Medical emergencies part 2 Flashcards
How do you manage asthma
◆ stop treatment + removes instruments from mouth
◆ sit in comfortable position
◆ administer salbutamol (10 activations/min) preferbly by spacer device
◆ adminster 02 at 15L/min
monitor vital signs
what is the brown inhaler
Beclomethasone inhaler
(steroid preventer)
carried by patient all times + used daily
what is the blue inhaler
Salbutamol inhaler
(B2 agonist- reliever)
prevent asthma attack + only one used in emergency
what is anaphylaxis
severe life threatening , generalised or systemic hypersensitivity allergic reaction
what are common triggers for anaphylaxis
drugs (penicillin)
latex
additives in medicine
why is is tricky to diagnose anaphylaxis + what is vital to diagnose it
inconsistent clinical features
big range of presentations
ABCDE VITAL TO DIAGNOSE
what are 4 triggers of asthma
stress
anxiety
infection
exposure to allergen
what are the 3 clinical signs of acute severe asthma
◆ inability to complete sentences in 1 breath
◆ respiratory rate >25min
◆ tachycardia HR >110/min
what are the 4 main clinical signs of life threatening asthma
◆ cyanosis (skin turns blue)
◆ RR < 8/min
◆ bradycardia HR < 50/min
◆ exhaustion, confusion ↓ consciousness
What do you do if there’s no response or features of severe asthma present
◆ ambulance
◆ repeated dose of salbutamol every 10mins
◆ monitor vital signs
◆ check breathing + circulation, if absent, start CPR
what are GIT signs + symptoms of anaphylaxis
◆ abdominal pain
◆ vomiting
◆ diarrhoea
what are respiratory signs + symptoms of anaphylaxis
◆ stridor/wheezing
◆ rapid breathing
◆ swelling of throat ( laryngeal oedema + bronchospasm)
◆ respiratory arrest -> cardiac arrest
what is the circulatory symptom of anaphylaxis and describe the chain reaction
◆ vasodilation -> hypovolaemia (↓ blood vol) -> ↓ BP -> pale/clammy-> drowsy/faint -> collapse -> cardiac arrest
how do you manage anaphylaxis
ABCDE (airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure)
◆ ambulance
◆ adrenaline 500µg (0.5ml of 1:1000 solution) intramuscular injection
◆ patient flat + raise legs to restore BP
◆ oxygen at 15L/min
◆ monitor vital sings
◆ unresponsive -> CPR
what are the different way you can inject adrenaline for anaphylaxis
◆ adrenaline injection ◆epipen ◆ injecting adrenaline IM ◆ emirade pen ◆ epipen auto injection IM
what is angina
acute chest pain of cardiac origin, crushing pain
can radiate to jaw, neck, shoulder, back
what are clinical signs of angina
◆ shortness breath + ↑ RR
◆ fast + slow HR , ↓ BP
◆ poor peripheral perfusion
◆ faintness
how do you manage angina
◆ 2 sprays of GTN spray sublingually
◆ administer O2 at 15L/min + monitor vital signs
◆ if not responds, repeat GTN spray after 5 mins
◆ if no improvement of repeated doses of GTN spray - suspect MI
what are clinical signs of MI
same as angina but ↑ severity ◆ short breath, nausea + vomiting ◆ pale, clammy + cyanosis ◆weak + irregular pulse rapid loss of consciousness
how do you manage MI
◆ ambulance
◆ give Aspirin 300mg single dose orally (crushed/chewed)
◆ administer O2 15L/min + monitor vital signs
◆ if unresponsive check signs of life, if absent start CPR
what are the drugs given in cardiac emergencies
GTN (Glyceryl trinitrate) spray
aspirin 300mg tablet
what are common triggers for epileptic seizures
stress/ anxiety
dehydration/starvation
temp extremes
bright/flashing lights
what are signs + symptoms of epileptic seizures
◆ tonic phase = sudden consciousness loss , rigid, falls, cyanosis
◆ clonic phase = jerking limb movements, tongue can be bitten
◆ can be frothing
how do you manage a epileptic seizure
◆ don’t restrain convulsive movement
◆ check blood glucose, frothing can be sign of hypoglycaemia
◆ if low glucose -> oral glucose or glucagon
◆ put in recovery position, clear airway + give O2 15L/min
◆ give medication only in prolonged seizures
◆ ambulance
◆ Midazolam buccally
( adults +>10yrs = 10mg)
(5-10yrs = 7.5mg)
(1-5yrs = 5mg)
