Dr Dave - Aviation Medicine Flashcards
What are the ways to slow premature ageing?
- Genetics
- Environment (avoid UV light)
- Avoid smoking/cigarettes
- Avoid toxic chemicals
- Eat well
- Avoid drugs and alcohol (especially high levels of alcohol)
- Eat antioxidants
- Control your weight
- Sleep well
- Try and avoid disease
- Exercise well and often
- Practice meditation/ mindfulness exercises
- Have a loving partner
- Laugh
What are the immediate effects of sudden decompression? what are the secondary effects of those?
- Noise - reduced communication
- Wind - cold, difficult to hold on
- Mist - reduced visibility, disorientation
What are some later effects of decompression
- Hypoxia
- Barotrauma
- Hypothermia
- Decompression sickness
What should pilot actions be in a decompression?
- Don Oxygen masks
- Start emergency descent down to 10,000ft
What the definition of G-LOC?
A state of altered perception where ones awareness of reality is absent as a result of a sudden, critical reduction in cerebral blood circulation caused by increased G-force
What is long duration exposure to G force defined as?
Longer than 2 seconds
What symptoms will occur under positive G’s?
-Less blood can return to the brain and heart
-Veins and arteries dilate and blood pools in the limbs and extremities
-Vision affected:
=Tunnel vision
=Grey-out
=Blackout
=LOC
What can you do to prevent G-LOC?
Tense legs and abdomen Anti-G straining manoeuvre Be healthy Avoid alcohol prior to experiencing Avoid tiredness Be physically fit G-suit Reclining seats to lower height of head above heart Positive pressure breathing Training and repeated exposure
Describe the anti-g straining manoeuvre?
- Close throat and try to force air out your mouth
- Cough
What is the definition of Hypoxia?
Lack of oxygen to critical tissues, sufficient to cause impairment of function
What are the different types of hypoxia relevant to aviation? describe each?
- Hypoxic hypoxia: due to lack of oxygen
- Anaemic Hypoxia: due to blood not carrying oxygen (normally due to CO poisoning)
What are the visual, physical and mental signs and symptoms of hypoxia?
Visual:
=Reduced colour perception
=Reduced night vision
Physical: =Tremors =Hypoxic Flap =No coordination =Slurred/ slow speech =LOC
Mental: =No judgement =Euphoria =Lethargy =Reduced short term memory capacity =Fixation =LOC
What factors can increase or decrease tolerance to hypoxic conditions?
- Altitude
- Time spent in those conditions
- Cold
- Illness/ tiredness
- Drugs/alcohol
- Stress
- Physical fitness
What treatment should be given for hypoxia? What would you expect to happen?
- Administer oxygen
- Reduce altitude
-Symptoms will worsen temporarily after oxygen is administered
What are the physical consequences of sleep deprivation?
- Greater risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes
- Hormone changes
- Reduced immune capacity
- High blood pressure
