Aeromed Flashcards
1
Q
Flight restrictions due to exogenous factors
A
C-C-ASIA-PHDS-A-B-PHDA
-
0 hours:
- C: CS exposure - no restrictions with no residual systemic or local effects
-
6 hours:
- C: Centrifuge runs
-
12 hours:
- A: Alcohol - as long as no residual effects remain
- S: Simulator sickness - restriction starts after full resolution of symptoms
- I: Immunizations
- A: Anesthesia - local, regional, dental
-
24 hours:
- P: Plasma donation
- H: Hypobaric chamber > 25K
- D: Decompression experience > 10K
- S: SCUBA diving
-
48 hours:
- A: Anesthesia - general, spinal, epidural
-
72 hours:
- B: Blood donation - 200cc or more
-
Requires Flight Surgeon or APA approval:
- P: Performance enhancers
- H: Herbal supplements
- D: Dietary aids
- A: All medications except OTC listend in APL
2
Q
Definition of hypoxia
A
- Condition where the body lacks oxygen
3
Q
Types of hypoxia
A
-
Hypoxic
- Not enough oxygen pressure
- Altitude, lack of O² in the body
- Not enough oxygen pressure
-
Hypemic
- Reduction of the O² carrying capacity of the blood
- Carbon monoxide poison, smoking
- Reduction of the O² carrying capacity of the blood
-
Stagnat
- Decrease in circulation, pooling of blood
- Medical conditions, extreme G forces
- Decrease in circulation, pooling of blood
-
Histotoxic
- Interference with the use of O² by body tissues
- Alcohol, drugs, cyanide poison
- Interference with the use of O² by body tissues
4
Q
Stages of hypoxia
A
ICDC
-
Indifferent
- Sea level - 10,000 ft PA
- 98-90% O²
-
Compensatory
- 10,000 - 15,000 ft PA
- 89-80% O²
-
Disturbance
- 15,000 - 20,000 ft PA
- 79-70% O²
-
Critical
- > 20,000 ft PA
- < 69% O²
5
Q
Signs of hypoxia
A
- Signs are objective - observed by others
- Hyperventialation
- Cyanosis
- Mental confusion
- Poor judgement
- Muscle incoordination
6
Q
Symptoms of hypoxia
A
- Symptoms are felt by the individual:
- Air hunger
- Apprehension
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Hot/cold flahses
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Tunnel vision
- Blurred vision
- Belligerence
- Euphoria
7
Q
Prevention of hypoxia
A
PUL
- Pressurize the cabin
- Use supplemental O²
- Limit time at altitude
8
Q
Treatment of hypoxia
A
- Administer 100% O²
- Descend to altitude below 10,000 ft PA
9
Q
Definition of spatial disorientation
A
- An individual’s inability to determine position, attitude, and motion relative to a point of reference, usually the surface of the earth.
10
Q
Definition of vertigo
A
- A spinning sensation usually caused by a peripheral vestibular abnormality in the ear.
11
Q
Types of spatial disorientation
A
-
Type I: Unrecognized
- Most dangerous
- Type II: Recognized
- Type III: Incapacitating
12
Q
3 types of sensory systems
A
-
Visual
- Provides 80% of orientation
-
Vestibular
- Otolith organs: gravity, linear accel/deceleration
- Semicircular canals: angular acceleration, roll/pitch/yaw
-
Proprioceptive
- Sensors in joints, muscle, and skin
- Flying by “seat of your pants”
13
Q
Visual illusions
A
Fire Fire Fire CRASH CARS
-
F: Fascination/fixation
- Task saturation, focused inside (fascINation)
- Target fixation (outside) and ignore orientation cues
-
F: False horizons
- Confusion of cloud formation with the horizon or ground
-
F: Flicker vertigo
- Blades interrupting direct sunlight at 4-20 cycles per second
- Flashing anti-collision lights, especially in the clouds
-
C: Confusions with ground lights
- Ground lights perceived as celestial lights or vice versa
-
R: Relative motion
- Falsely preceived self-motion in relation to motion of another object
-
A: Altered planes of reference
- Inaccurate sense of altitude, attitude, or flight path in relation to a large object that replaces the horizon (mountains/valleys)
-
S: Size/distance
- Misinterpretation of an unfamiliar object’s size
-
H: Height/depth perception
- Due to lack of visual cues, perception that aircraft is higher than it actually is, lose sight of the ground
-
C: Crater
- Illusion that aircraft is landing in a hole or crater
- Created when searchlight is positioned too far under the nose
-
A: Autokinesis
- Static lights appear to move after staring at them for several seconds
-
R: Reversible perspective
- Aircraft appears to be going away when it is actually approaching
-
S: Structural
- Curvature of windscreen causes refraction of light rays
14
Q
Vestibular illusions
A
-
Somatogyral - semicircular canals
- Leans: failure to preceive angular motion
- Graveyard spin: equilibrium, no preceived motion
-
Coriolis illusion: intense sensation of tumbling
- Most dangerous of all vestibular illusions
-
Somatogravic - otolith organs
- Oculogravic: accel/decel = nose high illusion
- Elevator: vertical up/down = nose high illusion
- Oculoagravic: vertical down = nose low illusions
15
Q
Prevention of spatial disorientation
A
VVTS - FASH²
- V: visual, maintain references
- V: VMC or IMC, not both
- T: trust the instruments
-
S: self, avoid stressors
- F: Fatigue
- A: Anxiety
- S: Smoking
- H: Hypoglycemia
- H: Hypoxia