Medical emergencies part 2

Question 1

What cardio vascular symptoms may cause an emergency in the dental surgery?

Answer 1

Syncope
Anaphylaxis
Cardiac disease - angina, MI

Question 2

What is syncope?

Answer 2

Temporary loss of consciousness caused by low BP

Fainting

Question 3

What may cause acute chest pain?

Answer 3

MI - O2, nitrate, aspirin 300mg, 999
Angina - O2, nitrate - GTN spray/tablets, 999
Central crushing pain - may radiate to arm, neck, jaw, back

Question 4

What is anaphylaxis?

Answer 4

An acute, severe, life threatening systemic hypersensitivity reaction
Characterised by sudden onset + life threatening airway/ circulatory collapse + skin/ mucosal changes

Question 5

Name 4 causes of anaphylaxis?

Answer 5

Drugs
Food
Latex
Venom

Question 6

What are the signs of anaphylaxis? (FAST)

Answer 6

Face - urticaria, erythema, oedema
Airways - tongue, voice, hyperventilation
Stomach - nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, pain
Total body - rash

Question 7

How do we treat anaphylaxis?

Answer 7

ABCDE
0.5mL adrenaline 1:1000 IM, repeat after 5 minutes
Epipen is 0.3mL adrenalin 1:1000 IM, repeat after 5 mins
PATIENT MUST GO TO HOSPITAL - biphasic response so can happen again, must be monitored for minimum 6 hrs

Question 8

What is hypoglycaemia?

Answer 8

Low blood sugar
Sweating, clammy, poor concentration, slurred pseech, irritable, aggression, LOC
If pt conscious - give oral glucose
If unconscious - give IM glucagon 1mg

Question 9

What is epilepsy?

Answer 9

Common chronic neurological disorder. Characterised by recurrent seizures due to abnormal neuronal activity in the brain.
Seizures usually unprovoked but may be triggered.

Question 10

Name 3 types of seizure?

Answer 10

Simple partial - hallucination, confusion, disorientation
Complex partial - unconscious
Tonic - Clonic - unconscious and convulsions

Question 11

How do we manage epilepsy?

Answer 11

ABCDE, recovery position, 999
O2
Buccal midazolam - careful with fingers!