Medical Emergenices Flashcards
Alveoli
Small sacs at the end of the respiratory tree where gas exchange takes place.
Accessory muscle use
The body is enlisting other muscles to help move air in and out of the chest.
Asthma
A respiratory condition that causes airway narrowing/ constriction
Wheezing
Audible high pitched breath sound heard when air passes through a constricted air opening.
Stethoscope
Medical device used to auscultate or listen to noises not readily heard outside the body.
Pulmonary edema
Fluid that builds up around the alveoli in the lunges when the heart does not pump efficiently.
Congestive heart failure
Medical condition caused by backup of fluid in to the lunges from the hearts inability to properly pump.
Myocardial infarction
Medical condition felt when a coronary artery becomes occluded or blocked.
Cardiac arrest
The heart stops breathing
Sudden cardiac death
Phenomenon marked by cardiac arrest being the first cardiac symptom or arising soon after initial down time.
Chronic bronchitis
Medical condition marked by a long term accumulation of excess mucous in the lower airway
Emphysema
Respiratory disease often caused by smoking resulting in a breakdown of the alveoli prohibiting gas exchange
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Term described diseases which are long term in nature and cause an partial occlusion of the airway
Cold weather induced asthma
Cold weather trigger asthma like symptoms
The heart generally pumps at how many times per min?
80 times
Dependent
Fluid builds up at the lowest parts of the body.
Pneumonia
Infection of the lunges
Tripod position
Sitting position uses to assist the patients respiration. This allows maximum chest capacity inspiration
Pneumothorax
A leak or tear in the lung causing air to fill in the thoracic cavity
Altered mental status
Condition of decreased alertness and responsiveness
Glucose
A form of simple sugar that is the main source of fuel for the body’s cell
Insulin
Hormone that allows glucose to enter the body’s cells
Diabetes mellitus
Commonly referred to as diabetes a condition that prevents individuals from producing enough insulin
Diabetes
Common term for diabetes mellitus
Hyperglycemia
High blood glucose
Hypoglycemia
Low blood glucose
Stroke
A condition that interrupts the blood supply to the brain
Transient ischemic attack
Signs and symptoms of a stroke that only last a short period of time. These temporary signs and symptoms may indicate a Mini stroke TIA
Seizure
A sudden change in behavior or movement caused by irregular electrical activity in the brain
Status epilepticus
A continuous seizure or two or more seizures in a row without a period of responsiveness
Poison
Any substance that can be harmful to the body
Drug abuse
The self administration of the one or more drugs in a way that differs from the approval medical or social practice
Overdose
An emergency that involves positioning by drugs or alcohol
Withdrawal
The effects on the body that occur after a period of abstinence from the drug or alcohol to which the body has become accustomed
Bath salts
A stimulant drug in powder form
Carbon monoxide
An odorless colorless tasteless poisonous gas that an be especially lethal
Allergen
Any substance that causes an abnormal immune response or hypersensivity
Antibodies
Protein molecules produced by B cells as a primary immune defense
Allergic reaction
An exaggerated immune response
Anaphylaxis
A severe potentially life threatening allergic reaction
Anaphylactic shock
Another term for anaphylaxis
Acute abdomen
A sudden onset of severe abdominal pain
Fetal position
Position where the patient lies on his or her side with legs drawn up to his or her arms crossed at the chest
Distended
Appearance of being expanded or swollen
Hemodialysis
Treatment where the patients blood passes through a dialysis machine which filtures the blood of excess water and waste
Trauma centers
Hospitals that meet strict criteria that provide 24/7 care in trauma patients.
Scene safety has how many decisions?
5
- Scene safety
- Standard precautions
- Mechanism of injury
- Number of patients
- Resource determination
Index of suspicion
A general idea of how bad a persons injuries may be based upon the mechanism of injury
When conducting an examination on a trauma patient you what to check for what?
D- deformity
O- open injuries
T- tenderness
S- swelling
When conducting a head to toe exam you inspect by?
Palpating
Glasgow coma scale
Scale used to determine and dictate triage
Eye+ verbal+ motor= total
No less than 3
Perfusion
The consistent delivery of blood to adequately oxygenate cells
Shock
Inadequate perfusion of the body at a cellar level
What are the for types of shock?
Cardiogenic- pump problem
Distributive- vascular tone
Hypovolemic-blood loss
Pressure- caused by obstruction
Compensated shock
The early stage where perfusion is maintained but body increases heart rate and constriction of blood
Hypoxia
Inadequate oxygen of the tissue
Decompensated shock
Later stages were compensation methods begin to fail die to increasing lack of oxygen to vital organs
Decompensate
The failure of the body to compensate for injury
Hypotension
Low blood pressure
Arterial bleeding
Bright red
Spurts from wound
Venous bleeding
Dark red
Flows steadily
Capillary bleeding
Dark red
Oozes from body
Internal bleeding
Caused when internal organs are injured or bones are fractured and bleed beneath the skin
Exsanguinating hemorrhage
Uncontrolled severe bleeding I’m a massive volume that quickly leads to loss of total blood volume
Direct pressure
Is pressure placed directly onto a wound to slow or stop bleeding
Min of 5 mins
Anaphylactic shock
Caused by blood loss
Obstructive shock
Caused by blood being blocked
Sucking chest wound
An open wound in the chest where air is pulled in and pushed out as the patient breaths
Pneumothorax
Air in the space between the lung and the chest wall
Occlusive dressing
Dressing to creat a seal over certain types of wounds
Tension pneumothorax
Accumulated air in the pleural space that collapses the lung and puts pressure on the heart and great vessels causing profound shock
Spontaneous pneumothorax
Occurs without trauma, generally a hole in the lung causes by weakened tissue typically smokers or COPD
Hemothorax
Blood in the pleural space can collapse the lung
Crepitus
The grating sound of bones rubbing together
Fail chest
Two or more adjacent ribs that are broken in two or more places creating a free floating section
Paradoxical breathing
One side of the chest rises as the other falls
Traumatic asphyxia
Occurs when a massive trauma is applied over a large portion of the chest
Evisceration
Occurs when abdominal organs such a intestine protrude from an open wound
Gastrointestinal bleeding (GI)
Bleeding that occurs within the stomach
Abdominal distention
Enlargement of the patients abdomen due to pressure from within, result of internal bleeding
Open wound
A wound in which the skin has been broken
Closed wound
A wound in which the skin has not been broken
Blunt trauma
Force applied over a large area
Contusion
A bruise often caused by blunt trauma
Swollen and dis colored
Ecchymosis
Bleeding beneath the skin
A bruise
Hematoma
A large amount of bleeding beneath the skin enough to raise a bluish dis colored lump
Abrasions
A rubbing or scrapping force that penetrates and destroys the outermost layer of the skin
Laceration
A icy to the skin or layers of soft tissue beneath the skin caused by a sharp object
Avulsion
An injury in which the force partially or completely years away large pieces of soft tissue
Puncture
A penetration of the skin that damages the soft tissue in the path of the object
Dressing
A covering for a wound
Trauma dressing
Large and absorbent dressing designed for major wounds
Bandage compress
A dressing with a bandage attached
Occlusive dressing
Material airtight and is designed to creat a seal over certain types of wounds
Hemostatic agents
Contains a drying agent to help control bleeding
Roller bandage
Comes in rolls tends to cling together when rolled on itself
Triangle bandage
A bandage made from a large piece of unbleached cotton cut to form a triangle
Air embolism
Air bubble in the bloodstream
Amputation
Complete detachment of a body part from the rest if the body
Superficial burn
Epidermis
Partial thickness
Epidermis and dermis
Full thickness burn
Burns fat and muscle
Cerebrospinal fluid
The protective liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord
Vertebrae
Spinal column
33 bones
Articulation
Two bones moving together as a joint
Posturing
Involuntary movement of the patients limbs that occur either spontaneous or with pain
Foramen magnum
Hole at the base of the skull where spinal cord connects with the brainstem
Herniation
Pressure forcing the upper portions of the brain downward
Cushing triad
Three trends in vital signs
Increasing blood pressure
Abnormal respiration patterns
Decreasing pulse
Concussion
A blow to the head that temporarily interrupts the function of the brain
Battle sign
Bruising behind the ears
Raccoon eyes
Bruising behind the eyes typically denoting an open head injury
Orbit
Bony structure that houses the eye
Rigid eye shield
Special cup designed to protect the eye
Secondary injury
An injury occurs as a result of movement after original injury
Neutral position
The head is neither flexed forward nor extended back
Orthopedic injury
An injury to the skeletal system or associated muscles joints tendons and ligaments
Axial skeleton
The skull rib cage and spinal column
Appendicular skeleton
The arms and legs
Open injury
Broken one perforated the skin
Closed injury
Broken bone that has intact skin
Strain
Occurs when muscles and tendons are overworked and stretched and extended beyond normal rage
Sprain
Ligaments that connect bone to bone are over extended and stretched beyond there range
Dislocation
Joint is disrupted, bone joint is out of place
Angulated fracture
Normally straight bone that has been bent due to a fracture
Crepitus
Grating sound when broken bone ends rub together
Sling and swathe
Immobilization technique of a sling securing the arm to the body
Traction splint
Mechanical device provides gentle traction to decrease pain and prevent muscle spasm
Metabolism
All the physical and chemical changes that occur in the body
Convention
Heat loss through air or water passing over the body
Conduction
Heat loss through direct contact with an object
Radiation
Heat loss involving the transfer of the heat to
An object without physical contact
Evaporation
Process of sweat changes vapors and cools the body
Respiration
Heat loss through breathing
Hypothermia
Condition of lower than normal body temps
Frostbite
Localized cold injury
Gangrene
Localized tissue death
Hyperthermia
Condition of higher than normal body temps
Hear cramps
Spasms of the muscles
Heat exhaustion
Mild state of shock
Heatstroke
Body becomes over heated
Drowning
Respiratory impairment due to submersion in a liquid
Suffocation
Deprivation of air exchange
Angina pectoris
Is condition where the heart is receiving reduced blood flow.
Pulmonary edema
Fluids build up around alveoli
Myocardial infraction
Heart attack
Coronary arteries blocked
Angina pectoris
Heart is receiving reduced blood flow from plaque build up
Ventricular fibrillation
Rhythm disturbance
Pneumothorax
You may hear crackles and rhonchi
Three ways to determine stroke
Facial droop
Arm drift
Speech
Behavior emergency
Any situation in which a patients behavior is unacceptable
Epipen
Device carrying epinephrine a hormone produced by the body
If symptoms don’t get better after 10 mins from an epi pen do what?
Second dose
On a Glasgow coma scale a patient a score below 13 is a what?
Load and go
Four types of shock
Cardiogenic
Distributive
Hypovolemic
Pressure
Battle sign
Bruising behind the ears
Raccoon eyes
Bruising around the eyes
If you have to flush your eye continuously wash for how long?
30 to 60 mins
