Emergency Med Flashcards
keypoints in toxicology hx of ingestions, what does the acronym MATTERS stand for
Medication
Amount
Time taken
Toxicology of drug
Emesis/pill fragments
Reasons for taking
Signs and symptoms
when prescribing finasteride what also needs to go on the chart
women should not handle crushed or broken tablets
how do you determine treatment for paracetamol overdose
nomogram using the time they took the paracetamol
what is the treatment for paracetamol OD and should be commenced asap in px:
- plasma paracet conc falls on/above tx line
- present within 8hrs of ingestion if 150mg/kg +
- present 8-24 hrs after taking acute OD of >150mg/kg
acetylcysteine
how does acetylcysteine work
maintains cellular glutathione at a level which inactivates NAPQI which is a toxic metabolite, to reduce hepatic toxicity
what should be a consideration when prescribing acetylcysteine?
need to prescribe all stages of the regimen
what is a SE reaction that may occur with IV acetylcysteine therapy
anaphylactoid reaction
when does anaphylactoid reaction occur in terms of acetylcysteine therapy
soon/after 1st bag
what are symtpoms of anaphylactoid reaction
nausea, vom
flushing
urticarial rash
bronchospasm
how to treat anaphylactoid reaction
stop infusion
H1 antihistamine eg IV chloramphenamine STAT
nebulised salbutamol if needed
what to do if px is prone to anaphylactoid reacs
give prophylactic H1 and H2 antihistamines
pre treat w salbutamol nebulised
give first bag more slowly eg over 2 hrs
what do consider when prescribing PRN medications
indication, max amount in 25 hours, dosing interval
when taking a drug hx, what reference sources must you use at least 2 of?
px and pod
gp (referral, repeat Rx)
comm pharmacist
elec prescribing records/ med notes
SCR
what aspects of drug hx are often skipped but must be asked about
eye/ear drops
inhalers
injections
creams
contraceptives
herbal meds
3 symptoms of hypoglycaemia
sweating
fatigue
pale
how do you treat hypoglycaemia when the patient is unconscious
glucose 20% 75-100mL in large vein
what to give for hypoglycaemia when you have no IV access
SC glucagon and give larger long acting carb snack
when might glucagon be less effective in which px
alcohol use, sulfonylureas, chronic malnourishment
when administering insulin why should you not use a syringe with mL
leads to dosing errors, syringe should be measured in units