Medical Emergencies II Flashcards
What are some triggers for asthma? (4)
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Infection
- Exposure to Allegen
What are some clinical signs of acute asthma? (3)
- Inability to complete sentences in one breath
- Respiratory rate is greater than 25/min
- Tachycardia greater than 110bpm
What are some clinical signs of life threatening asthma? (4)
- Cyanosis
- Respiratory rate is less than 8/min
- Bradycardia less than 50bpm
- Exhaustion, confusion, decreased consciousness level
What would you first do to manage a patient who has had an asthma attack during treatment? (2)
- Stop treatment and remove all instrument from mouth
- Reassure patient and sit them in a comfortable position
What can be administered to a patient who has had an asthma attack? (2)
- Salbutamol preferably via a spacer device
- Oxygen at the rate of 15L/min
What is anaphylaxis?
Severe, life-threatening, generalised or systemic hypersensitivity reaction
What are some common triggers of anaphylaxis? (3)
- Drugs
- Latex
- Additives in medicines
Why is anaphylaxis tricky to diagnose? (2)
- Often inconsistent clinical features
- Wide range of possible presentations
What is cyanosis?
A blueish discolouration of the face due to lack of blood circulation
What are some clinical signs of anaphylaxis? (4)
- Urticaria
- Erythema
- Rhinitis
- Conjunctivitis
What are some symptoms of anaphylaxis? (4)
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Sense of impending doom
What should be done immediately if anaphylaxis is suspected?
Call 999
What can be administered to manage anaphylaxis? (2)
- Administer adrenaline 500μg intramuscular
- Administer oxygen at the rate of 15L/min
What position would you place a patient in if they have anaphylaxis?
Lay patient flat and raise their legs to restore BP
During a medical emergency what should you do if a patient becomes unresponsive? (2)
- Check for signs of life (breathing and circulation)
- If one or both absent, start CPR
Where can pain from angina radiate to? (4)
- Jaw
- Neck
- Shoulder
- Back
What is a common clinical sign of angina? (2)
- Shortness of breath
- Increased respiratory rate
Besides medication what can you do to help manage a patient with angina? (2)
- Calm and reassure patient
- Sit them up in the most comfortable position
What can be administered to a patient with angina? (2)
- 2 Sprays of GTN sublingually
- Oxygen 15L/min
If a patient doesn’t respond to GTN initially when can yo spray again?
After 5 minutes
If there is no relief of angina after repeated doses of GTN what can you suspect?
Myocardial Infarction
What can be given to a patient suffering from a myocardial infarction? (2)
- Give Aspirin 300mg in single dose orally
- Oxygen 15L/min
What are some common triggers of an epileptic seizure? (5)
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Dehydration/Starvation
- Temperature extremes
- Bright lights
Describe what you would see from a patient in the tonic phase of a seizure
- Sudden loss of consciousness
- Becomes rigid
- Falls
- May give a cry
- Becomes cyanosed
Describe what you would see from a patient in the clonic phase of a seizure
Jerking movements of the limbs
Why should you check blood glucose of a patient after a seizure?
Fitting sometimes may be a sign of hypoglycaemia
What can be administered to a patient suffering from a seizure? (2)
- Midazolam 10mg buccally
- Oxygen 15L/min
What can be given to manage mild hypoglycaemia?
Give oral glucose (assuming they can swallow)
What can be given to manage severe hypoglycaemia?
Give glucose gel by squeezing into the buccal sulcus
What blood glucose level confirms hypoglycaemia?
What level does it need to reach to be ok?
<3.0mmol/L
5.0mmol/L
If a patient has hypoglycaemia and is unconscious what can be given to them?
Intramuscular glucagon injection
What is syncope?
Temporary loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoperfusion (faint)
What are some common triggers of syncope (6)
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Dehydration/Starvation
- Temperature extremes
- Pain
- IV injection of LA
What are some signs and symptoms of syncope? (6)
- Feeling weak
- Pallor and sweating
- Nausea
- Slow pulse
- Low blood pressure
- Confusion
What should be done to a patient suffering from syncope? (2)
- Lay flat ASAP and raise the legs to improve venous returns
- Loosen tight clothing, especially around the neck
What can be administered to a patient with syncope?
Oxygen 15L/min
What are some signs and symptoms of choking and aspiration? (5)
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing
- Wheezing
- Abnormal chest and abdominal movement
- Loose consciousness
If a patient is choking and cough is active what should you do?
Encourage continuous cough
If a patient is choking and cough is inactive what should you do? (2)
- Give 5 sharp back blows between the shoulder blades
- Followed by 5 abdominal thrusts
- Repeat until okay
What are some causes of adrenal insufficiency? (3)
- Stress/Trauma
- Surgery
- Infection
What are some signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency? (5)
- Irregular, weak and rapid pulse
- Shock-like features
- Confusion
- Rapidly falling BP
- Rapid loss of consciousness
What should be done immediately if adrenal insufficiency is suspected
Call the ambulance immediately
