personal health & hygiene Flashcards
hypoglycaemia
low blood sugar
fainting
sleepiness, nervousness, shaking, headache, lack of concentration
eat a snack, something sugary, or carbs
body water
60% water in body
regulates body temp
allow reaction to take place, protect tissue, absorbs nutrients
lose water through breathing, sweating
food contamination
poison glass insects, animals, rodents cross contamination packaging raw material
gastro intestinal upsets
most common cause of flight incapacitation in crew
caused by viral or bacterial, food poisoning, contaminated water etc
gastro intestinal upsets: symptoms
Nausea vomit diarrhoea out both ends fainting stomach cramps loss of fluids - dehydration should not fly
gastro intestinal upsets: prevention
crew eat different meals
eat in clean environment
wash hands before eat/drinking
avoid dodgy food and drink bottled water
if gastro intestinal upset systems develop down route
don’t fly, stay in hotel and rest, hydrate - wait 48hr until after symptoms and seek AME advice
seek medical advice
in flight let crew member know
obesity
abnormal accumulation of body fat
20% or more than ideal body weight
causes:
genetics, diet, lack of exercise, underlying health problems
susceptible to:
heart attack, hypertension, gout, diabetes, hypoxia, decompression, g has more effect, osteoarthritis, heavy sweating, chest infection, hypertension, some cancers
BMI
weight (kg) / height squared (m2) <18.5 underweight 18.5-24.9 normal 25-29.9 overweight 30-34.9 obese >35 morbidly obese
type 2 diabetes
blood sugar too high
can develop as get old, poor diets, obesity, genetics, ethnicity
pancreas not producing enough insulin
treated by adjustment of diet
type 2 diabetes symptoms:
thirst frequent urination blurred vision(retinopathy & cataracts) irritably tingling of limbs infections wounds don't heal stroke nerve damage kidney disease foot problems
tobacco
affects
breathing, reduced night vision, reduced ability to withstand G force, hypoxia, can be breathing CO
Physiological altitude already at 4000ft
Caffeine
reg cup 60-70mg large cup 100-155mg 200mg reduces performance peppermint tea has no caffeine hot chocolate has lots lead to: risk of cardiac arrest hypertension hyper activeness insomnia
Alcohol
easa max limit- 20mg/100ml 1 unit= 15mg/100ml daily limit: men 5unit women 3 week limit: men 21 women 14 liver metabolism: 15mg/100ml per hour wait 8 hours from last drink to flying inability to reason, lose balance, disrupt sleep etc
Alcoholism
excessive use of alcohol receptively damages a persons physical, mental or social life indications: drinking alone gulping first drink defensive over drink and angry when criticised protection of supply high tolerance depression
common in aviation
if crew member suspected follow airlines procedure to report it
back pain
very common
common back ache- ache in lumbago region/ lower back
slipped disk- disk in spine precesses on nerves
prevent:
exercise to strengthen back
good lumbar support
good sitting position
disease caused by poor hygiene and water supply
polio, typhoid, hepatitis A, cholera
insect Bourne diseases
malaria(primary cause of death from tropical diseases)
dengue
yellow fever
disease caused by swimming in fresh water
parasite worms
disease caused by spore of infected animal manure getting in punctures in the skin
tetanus
disease caused by being bitten by infected animal
rabies (hydrophobia)
disease caused by sharing of needles
hepatitis C
disease caused by infection from droplets of cough or sneeze
tuberculosis(TB)
STI
hepatitis B, HIV, Aids, Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, herpes
pain killers side effects
nausea
stomach ulcers
internal bleeding
cold & flu drug side effects
drowsiness
blurred vision
stomach upsets
antihistamines side effects
drowsiness
nasal decongestants side effects
pills- drowsiness
sprays- damage membrane lining of nasal passage
if you need to take drugs prescription or not?
should seek advice from an AME on whether you are allowed to fly
Incapacitation
rendered to a point where you can’t do your duties
worst when insidious onset
most common cause - gastro intestinal upsets but many other reasons
if someone else becomes incapacitated
give them oxygen
strap them into seat and constrain their arms
inform ATC
place in recovery position if on floor
land as soon as possible
good personal hygiene best way to prevent
AeMC
aero medical centre
where you go for first medical
AME
doctors with specialist aviation medicine training
certified by the CAA
whenever visit to GP or hospital or prescribed anything you must speak to a AME before resuming flight duties
