EMS exam flashcards
Sign of increased intracrainial pressure
Non-reactive pupils
What position is used to place a patient in respiratory distress
Fowler position
What can epinephrine treat
Counteracts allergic reactions/anaphylaxis and is used when there are signs of stridor, angiodema and wheezing
What drug type would cause a unconsciousness with shallow breeding, slow pulse and constricted pupils and cyanosis
Narcotics
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
group of symptoms caused by myocardial ischemia: Most notable symptom is chest pain pressure
Hypertensive emergency
defined as systolic blood pressure greater than 180 mmHg with impending organ damage.
Signs and symptoms include
Bounding pulse
Altered mental status
Ringing of the ears
Severe headaches
Warm skin
Emergency conditions that may be a result of scuba diving?
Arterial Gas Embolism (AGE),
decompression sickness (the “bends”),
descent pains (the “squeeze”)
A full-term pregnant female is delivering her baby. What may be required to deliver the lower (second) shoulder?
Upward guidance of the head
Hypervolemia
When you have too much fluid volume in your body
Main purpose of the OPA
Keep tongue from blocking upper airway
Stable angina pectoris
Temporary cardiac chest pain relieved by rest, supplemental oxygen and nitroglycerin
Unstable angina pectoris
Characterized by cardiac chest pain that is not relieved by rest or taking a nitroglycerin tablet
Acute myocardial infarction
Medical emergency that includes heart muscle being damaged within 30 minutes. Can cause chest pain/discomfort and go on for several hours
3 treatments for AMI is aspirin, nitroglycerin, and oxygen
Pulmonary embolism
blockage of an artery in the lungs
What method of airway opening is suited for an unknown mechanism of injury
Jaw-thrust maneuver
What organ is involv3ed in costovertebral angle pain
Kidneys
What is a cause of angina pectoris
Lack of adequate oxygenation to the heart
Postictal state
Altered state of consciousness following a seizure, commonly lasts from 5 to 30 minutes
Nitroglycerin
vasodilator for patients with cardiac chest pain. Contrindicted for patients who have a systolic blood pressure below 100 mm, patients with heart rate below 50/min and heart rate above 110 a min.
Should be assessed before the administration of initial or repeated nitroglycerin
Common side-effect is headaches
Seizure
Burst of uncontrolled electrical activity between brain cells
The common cause of seizures is poisoning
What is considered altitude illnesses
AMS, HACE, HAPE
Causes of hypovolemic shock
Inadequate fluid intake, diarrhea, vomiting
Septic shock
Type of shock that begins with an infection in the bloodstream
Common cause is severe infections
Diastole
Period when the ventricles are relaxed and filling with blood
Systole
Contraction period of the cardiac cycle
Perfusion
Circulation of blood in an organ or tissue adequately
Epiglottitis
Life threatening infection of the soft tissue above the vocal cords. Swells to 2-3 times its normal size
More common in infants and children
Bacterial infections are the common cause
Asthma
Condition in which bronchioles are inflames and swollen and produce excessive mucus.
Characterized by wheezing
Appropriate method of immobilizing a shoulder injury
Sling and swathe
THREAT mnemonic
Threat suppression
Hemorrhage control
Rapid Extrication to safety
Assessment by medical providers
Transport to definitive care
Parasympathetic nervous system
Part of the autonomic nervous system and generally slows the body down.
This causes bradycardia and a decreased force of heart contraction
Sympathetic nervous system
fight or flight response
Ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia
Shock will be advised for these rhythms
Asystole
Pulseless electrical activity
Stroke Chain of Survival
Rapid recognition and reaction to stroke warnings
Rapid use of 911 and EMS dispatch
Rapid EMS recognition of stroke, triage, transport and pre-hospital notification to the receiving hospital
Rapid diagnosis and treatment in the hospital
Hyperventilation
Over breathing that causes arterial carbon dioxide to fall below normal levels.
Happens in response to buildup of acid within the body (metabolic acidosis) hypoxia from asthma and from a panic attack
Subdural hematoma
Collection of blood due to rupture of bridging veins between dura mater and the arachnoid membrane (surrounding the cerebral cortex).
An sign of it is altered mental status.
Rule of 9s
Standardized measure that is used to assess how much BSA has been burned on a patient
Rule of 9s for adults: 9% for head, 18% for chest, 17% for back, 18% for each leg, and 1% for genitalia
Rule of 9s for children: 18% for head, 18% for chest, 18% for back, 9% for each arm, 13.5% for each leg, and 1% for genitalia
Retinal detachment
When the retina pulls away from the choroid. Symptoms are flashes of light
Deep vein thrombosis
Common medical problem in sedentory patients or patients who have had recent surgery
Risk factors are
Going recent joint replacement surgery
Being bed ridden
Traveling while sitting for extended periods
What can cause cyanosis
Chronic bronchitis, hypothermia and hypoxia
Anemia
Lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin in blood.
Myocardial contusion
Blunt force trauma to the anterior heart, causing damage within the myocardium.
Signs are irregular pulse, chest pain and ausculation of crackles in the lungs.
Hypothermia
Defined as core body temperature below 95 F
Signs are shivering, rapid breathing, and redness or cyanosis
Carbon monoxide poisioning
Colorless, odorless, tasteless, highly poisonous gas. High-flow oxygen is the best treatment for conscious patients once removed from the environment
Hypothermia
Caused by prolonged exposures to very cold temperatures
When should CPR be given to an infant
Should be given to an infant without a palpable pulse and a pulse below 60 beats per minute
Humidified oxygen
Used for extended transport or specific conditions, such as a croup
Cardiogenic shock
a life-threatening condition in which your heart suddenly can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs
Treatments: Emergency treatments may include delivering enriched oxygen via a tube or mask; breathing assistance, using a ventilator; and intravenous (IV) fluids and medications to support blood pressure or heart function.
Cardiac compromise
Refers to anytime the heart is not getting enough oxygen
Signs are chest pain/discomfort or bradycardia
Cardiac tamponade
Filling of blood or fluid past the pericardium into the pericardial sac
Cardiac chain of survival
- Recognition of early warning signs and immediate activation of EMS
- Immediate CPR with high quality chest compressions
- Rapid defibrillation
- Basic and advanced EMS
- ALS and post-arrest care
Which of the following may cause erroneous pulse oximeter readings
Bright ambient light
Low perfusion
Nail polish
What are the effects of positive pressure ventilation
Decreased blood return to the heart
Decreased blood pressure
Endotracheal Intubation
Secures airway and protects