Aviation Medicine Flashcards
Some passengers suffering from certain medical conditions may become hypoxic at normal cabin altitude. What are the four medical conditions?
- heart and blood vessel disease
- lung disease
- anaemia and other blood disorders
- intoxication from drugs and alcohol
What are the cpr rates for a baby
30:2 using two fingers
What are the cpr rates for an infant
30:2 with one hand using the heel
What are the cpr rates for an aldult
30:2 using two hands on the heel
What are the procedures for a choking passenger?
effective cough:
Partial obstruction
Give reassurance and encourage to expel foreign object
Ineffective cough: Severe obstruction Learn pax forward with head low 5 back blows between shoulder blades If ineffective, 5 chest thrusts If ineffective, continue alternating 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts. If they become unconscious follow DRSABC
How would you treat a bleeding nose
Advise pax not to blow nose Pinch bridge of nose firmly Pax sit upright with head forward Loosen clothing on neck Sit quietly and breathe through mouth. Wet towels on neck and forehead After 30 mins of bleeding persists, seek medical advise.
How to you treat a passenger suffering from motion sickness?
- provide sick bag
- cold towel and glass of water
- air vent in face
- advise to look at the horizon out window
- reassure them
- utilise hygiene kit if needed
What are the 6 steps to onboard treatment in first aids
Notify captain and provide as much info as possible Make a pa requesting medical assistance Sight appropriate ID Ensure passengers Ensure easy access
Can we provide panadol to a passenger.
Yes, however you must show them the packaging and check for no allergies. If taken, you will need to complete a HIRO and CCTR
What are 5 mild, moderate and severe symptoms of hypoxia
Mild- fatigue, feeling of warmth, listleness and vague distress, lack of concentration.
Moderate- euphoria, mood swings and confusion, blueness, invulnerability.
Severe- blue pallor of skin, loss of consciousness, twitching limbs, convulsions, death.
What is the treatment for hypoxia?
Conscious pax- oxygen sitting upright
Unconscious- oxygen in recovery position
Oxygen until condition relieved
Recovery occurs rapidly when adequate amount of oxygen is supplies, sudden onset of dizziness during recovery is common but should pass quickly
What does DRSABC stand for
Danger Response Send for help Airway Breathing Cpr
What is the treatment for a passenger with a ruptured ear drum?
Follow general actions for first aid
Reassure the passenger and lay the passenger down or have them lean to the affected side
Do not plug the ear, fluids need to drain out onto a clean pan.
Advise the pax to seed medical attention on arrival.
What is the aim for first aid
P- protect the unconscious
P- prevent from further injury
P- promote recovery
P- preserve life
What are the 4 general actions in first aid?
Talk and act with confidence
Handle pax gentle
Loosen tight clothing around chest, neck and waist
Distract pax from sight of injury
What are the 9 steps to caring for an unconscious passenger
Move pax to front of cabin
Place furthers arm in right angle to body
Place nearest arm across the chest
Bend nearest knee upwards
Roll pax away from you and support in position until the airway and breathing have been checked
If pax has a pulse and is breaking, adjust upper knee so thigh is at a right angle to the hip
Place the upper arm across elbow of the lower arm
How do you use a larderal pocket mask on an infant
Reverse the mask and place narrow part on chin, support jaw without tilting head backwards
Apply over face and cover mouth and nose
Puff into mask and ensure chest movement
Turn head to listen and feel for escape of air. Ensure mask is properly sealed
You should do CPR until?
Signs of life reruns
Qualified help arrives
If possible to continue
If an authorise person prounces dead.
What are the signs and symptoms of hyperventilation
Symptoms: dizzy, faint, nauseous, rapid pulse and palpitations
Signs: nervous, excited, fear, stress or anxiety.
What is the treatment for hyperventilation
Reassure pax
Offer oxygen on high flow (4LPM)
Seek medical advise
If becomes unconscious, DRSABC
What is the treatment for trapped ear gas?
Swallow frequently, yawn and chew.
Offer vapodrops
Hold nose and blow out to try release trapped gas.
What is the treatment for a pax suffering sinus pain?
Blow nose one side at a time
Offer vapodrops
If pain persists, seek medical advice on landing
List 5 of the general actions for first aid
Talk and act with confidence Handle pax gently Loosen tight clothing around neck and chest Distract them from sight of injury Notify on board relatives
What is the best position for a passenger suffering a nose bleed
Sitting upright with head forward, pinching bridge of the nose
What is the best position for a passenger suffering breathing difficulty
Sit down and learn forward on support (eg. Traytable)
What are the signs and symptoms for a passenger suffering asthma
Signs: difficulty breathing, wheezing, tight chest, clammy.
Symptoms: possible unconsciousness anxiety, pale, fatigue
How to treat a pax suffering from an asthma attack?
Offer oxygen on high flow for 4LPM
don’t leave them alone
If no relief, seek urgent medical attention
If pax becomes unconscious, follow DRSABC
The area in the atmosphere in which the human body is able to function without any major deficiency is called the physiological zone. Where in the troposphere is this zone?
Sea level to 10,000 ft
The atmosphere is made up of what gasses?
78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other gasses
What is the time of useful consciousness at 20,000 ft
Moderate activity- 5 minutes & sitting quietly 12 minutes.
What are four symptoms of moderate hypoxia?
Invulnerability, mood swings and confusion, Euphoria and breathlessness.
What is hyperventilation
Lack of carbon dioxide from the blood.
How long after scuba diving should you avoid flying
24 hours
What are some causes of hyperventilation
Nervousness, stress, anxiety, excitement and fear
How would Cabin Crew recognise asthma in a passenger
Difficulty in breathing, wheezing, pale, blue lips, holding/grabbing chest
How do you recognise a sprain?
Pain and tenderness around the joint with swelling followed by bruising.
What are symptoms of motion sickness
Pale, nausea, vomiting, clammy hands, salvation
How do you treat angina?
Follow general actions for first aid
Allow pax to self administer their medication
Administer oxygen on high flow 4L per minute
If pain not relieved within 10 minutes, treat as a heart attack
How do you treat abdominal pain?
Follow general actions of first aid
Assist pax to curl into comfortable position to relax abdominal muscles
Cover with blanket to keep warm
Don’t give food or fluid
Observe carefully
If pain increases or no movement, seek medical advice and ask for an ambulance to meet the aircraft.
If passenger becomes unconscious, follow drsabc
How would Cabin Crew treat hypoglycaemia?
Identify if diabetic (ask questions or look for medical tag)
Give some form of sugar as soon as possible. (Coke, lemonade or orange juice) Repeat every 15 minutes until recovery.
If passenger becomes unconscious, follow drsabc and arrange to be transferred to the hospital immediately. In this case, do not administer anything by mouth.
What are the symptoms of severe hypoxia
Blue skin Loss of consciousness Twitching of the limbs Convulsions It may even result in death
What are the symptoms of moderate hypoxia
Mood swings and confusion Breathlessness Invulnerability Euphoria Blueness in fingertips and lips Tachycardia
What are the symptoms of mild hypoxia
Fatigue Feeling of warmth Listlessness or vague distress Lack of concentration Reduced performance Dizzy with blurred vision Headache
What is Dalton’s law?
Gas molecules of high pressure will always move in the direction of lower pressure
What is hypoxia
Defined as broadly finished availability of oxygen to the body tissues due to insufficient oxygen reaching the blood
What factors could affect the time of useful consciousness?
- pre existing medical conditions
- drugs and alcohol
- physical activity
- altitude
- rate of ascent
What is time of useful consciousness
Time it takes for a person to become incapacitated by the effect of hypoxia.
What is the TUC at 18,000 ft
Moderate activity- 10 min
Sitting quietly - 30 min
What is hyperventilation
Lack of carbon dioxide from the blood
What is decompression sickness
Known as bubble formation or “the bends”
What is the difference between hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia
Hypo - “o” is low.
Hyper- high insulin
