Basic Life Support Flashcards
What is Basic life support (BLS)?
Basic Life Support (BLS) is a level of medical care used for patients experiencing life-threatening emergencies, such as cardiac arrest, respiratory distress, or airway obstruction. It is designed to maintain circulation and breathing until advanced medical help arrives
Elements of basic life support
-Initial assessment
-Airway maintenance
-Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
What are the factors that improve the effectiveness of basic life support?
-Early recognition of cardiac arrest
-Adequate chest compressions
-Team work and communication among responders
-Monitoring the patients airways, breathing, and Circulation (ABC)
-Timely and high quality CPR
Glassgow coma score
Eye opening response
- Spontaneously
- To speech
- To pain
- No response
Verbal response
5. Oriented to time, person and place
- Confused
- Inappropriate words
- Incomprehensible sounds
- No response
Motor response
6. Obeys command
- Moves to localised pain
- Flex to withdraw from pain
- Abnormal flexion
- Abnormal extension
- No response
What are the 4Hs of cardiac arrest?
-Hypoxia
-Hypovolemia
-Hypo/ Hyperkalemia
-Hypothermia
What are the 4Ts of cardiac arrest?
-Thrombosis (Coronary or pulmonary)
-Tension Pneumothorax
-Tanponade (Cardiac)
-Toxins
Advanced vs basic life support?
ALS is designed for healthcare professionals, whereas BLS is designed for a broader range of individuals.
ALS covers complex cardiovascular emergencies, whereas BLS focuses on basic life-saving procedures.
ALS includes administering medications, whereas BLS does not.
ALS requires a higher level of medical knowledge, whereas BLS does not.
ALS is used in healthcare settings, whereas BLS can be used in both healthcare and non-healthcare settings.
ALS involves advanced techniques like cardioversion and intubation, whereas BLS involves basic techniques like CPR and airway management.
ALS assumes a higher level of training and expertise, whereas BLS assumes a basic level of training.
