just had a seizure before coming to A&E. They reluctantly tell you that he is now abstinent from alcohol for 1 week.
What is the best immediate management for this patient?
A. IV Lorazepam B. Send to ITU C. Watch and wait D. Start 0.9% saline infusion E. Give oxygen 100%
A. IV Lorazepam
A 50 yo M known alcoholic presents to A&E with restlessness and tremors. He is anxious, pacing in the hallway. His observations show a HR of 121 bpm, BP of 169/104 mmHg. On further questioning he states he is nauseous and you can see he is visibly shaking. He says his symptoms started to develop 5 hours after his last drink.
What is the best management for this patient?
A. Admit and give IV Lorazepam B. Send him home with some information on contacting local alcohol support service C. Admit and give oral Lorazepam D. Send him home with no treatment E. Watch and wait
C. Admit and give oral Lorazepam
What is the definition of acute aspirin overdose?
A. Single dose equivalent of >150mg/kg or >6.5 g
B. Single dose equivalent of >100mg/kg or >4.5 g
C. Repeated exposure to high dose aspirin or equivalent
D. Taking more than a box of Boots aspirin in one sitting
A. Single dose equivalent of >150mg/kg or >6.5 g