Emergency Medicine Flashcards
rx: thyroid storm
Symptom control:
IV propanolol
IV digoxin if propanolol fails or is contraindicated (e.g. asthma, low BP)
Reduce thyroid activity:
Propylthiouracil - preferred because it inhibits peripheral thyroxine conversion
Lugol’s iodine 4 hours later
Methimazole/carbimazole is considered second-line
IV hydrocortisone to reduce thyroid inflammation
Treat complications: (e.g. heart failure, hyperthermia)
symp: lifethreatening asthma attck
The best way to remember the features of a life-threatening asthma attack is A CHEST 92:
Altered consciousness
Cyanosis
Hypotension
Exhaustion
Silent Chest
Threatening Peak Flow: <33% best or predicted
Oxygen saturations <92%
ECG shocking
Advanced Life Support
Pulseless Electrical Activity and Asystole definitions
According to the adult advanced life support algorithm, Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA) and Asystole fall under the non-shockable rhythms.
PEA is where the ECG shows electrical activity that should produce a pulse, but where cardiac output is absent, or insufficient, such that a pulse is not clinically detectable.
Asystole is a cardiac arrest rhythm with no discernible electrical activity on the ECG monitor
Management of PEA and Asystole
These rhythms are not compatible with life, and CPR should be commenced immediately with interruptions minimised.
Adrenaline 1mg IV is given in the first cycle, and, should a non-shockable rhythm persist, every other cycle (i.e. cycles 1, 3, 5 etc.).
Ventricular Fibrillation and Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia definitions
According to the adult advanced life support algorithm, VF and pulseless Ventricular tachycardia fall under the category of shockable rhythms.
Ventricular tachycardia presents as a regular broad complex tachycardia on cardiac monitoring.
Ventricular fibrillation presents as as chaotic irregular deflections of varying amplitude
Management of VF and pulseless VT
Defibrillation and CPR are the mainstays of treatment. However if persistent, Amiodarone 300mg IV (same dose used to treat monomorphic VT) and Adrenaline 1mg IV (1:10,000) can be given after the third shock has been delivered.
Amiodarone is given as a one-off dose. However Adrenaline may be repeated every other cycle following a shock (i.e. cycles 3, 5, 7 etc.)
most important investigation in tca overdose
12 lead ECG - QRS prolongation and PR and QT interval prolongation, which can easily progress to heart blocks and ventricular arrhythmias
tx: torsades de pointes
magnesium sulfate
ECG lead placement
Ride Your Green Bike - red, yellow, green black going clockwise from right shoulder
def: critically ill patient
patients with acute pathology and orgna dysfunction that is life-threatening if not recognised and treated promptly
NEWS scores monitoring
0 = min 12 hrly
1-4 = min 4-6 hrly
3 in single parameter = min 1 hrly
5+ = urgent response and min 1 hrly
7+ = continuous monitoring ?ICU
type 1 v type 2 RF
type 1 = hypoxia and no effect on CO2 (pneumonia/pulm. oedema/ARDs)
type 2 = hypoxia and hypercapnia (COPD/respiratory depression/drug overdose)
signs: type 1 RF
- tachypnoea
- tachycardia
- dyspnoea
- cyanosis
- confusion
- irritability
- arrhytmia
- fits
signs: type 2 RF
- warm extremeties
- change of behaviour
- headache
- coma
- papilloedema
- astrexis
symptoms and signs: acute asthma adult
severe:
3392 CHEST
PEF <33%
sats <92%
cyanosis
hypotension
exhaustion
silent chest
tachycardia
altered consiousness, poor resp effort, normal PPCO2, hypoxia
severe
PEF 33-50%
sats <92%
HR >110
RR >25
inability to complete sentences
moderate
PEF 50-75%
sats >92%
increasing symptoms
10 puffs salbutamol not helped
signs and symptoms: acute asthma children
moderate:
* able to talk in sentences
* O2>92%
* peak flow >50%
* HR <140 1-5 y
* HR <125 5+y
* RR <40 1-5y
* RR <30 5+y
severe:
* SpO2 <92%
* PEF 33-50%
* HR >140 1-5y
* HR >125 5+y
* RR >40 1-5y
* RR >30 5+y
life-threatening:
* PEF <33%
* Spo2 <92%
* cyanosis
* hypotension
* exhaustion
* silent chest
* tachycardia
confusion/altered consiousness/poor resp effort
signs and symptoms: acute asthma children
moderate:
* able to talk in sentences
* O2>92%
* peak flow >92%
* HR <140 1-5 y
*HR <125 5+y
* RR<40 1-5y
* RR<30 5+y
severe:
* SpO2 <92%
* PEF 33-50%
* HR >140 1-5y
* >125
life-threatening
rx: acute asthma adults
CALL SENIOR HELP AND ANAESTHETICS
* O2 driven nebs (94-98%)
* B2B salbutamol and ipatropium nebs
* IV hydrocortisone
* theophyline/aminophyline
* IV meagnesioum sulfate
* escalate
rx: moderate asthma
- salbutamol via spacer device or pressurised meter-dose inhaler
- oral prednisolone 3-5 days as well as inhaled ICS
rx: COPD exacerbation
- same as asthma
- CXR ?infective cause
- blood cultures and sputum samples
- amox 500mg TID 5 days or calrithro BD 5 days 500mg pen allergy
scoring: community acquired pneumonia
CURB-65
confusion (new onset or worsening)
urea >7mmol/l
respiratory rate >30
BP <90 sys or <60 dias
age >65
3+ admission to hospital 1 or 2 ?hospital assessment
signs and symtpoms: CAP
- cough with sputum
- dyspnoea
- pleuritic chest pain
- rigors/night sweats
- fever
- crackles, decreased breath sounds, dullness to percussion, and wheeze
- tachpnoea
- malaise
- fatigue
rx: CAP
amoxicillin 500mg TID 5days
pen allergy: doxy 200mg day 1, 4 days 100mg OD or calrithromycin BD 500mg 5 days
pregnancy: erithromycin 500mg QIB 5 days
scoring system: PE
Wells score:
* 3= clinical featuers of DVT - leg swelling, pain with palpation of deep veins >3cm compared to toher leg
* 3= alternative diagnosis less likely than PE (resp conditions, ACS, MSK chest pain, GORD)
* 1.5 = HR>100
* 1.5 = immobilisation for >3 days or surgery in past 4 weeks
* 1.5 = previous DVT
* 1 = haemoptysis
* 1 = cancer treatment within last 6 months
> 4 = PE likely
4 or less = PE unlikely - offer D dimer with result within 4 hours -offer oral anticoagulant in interim if >4hr wait
rx: ?PE
- if wells >4 - hospital admission with emergency CTPA
- interim anticoagulant (APIXABAN OR RIAVROXIBAN 1st line) in interim if not arranged immediately
- if wells 4 or less - D dimer within 4 hours, if waiting offer anticoagulant
- if negative D dimer stop anticoagulant and look for other cause
- if positive - CTPA
baseline tests for anticoagulant: LFT, FBC, U+E, PT and APTT - do not wait for results
medication: PE
anticoagulant therapy
1st line = apixaban or rivaroxiban (DOAC)
2nd line = LMWH (enoxaparin
5 days
then dabigatran or edoxaban or LMWH with vit K antagonist for 5 days
pregnancy and PE
Women presenting with symptoms and signs of an acute PE should have an electrocardiogram
(ECG) and a chest X-ray (CXR) performed. [New 2015]
In women with suspected PE who also have symptoms and signs of DVT, compression duplex
ultrasound should be performed. If compression ultrasonography confirms the presence of DVT,
no further investigation is necessary and treatment for VTE should continue. [New 2015]
In women with suspected PE without symptoms and signs of DVT, a ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) lung
scan or a computerised tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) should be performed. [New 2015]
When the chest X-ray is abnormal and there is a clinical suspicion of PE, CTPA should be performed
in preference to a V/Q scan. [New 2015]
Alternative or repeat testing should be carried out where V/Q scan or CTPA is normal but the clinical
suspicion of PE remains. Anticoagulant treatment should be continued until PE is definitively
excluded.
Women with suspected PE should be advised that, compared with CTPA, V/Q scanning may carry
a slightly increased risk of childhood cancer but is associated with a lower risk of maternal breast
cancer; in both situations, the absolute risk is very small
other investigations: PE
CTPA
V/Q if pregnancy
lower limb USS
ABG
D dimer
def: open pneumothorax
- hole in chest - (communicating pneumothorax or sucking chest)
- typically ballsitic (shot gun)
- as pt breathes in, hole in chest competes with normal airway
clinical assessment: open pneumothorax
inspect front and back
small sucking chest wound often audible
tx: open pneumothorax
- surgical repair
- cover wound with sheets of jlonet or chest seal device
- do not occlude all 4 sides to allow for flutter valve effect
- early intubation
- insert chest drain away from wound site if small
- do not insert chest drain if open pneumo large
def: simple pneumothorax
air collects between chest wall and pleura
presentation: simple pneumothorax
oftern young, tall, thin young men ?playing sports
* sudden breathlessness
* pleuritic chest pain
ix: simple pneumothorax
- erect CXR
- showers area between chest wall and ung tissue where there are no lung markings
- measure size by measuring horizontally at hilu from chest wall to lung tissue