Ch 24 Environmental Emergencies Flashcards
body temp is monitored and controlled by (2)
hypothalamus
brain
how does the body conserve heat
by constricting blood vsls (vasoconstriction) and sending warm blood from surface of skin to internal organs
? 3 organ systems are responsible for cooling the body?
skin
cardiovascular
respiratory
? r the 5 mechanisms heat loss occurs
radiation (most significant) convection conduction evaporation respiration
how is heat produced
metabolism
body heat lost to surrounding air, which becomes warmer, rises, and is replaced with cooler air
Wind Chill
convection
body heat is lost to nearby objects through direct physical contact (water chill)
conduction
high level humidity reduces heat by
evaporation
hypothermia is present at ? degree F
95
coma occurs at?
79 F
when does hyPERthermia occur
when body is unable to cool itself
most important phase in management for hypothermia
first 30 min
how soon can death occur in hypothermia
within 2 hrs
stages of hypothermia
mild
moderate
severe
profound
95 F to 91.4 F
mild
89.6 - 85.2 F
moderate
82.4 - 71.6 F
severe
68 - 48.2
profound
piloerection causes
goose bumps
body temp drops how many times faster in water
25-30
a clinical syndrome characterized by an absence or severe deficiency of hormone secreted by the thyroid
hypothyroidism
myxedema coma
complication that occurs late in progression of hypothyroidism can be fatal
local cold injury
occurs when ice crystals form between the cells of the skin
basic principles of emergency care for hypothermia
preventing heat loss
rewarming PT as quickly as possible
staying alert for complications
key to emergency care for local cold injury is to never
thaw the tissue if their is a possiblity of refreezing
the least serious form of heat related injury is muscle spasms or cramps pain to the flexor muscles that r thought to be as a result of the body losing salt or by electrolyte imbalance to the muscle
heat cramps
extreme physical exertion in a hot humid environment, also occurs when body’s cooling mechanisms have been expended
heat exhaustion
T/F heat stroke does not have to first suffer from heat cramps and heat exhaustion
true
this occurs when the thermoreregulatory mechanism of the body fails to sense and compensate for elevations of the core temp
extreme form of hypothermia
heat stroke
heart and nervous system effected by lightning strike T/F
True
high altitude
5,000 ft or greater
acute mountain sickness
6,600 ft or greater
high altitude pulmonary edema
8,000 ft or greater
high altitude cerebral edema
12,000 ft or greater
