Medical emergencies Flashcards
What is fainting/ syncope?
What can we do in an emergency?
Syncope is when someone becomes unconscious and go limp. Patients appear dizzy, pale and sweaty. If someone has fainted it is best to keep them as comfortable as possible until they come back around.
What is hypoglycaemia/hyperglycaemia?
What can we do in an emergency?
Hypoglycaemia usually effects people with diabetes it means there is a deficiency of glucose in the blood stream, in an emergency we can give them something sugary like a high glucose drink, patients can appear shaky and sweaty.
Hyperglycaemia is an excess of glucose in the blood stream in an emergency we can give them plenty of water. Patients may have a headache and appear weak.
What is an asthma attack?
What can we do in an emergency?
An asthma attack is when someone can be seen/ heard struggling to breath, wheezing and or coughing. In an emergency we would ask them if they have an inhaler on them and then ask them to administer it to themselves, if they do not carry one there are two basic inhalers in practice that we would still ask to administer themselves.
What is an angina/myocardial infarction?
What can we do in an emergency?
Angina is where you have attacks to the heart that is not receiving enough blood flow. Patients can appear gripping at the chest as it becomes tight dull or heavy. In an emergency we can give GTN spray.
Myocardial infarction otherwise known as a heart attack is when the flow of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked. Symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and sweating. In an emergency we can give an aspirin and ask the patient to chew on the tablet whilst we call 999.
What is an epileptic seizure?
What can we do in an emergency?
Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain characterized by repeated seizures. Patients may stare at nothing and jerk their arms and/ or knees the may wet themselves and have difficulty breathing. In an emergency we would make space for the patient make it as comfortable by putting something under their head as we can and time how long the seizures are.
What is a respiratory arrest?
What can we do in an emergency?
Respiratory arrest pts will be unconscious and not breathing but they still have a heart beat. In an emergency you must open the airways and provide a positive pressure ventilation with a mask device. Pts may appear breathless.
What is a cardiac arrest?
What can we do in an emergency?
Cardiac arrest pts will be unconscious and do not have a heart beat. Call 999 and begin CPR. Pts may appear pale, gripping at the chest.
What is anaphylaxis?
What can we do in an emergency?
An acute allergic reaction to a food or product to which the body has become hypersensitive. Remove anything that may have caused the trigger If they have an epi pen administer it immediately, call 999 even if they feel better as they need to be monitored at hospital. Pts may appear gasping for air, red, blotchy.
What is a stroke?
What can we do in an emergency?
A stroke is when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off the pts will need to be seen in hospital immediately call 999. Pts may not be able to lift their appendages high, one side of their face may be dropping, their speech may be slurred.
What is shock?
What can we do in an emergency?
Shock is a critical condition brought on by the sudden drop of blood flow through the body. Lay the person down elevate the legs and feet slightly keep them still and administer CPR if you see no signs of life. Pts may appear pale, breathless.
What is chocking?
What can we do in an emergency?
Chocking is when someone has got something lodged in their throat that they cannot dislodge. They may be short of breath, they may be coughing. Ask if the pt is chocking if they are encourage dislodging by smacking the on the back firmly 5 times, if that has not worked conduct 5 abdominal thrusts. If this has not worked call 999 and repeat until dislodged or CPR must be started.
