2850 Pathophysiology Exam Four Flashcards
(106 cards)
what is the gold standard for a brain death determination?
neurological exam
what conditions must be ruled out before determining brain death?
severe electrolyte imbalance severe acid base issue endocrine abnormalities core temperature below 89.6 degrees hypotension drug intoxication poisoning neuromuscular blockade
what is “locked in syndrome”?
a rare neurological disorder where all voluntary muscles are paralyzed except muscles controlling eye movement. This must be ruled out before declaring brain death
what does a clinical neurological exam assess a patient for when trying to determine brain death?
coma
apnea
absence of brainstem reflexes
how will absence of brainstem reflexes be manifest in the pupils?
pupils round or oval and dilated 4-6 mm with no response to bright light
how will an absence of brain stem reflexes be manifest in corneal reflex?
there will be no blinking when the corneal edge is touched with a cotton ball
what is cold caloric stimulation? How does it play into determining brainstem reflexes?
irrigating the ear canal with ice water after tilting the head 30 degrees. No neck or eye deviation towards the cold stimulus indicates brain death/lack of brain stem reflexes
how is bronchial suctioning used to determine brain death?
patient is suctioned, and if no coughing occurs as a response, it indicates brain death
explain apneic diffusion oxygenation
This is done to determine brain death in ventilated patients. The vent is turned off, patients are preoxygenated to eliminate respiratory nitrogen, and the climbing PaCO2 is used to attempt to get spontaneous respirations
how is depth of coma assessed?
presence or absence of motor response to painful stimulus
how is patient’s reaction to pain determined when assessing coma depth?
pressing on the supraorbital nerve, pinching the sternum, or pressing on the nailbed
what is meant by end of life?
final phase of a patient’s illness where death is imminent and no further life-saving measures are to be taken
death rattle
noisy, wet sounding respirations caused by mouth breathing and accumulation of mucus in the airway
when does the death rattle occur?
very near the end of life, usually only the last few hours
why does the death rattle occur?
the patient has increasing difficulty swallowing or coughing up secretions
cheyne-stokes respirations
alternating periods of apnea and deep, rapid breathing
what are changes in the cardiovascular system as death approaches?
increased heart rate, then weaker and slower pulse as the patient approaches death
irregular heart rhythm
decreased BP
slower medication absorption (may need increased dose)
what are musculoskeletal changes as death approaches?
loss of ability to move/extreme weakness loss of gag reflex difficulty swallowing jaw sagging speech difficulty posture and alignment difficulty
what are integumentary changes as death approaches?
mottling of skin
cold and clammy skin
cyanosis (especially nose, nail beds, and knees)
waxlike skin very close to death
putrefaction
action of bacteria on tissues of dead body, leading to discoloration, gas production, and a foul odor
autolysis
breakdown of body cells due to lysozymes beginning to digest dead tissues
rigor mortis
post-mortem muscle stiffening (begins 1-2 hours after death and usually passes by about 24 hours after death)
livor mortis
purple-red discoloration in dependent parts of the body due to gravitational blood pooling after the heart stops
what does chronic venous insufficiency occur from?
damage to valves in the deep veins of the legs