Burns and Heat Emergencies Flashcards

1
Q

What can happen to your brain and vital organs if you do not get rid of excess heat fast enough?

A

Brain & vital organs will get damaged

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2
Q

What can Heat exhaustion put you at risk for

A

Heat stroke and if left untreated then death

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3
Q

How do humans get rid of excess heat?

A

Through the skin. Warm blood goes through dilated blood vessels and it evaporates through sweat

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4
Q

What are the five specific ways the body loses heat?

A

Radiation:indirect touch
Evaporation: perspiration
Convection: through air
Respiration: breathing
Conduction: through direct touch

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5
Q

How does the body conserve heat?

A

shivering and vasoconstriction(decreases blood flow)
goosebumps
Gain heat from the sun through radiation

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6
Q

How much of the human body is water? How do we lose water?

A

50-60% of the adults body weight
Lose 2 quarts through breathing, urinating, sweating, and bowel movements.

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7
Q

How much water is required for an adult versus how much an adult sweats?

A

2 quarts/ 2 liters a day of water
Can produce 2-3 quarts of sweat per hour or 10-15 quarts a day

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8
Q

How can dehydration occur and what are some signs of dehydration?

A

When drinking water cannot keep up with sweat losses
Headache and thirst
Best way: Monitor urine output- producing clear urine 5 times a day
Cloudy or dark urine and urinating fewer than 5 times a day- bad signs

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9
Q

How much water is the best amount to drink when working? Why is it not possible to “catch up on water”?

A

Drink 8 ounces of water every 20 minutes
16 ounces/ 1 pint is the most a person can drink at once; takes time for water to go through thee stomach and into the blood

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10
Q

What are the best fluids to avoid dehydration during warm weathers? What are some common beverages to avoid in general?

A

Cool fluids; little sodium and less than 8% of sugar
Alcoholic beverages, soda pop, and fruit juices should be avoided

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11
Q

What electrolytes are found in sweat and urine? What foods can you find them in? Explain the relationship between water and sodium?

A

Potassium and sodium- control the movement of water in and out of the cells
Bananas and nuts have potassium
Sodium is found in every diet- not an issue
More water should be consumed than sodium; more sodium can cause dehydration by drying up cells

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12
Q

When should you drink sports drinks?

A

In a vigorous physical activity lasting for more than 1 hour

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13
Q

What is water intoxication?

A

When drinking large amounts of water ( more than 1 quart/1 L of water per hour) and sweating excessively, electrolytes are flushed out.
Symptoms; frequent urination, behavior changes ( irrationality, combativess, seizures, and coma) weight gain, and puffiness to the face (edema)- results from hyponatremia- inadequate sodium in the body

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14
Q

What effects can humidity have on the risks of heat illness?

A

Sweating cannot occur on humid days. Drips off the skin without cooling the body.
The higher the humidity the lower the temperature for heat risk begins
The body cannot cool off

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15
Q

Who is at risk for heat illnesses?

A

Obese people, people w/ chronic illnesses, people w/ alcoholism
Older people: impaired cardiac output and decreased ability to sweat
Infants, young children, and pets
Car temperatures can be very hot even with windows open
Outdoor laborers and athletes
Heat waves- increase risk

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16
Q

What medications can alter sweat production?

A

Antihistamines, antipsychotics, and antidepressants

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17
Q

List some hot weather precautions

A

Keep cool indoors- air conditioning, cool bath. Showers, use stove & oven less
Wear light, loose-fitting clothing
Put on sunscreen SPF 15 or higher 3o minutes before going out
Go outside only in the evening and morning, rest in shady areas
Drink a lot of water
Athletes should drink 2-4 glasses of water an hour
Do not drink alcohol or sugary drinks
Monitor urine color
Keep a watch on people who are at risk for heat illnesses
Watch weather patterns
Do not leave people or pets unattended in a parked car

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18
Q

Describe heat exhaustion and list some symptoms and who it affects

A

Heavy sweating & above/ or is normal temperature
Severe dehydration
Affects workers, athletes who do not drink enough fluids
Symptoms; Severe thirst, heavy sweating, fatigue, nausea, vomiting & diarrhea

19
Q

Treatment of heat exhaustion:

A

Move to cool shady place
Spray/ douce cool water and fan vigorously
Sports drink, fruit juice, or lightly salted water or if no options- cool water
Call 9-1-1 if no improvements occur after 30 minutes

20
Q

Heat Stroke- name the two types, who it affects and symptoms

A

Classic Heatstroke: days to develop; summer heat waves
affects poor people, chronically ill, alcoholism or obesity or older people
No sweating
Exertional heatstroke: affects people who are healthy and active in hot environments
Affects athletes, laborers and military personnel
Symptoms: extremely hot skin, skin that is dry but wet from sweating, altered mental state flushed skin, flulike symptoms, body temperature above 104 degrees F

21
Q

Treatment of Heat Stroke:

A

Move to cool place and call 9-1-1
Remove all clothing and submerge person in very cold water
Or in a natural body or water
Other option: place human in tarp or plastic sheet and dump cold water and ice and hold sides up to make valley shape
Other option: Place ice packs everywhere or put chemical ice packs on palms, soles and cheeks
Stop cooling until mental status improves
DO not give ibuprofen or aspirin

22
Q

What are some key differences between heat stroke and heat exhaustion

A

Heat Stroke
<104 degrees F
Normal skin temp
Clammy– profuse sweating
Pale, ashen skin

Heat exhaustion
>104 degrees F
Very hot skin
Dry and will be sweating
Flushed skin
Altered mental status

23
Q

Describe heat cramps:

A

Painful muscle spasms in ab muscle of the back of leg during or after vigorous exercise
Heavy sweating

24
Q

Treatment of heat cramps;

A

Rest in cool pace
Lightly salted cool water or sports drinks
Lightly stretch and massage muscles
Apply ice pack to muscles

25
Define a burn
An injury in which soft tissue absorbs more energy than it can dissipate from thermal heat, chemicals, or electricity
26
Which group of individuals are at the highest risk for burns? Why?
Children younger than 5; adults older than 55 They have thinner skin and having limited ability to recognize and escape from fire or burning incident
27
What are the 3 classifications of burns? Describe them
Thermal Contact with hot objects, flammable vapor Steam and hot liquids Chemical Chemical agents (acids, alkalis, organic compounds) Alkali burns deeper Tissue damage depends on contact duration, skin thickness, and strength of the agent Electrical The severity of the injury depends on the type of current (direct or alternating), voltage, area of the body exposed, and duration. Induce ventricular fibrillation, respiratory arrest or freeze the person with powerful muscle contractions Low voltage can lead to no burns but cardiac or respiratory arrest
28
Describe a first degree superficial burn
Affects epidermis Redness, mild swelling, tenderness and pain Healing occurs in a week
29
Describe a Second degree partial-thickness burns
Affects inner layer and outer layer Blisters, swelling, weeping of fluids, and severe pain Capillary blood vessels are damaged giving up fluid in tissues
30
Describe Third degree full-thickness burns
Affects all skin layers Leathery, waxy, or pearly gray skin that could be charred Dry appearance
31
Describe the rule of nines
Head 9%, arm 9% Torso 18%, back 18%, each leg 18% Small children and infants: head 18% and leg is 14%
32
Rule of the hand
Fingers and thumb is 1%of TBSA Estimate unburned area and subtract from 100%
33
Why are burns of of the hands, feet face airway or genitalia be considered a critical burn?
A circumferential burn (finger, toe, arm, leg neck or chest)- possible constriction and cut off air flow Lose function in them
34
How do you treat 1st degree burn?
Immerse burn area in cool or cold water, place under running cold water, or apply a wet cool or cold compress for 20 minutes for burns <5% Atleast 10 minutes for large burns Keep burned arm or leg raised to reduce swelling or pain Have them drink water After burn has been cool, apply aloe vera gel or inexpensive skin moisturizer lotion (lotions with glycerin andmineral oil)
35
How do you treat 2nd degree burns?
Small: follow steps 1-3 Apply a thin layer of antibacterial ointment Cover the burn with loose, dry, nonstick sterile or clean dressing Have them drink water if they do not professional care Large: Follow steps 1-3 Apply cold but monitor for cold stress Call 9-1-1
36
How do you treat 3rd degree burns?
Cover the burn with dry, nonstick, sterile or clean dressing Call 9-1-1
37
How do you treat a chemical burn?
Call 9-1-1 If at a workplace send someone to check the safety data sheet for first aid or hazardous materials Avoid chemical contact and wear gloves and googles If the chemical is dry brush it off the skin with a gloved hand of piece of cloth Follow the step after wards Then, after dry brushing or if it is liquid remove clothing and jewlery and flush the burn with large amounts of cool running water for at least 30 minutes until EMS arrives If it is in the eye tip the head and wash the eye with warm water
38
What are the three types of electrical injuries
Thermal burn- flame Clothing or object sin direct contactwith the skin are ignited by an electric current; caused by flames produced by the electric current not the passage Arc burn- flash Electricity ums or arcs from one spot ot another True electrical injury- contact Electric current passes through the body; entrance wound and an exit wound Can affect heart rhythm, cardiac arrest, internal brurns, and other injuries
39
How do you treat electrical burns?
Check breathing or unresponsive person and if necessary do CPR Call 9-1-1 immediately If the person fell check for broken bones or spinal injury Most electrical burns are 3rd degree so cover all burn wounds with dry sterile dressing
40
What are some common causes of indoor electrical burns?
Faulty electrical equipment, or careless use fo electrical appliances. Turn off electricity and do not touch person until it is off
41
What are some problems with burns?
airway issues toxic inhalations musculoskeletal injuries loss of body fluids pain and swelling anxiety infection
42
What can inhalation injuries be caused by?
carbon monoxide toxic chemicals or smoke heat inhalation
43
Symptoms of inhalation injuries
stridor burns of face singed nasal hair carbon in saliva/ mouth dyspnea cyanosis restlessness coughing
44
Carbon monoxide symptoms
cyanosis, altered mental state, headahce, weakness, and cyanosis