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Paramedic Curriculum > Chapter 8C - Diagnostic Signs > Flashcards

Chapter 8C - Diagnostic Signs Flashcards

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0
Q

Chronic

A

Of long duration, such as a chronic disease like hypertension

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1
Q

Acute

A

Having rapid onset of severe symptoms

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2
Q

Agitation

A

Being upset, or hyper, very concerned

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3
Q

Aggravation

A

Being angry and probably agitated

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4
Q

Alleviate

A

To relieve or make go away, as in splinting helps alleviate the pain

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5
Q

Amnesia

A

Loss of memory

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6
Q

Anisocoria

A

Unequal pupils

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7
Q

Artifact

A

Artificial action – something extra that should not be there

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8
Q

Asymmetrical

A

Not symmetrical

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9
Q

Crepitus

A

The grating or grinding of broken bone ends

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10
Q

diaphoresis

A

Excessive sweating

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11
Q

Distention

A

To stretch out

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12
Q

Nasal flaring

A

A sign of respiratory compromise

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13
Q

Nystagmus

A

The horizontal or vertical jerking of the eyeball when they look away from the center – often observed with drug abuse

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14
Q

Photophobia

A

hypersensitivity to bright light – wishing to avoid it – commonly seen with hangovers and meningitis

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15
Q

Ventilation

A

Moving air – to move air into and out of the lungs

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16
Q

Respiration

A

To utilize the oxygen we breathe through gas exchanges both in the lungs, and at the cellular level

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17
Q

What are the 12 diagnostic signs?

A
  1. pulse
  2. respirations
  3. Blood-pressure
  4. Skin color
  5. Skin moisture
  6. Skin temperature
  7. Pupils
  8. Level of consciousness
  9. Reaction to pain
  10. Ability to move
  11. Breath sounds
  12. Respiratory patterns
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18
Q

Pulse - fast & weak (causes)

A

Shock, heat exhaustion, diabetic coma

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19
Q

Pulse – fast and strong (causes)

A

Freight, stress, fever, hypertension, heat stroke, stimulant drugs (amphetamines, cocaine)

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20
Q

Pulse – slow and weak (causes)

A

Downer drug overdose (sedative – hypnotics, tranquilizers, opiates), impending doom

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21
Q

Pulse - slow and strong (causes)

A

Stroke, head injury

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22
Q

Respirations – rapid and shallow (causes)

A

Airway obstruction (partial), heart failure, chest or abdominal injury or pain

23
Q

Respiration – rapid and deep (causes)

A

Diabetic coma, head injury, stress

24
Q

Respirations – slow and shallow (causes)

A

Downer drug overdose (sedative – hypnotics, tranquilizers, opiates), impending doom

25
Q

respirations – labored (causes)

A

Airway obstruction

26
Q

Blood pressure – high (causes)

A

Fright, stress, heading injury, central nervous system problems, poisoning (black widow, scorpion), some medical problems

27
Q

Blood pressure – low (causes)

A

Shock, internal bleeding, (could be normal for this patient)

28
Q

Blood pressure – rising (causes)

A

Could indicate rising intracranial pressure

Monitor it – elevate head

29
Q

Blood pressure – falling (causes)

A

Cardiogenic shock, septic shock, G.I. bleeding, ectopic pregnancy, bleeding related to pregnancy, ruptured aorta

Monitor it – elevate legs, give oxygen

30
Q

Erythema (causes)

A

Fever, diabetic coma, (possibly) heat stroke, hypertension

31
Q

Palor/pale (causes)

A

Stress, shock, hypoglycemia, heat exhaustion, heart attack sometimes

32
Q

Cyanosis (causes)

A

Airway obstruction, respiratory insufficiency, pump failure, shock, dramatic asphyxia

indicates poor tissue oxygenation

33
Q

Ashen (causes)

A

Gray

heart attack, or extremely poor tissue perfusion

34
Q

Blotchy, mottled (causes)

A

Shock, poor perfusion

35
Q

List 4 places other than the skin generally where you can check skin color if the patient is not why (Caucasian) or does not have pale skin

A
  1. Thenar prominence (base of thumb)
  2. Nailbeds (Cannot be relied upon too affected by environment)
  3. Inside lower eyelids
  4. Lips
36
Q

Skin moisture – dry (causes)

A

Normal

37
Q

Skin moisture – damp (causes)

A

Shock, fright, stress (if warm, may be hot and sweaty) (if cool, may be in shock)

38
Q

Skin moisture – very sweaty (causes)

A

Heart attack, insulin shock, shock

39
Q

Skin temperature

A

Hot, cold, or normal

if the patient is sick and with a low-grade fever or slight temperature, you would describe it to the nurse as hot, because to a nurse, warm is normal

40
Q

Pupils – perl

A

Pupils are equal and reactive to light

41
Q

Pupils – normal size

A

Pupils are normally from 1.5 mm - 6 mm

42
Q

Pupils – constricted (or pinpointed) (causes)

A

Bright light, opiates/heroin overdose, or some poisonings (organophosphates)

43
Q

Pupils – midpoint (causes)

A

Dead

44
Q

Pupils – dilated (causes)

A

Stress, Fright, coma, shock, amphetamine or stimulant overdose, head injury, dead (early stage)

45
Q

Pupils - reaction to light

A

Should be very fast

46
Q

Pupils – rapid reaction to light (causes)

A

Saying this means that they react to light a very rapidly = normal

47
Q

Pupils - sluggish (causes)

A

Means that they do react, but not as fast as normal = sedative drugs, cerebral hypoxia, head injuries, cerebral edema

48
Q

Pupils – fixed (causes)

A

Means that they do not react = dead, blind, glass eye, sedative drugs

49
Q

When checking pupils what are the 3 things you check for?

A

Size, symmetry, reaction to light

50
Q

Pupils – symmetry

A

They should be equal. But, 10% of all people have slightly unequal pupils normally (but usually only 1mm different)

51
Q

Pupils – equal

A

Normal

52
Q

Pupils – unequal (causes)

A

Head injury, stroke, glass eye

Presume that we mean “significantly unequal”. And remember that people with cataracts often have unequal pupils all the time

53
Q

Oval pupil significance?

A

An oval pupil may be an early sign of increasing intracranial pressure

54
Q

Pie shaped wedge cut out pupil?

A

A pupil with the pie shaped wedge cut out of it indicates that the person has had cataract surgery

55
Q

Pupil - consensually

A

Pupils should we consensually – meaning if you shin light in one, both should constrict together

Paramedic Curriculum (22 decks)

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