Medical Emergency Flashcards
What does the ABCDE approach stand for?
A- airway
B- breathing
C- circulation
D- disability
E- exposure/everything else
What does noises like stridor, wheezing, gurgling or snoring indicate?
Partial airway blockage
What does no noise in the airway indicate?
Complete airway blockage or cardiac arrest
What is the normal respiratory rate?
12-20 breaths per minute
What breathing rate is an indicator of serious illness?
> 25
What is the acceptable SPO2 (oxygen saturation) level for a patient?
96% and above
What would you use to measure SPO2 levels?
Pulse oximeter
What pulse rate is deemed acceptable?
60-100bpm
What pulse rate indicates a problem?
> 100bpm
What is a normal blood pressure reading?
120/70 or within these parameters
What does CRT stand for?
Capillary refill time
What would a high CRT indicate?
Circulatory shock, most likely caused by a heart attack
What does ACVPU stand for?
A- alert
C- confusion
V- verbal
P- pain
U- unconscious
At what stage in ABCDE approach would ACVPU be used?
Disability stage
What stage in ABCDE approach would you record blood glucose at?
Disability stage
What blood glucose level would indicate hypoglycaemia?
<4mmols
At what stage In the ABCDE approach would you check SPO2 levels?
Breathing stage