Environmental Considerations & Common Medical Conditions Flashcards
Individuals Susceptible to HEAT Illness
- age (very young or old)
- obese (produce 18% more heat)
- poor conditioning or acclimatization
- previous history of heat illness
- sleep deprived
- dehydration
- acute illness (fever or GI)
- chronic illness (alcoholic, cystic fibrosis, cardiac disease, skin problems, uncontrolled diabetes)
- wheelchair / SCI athletes
define metabolic heat production
production and radiation of heat via metabolic function
define radiation
heat gain or loss;
eg., heat gain from sunshine; loss as body tries to dissipate heat
define conduction
heat gain or loss via contact with other objects (ice vs turf)
define convection
heat gain or loss as air or water circulates over body
define evaporation
heat loss via perspiration and evaporation (sweat 2-4 lb per 2kg/hr)
How could you prevent heat injury?
- acclimatize (1-2 weeks)
- education
- unrestricted hydration
- identify people at risk
- appropriate uniforms
- weight records
- monitor heat index
- common sense
true or false; there is no such thing as overhydration
false; hyponatremia -> overhydration -> skews electrolyte balance
true or false; hyponatremia may cause brain swelling and unusual neurological responses
true
S&S hyponatremia
- bloating/nausea
- worsening headache
- vomiting
- swelling in extremities
- lethargy
- apathy / agitation
- wheezing
- mm weakness
- spasm & fatigue
- disorientation
- At extreme: confusion, brain damage, seizure or coma, DEATH
S&S Dehydration
- negative effect on performance
- thirsty
- dry mouth
- headache
- dizziness
- irritability
- lethargy
- excessive fatigue
- possible cramping
define heat syncope and what is it caused by
fainting d/t heat
- blood pooling after exercise
- d/t poor acclimatization
- d/t standing in heat for too long
S&S heat syncope
- light headedness
- dizziness
- nausea
- fainting
S&S mm cramp
- painful/violent mm cramp in calf or abdominal mm
- sweating/fatigue
S&S heat exhaustion
- profuse sweating
- weakness
- pallor
- weight loss
- low urine volume
- thirsty/dry mouth
- nausea
- headache
- increased core temperature
true or false; heat stroke is not a medical emergency
false; call 9-1-1
true or false; you can detect a heat stroke in a person when they are profusely sweating
false; no sweating in someone who has had a head stroke
Individuals Susceptible to COLD Illness
- age (very young or old)
- prolonged exposure
- malnutrition
- some medications
- previous history of cold illness
- chronic illness (alcoholism, skin problems/burns, diabetes, hypothyroidism, Parkinson’s)
- SCI athletes
S&S heat stroke
- sudden collapse
- LOC
- flushed skin
- hot skin
- shallow breathing and rapid pulse
- headache
- seizure
- change in behavior
- nausea / diarrhea
cold injury prevention
- hydration (body weight records)
- education
- identify people at risk
- appropriate apparel
- monitor weather
- warm downs
- common sense
In hypothermia, when does freezing stop?
29.4-32.3 degree celcius
in hypothermia, death is imminent between ____ and ____ degrees celcius
25 - 29
problems arise when heat ____ exceeds heat _____.
a) production; loss
b) loss; production
c) gain; loss
d) loss; gain
B
true or false; wind and humidity affects cold temperature
true
In the event of a frost nip - bite, what must you do to manage this?
- remove from cold
- do not rub area
- submerge in water, and re-warm slowly
- refer to physician immediately
mild hypothermia temperature
core temperature below 35 degrees C
how would you manage mild hypothermia
- may be medical emergency
- remove from cold
- remove wet clothing
- re-warm slowly
- give warm liquids
- monitor vitals
S&S mild hypothermia
- shivering
- numbness
- lack of coordination
- confused
- unusual behavior
- slurred speech
S&S hypothermia
- intense uncontrollable shivering -> violent shivering
- difficulty speaking if conscious
- progress to stopping shivering, muscular rigidity, decreased coordination, confusion to amnesia
- irrational behavior
- loss of consciousness
- decreased respiration and pulse
- cardiac arrhythmias
- unconscious and unresponsive
- heart and lungs fail, hemorrhaging and death
what happens in altitude sickness
high altitude -> O2 decreases -> increased heart rate, increased hyperventilation -> dehydration -> sickle cell trait reaction (cells clump and destroy RBC and enlarge spleen)
What is the #2 cause of death by weather phenomena ?
lightning
true or false; people living in areas who do not get much lightning should be especially attentive because they are less aware of the dangers of lightning
true
true or false; once you see lightning, it has already struck
true
true or false; when your hand starts to stand up, you must get down on the ground and lie flat
false; do not lie flat; this increases surface area and increase liklihood of getting struck.
Instead, get down on the ground but do not lie flat
insulin dependent diabetes
Type 1
non-insulin dependent diabetes
Type II
Type III diabetes
associated with Alzheimer’s
brain’s insulin utilization is not functioning
diabetes mellitus involves a complete or partial decrease in insulin secretion. What is diabetes mellitus a result of?
result of interaction between physical and environmental factors
true or false; you may use aspertine as an alternative to sugar for diabetics
false; do NOT use aspertine; this will not spike up blood glucose levels
how would you manage diabetes
- insulin
- vigorous exercise (increases insulin action and enhances glucose tolerance)
S&S insulin shock
- tingling in mouth, hands, or other parts of the body
- physical weakness
- headaches
- abdominal pain
- normal or shallow respiration
- rapid heart rate
- tremors along with irritability and drowsiness
how would you manage insulin shock
- adhere to planned diet
eg. , snacks before/during exercise as needed
what causes a diabetic coma
loss of sodium, potassium, and ketone bodies through excessive urination (ketoacidosis)
S&S of diabetic coma
- labored breathing
- fruity smelling breath (due to acetone)
- nausea
- vomiting
- thirst
- dry mucous membrane
- flushed skin
- mental confusion
- unconsciousness followed by coma
how would you manage a diabetic to prevent a diabetic coma
- insulin injections
- manage glucose levels
- detect early
define epilepsy
cerebral function disorder characterized by - altered consciousness - altered motor activity - altered sensory phenomena - inappropriate behaviors caused by abnormal cerebral neuron discharge
define “grand-mal”
uncontrolled mm contractions (epilepsy)
how long do seizures last
5 - 15 seconds
when should you call 9-11 when someone is having a seizure
- if seizing for a minute
- no history of seizure
- if person is a stranger
true or false; you must attempt to restrain the person if they are having a seizure
false; do not restrain them; you could hurt them
what causes exercise induced asthma
mouth breathing -> bypasses nasal air conditioning -> bronchoconstriction -> exercise induced asthma
what is exercise induced asthma aggravated by
- cold air
- dry air
- polluted air
- allergenic filled air
S&S exercise induced asthma
- coughing/wheezing
- excessive spitting
- dyspnea and / or chest tightness following 6-8 min of strenuous exercise
- may hyperventilate
how would you manage exercise induced asthma
- avoid triggers and warm up appropriately
- cover nose and mouth to warm and humidify air
- puffers
the female athlete triad - etiology
trio of issues associated with
- disordered eating
- amenorrhea
- osteoporosis
true or false; disordered eating is NOT the same this as an eating disorder
true
