Aeromedical Flashcards
Hypoxia
“Reduced Oxygen” when your body cannot receive or use enough oxygen
4 Hypoxias
- Hypoxic Hypoxia
- Hypemic Hypoxia
- Stagnant Hypoxia
- Histotoxic Hypoxia
Hypoxic Hypoxia
Insufficient Oxygen available, such as blocked airway or drowning. This can happen at high altitudes where air is thinner and this less oxygen is available to breath.
Hypemic Hypoxia
“Not enough blood” this happens due to your blood not transport sufficient amounts of oxygen to the body. This often happens from illnesses.
Stagnant Hypoxia
“Not flowing” Oxygen rich blood in the lungs is not moving. A reason as to why your arm or leg falls asleep is due to deprivation of oxygen rich blood. This can happen from high Gs and cold temperatures.
Histotoxic Hypoxia
“Toxic cells” happens from cells needing oxygen being unable to use it, this happens from drugs, alcohol, narcotics, and poisons.
Symptoms of Hypoxia
- Cyanosis
- headache
- Decreased response to stimuli and increase reaction time
- Impaired Judgement
- Euphoria
- Visual Impairment
- Drowsiness
- Lightheaded or dizzy sensation
- Tingling in fingers and toes
- Numbness
Spatial Disorientation
When the pilot loses position, attitude, and movement of the plane. Can often happen from conflicting info from sensory details being fed to the brain.
Vestibular System
Organs in the inner ear that sense position based on balance
Somatosensory System
Nerves in the skin, muscles, and joints that, along with hearing, sense position based on gravity, feeling, and sound.
Visual System
Use of eyes to sense position
Acute Stress(short term)
Causes a flight or fight response from a perceived immediate danger. A healthy individual can usually cope with acute stress.
Chronic Stress(long term)
Can be developed from ongoing acute stress or from a level of burden that goes beyond the person’s ability to cope. Such burdens can be financial issues, relationships, or work problems. Performance under chronic stress can drop off rapidly.
Photopic Vision
Provides the capability of seeing color and fine details, but can only work in good lighting.
Mesopic Vision
Works best in mediocre light levels such as dawn, dusk, or full moonlight. The cones(color receptors) become less effective in such conditions and the rods start to become more effective.