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EMT > Chapter 32- Environmental Emergencies > Flashcards

Chapter 32- Environmental Emergencies Flashcards

1
Q

Homeostasis

A

When all the body systems operate in balance

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2
Q

The following four factors will affect how a person deals with a cold or hot environment:

A

Physical condition
Age
Nutrition and hydration
Environmental conditions

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3
Q

Ambient temperature

A

The temperature of the surrounding environment

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4
Q

Heat loss can occur in the following five ways

A 
Conduction
Convection
Evaporation
Radiation
Respiration
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5
Q

Conduction

A

The transfer of heat from contact

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6
Q

Convection

A

Occurs when heat is transferred to circulating air

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7
Q

Evaporation

A

The conversion of any liquid to a gas

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8
Q

Radiation

A

Causes heat loss, such as when a person stands in a cold room

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9
Q

Respiration

A

Breathing

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10
Q

The rate and amount of heat loss or gain by the body can be modified in three ways

A
  • increase or decrease heat production
  • move to an area where heat loss is decreased or increased
  • wear the appropriate clothing for the environment
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11
Q

Hypothermia

A

Low temperature

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12
Q

Core temperature

A

The temp of the heart, lungs, and vital organs

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13
Q

Extent of hypothermia

A

Mild- 93.2F
Moderate-93.2-86F
Severe-86F or less

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14
Q

If the core temperature continues to fall to 80F what happens?

A

Vital signs begin to slow and cardiac dysrhythmias may occur as the blood pressure decreases.

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15
Q

No one is dead unless..

A

They are warm and dead

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16
Q

Frostbite

A

Damage to tissues as the result of exposure to cold; frozen body parts

Most serious local cold injury

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17
Q

Frostnip

A

When the skin may freeze whereas the deeper tissues are unaffected

Often affects the ears, nose, and fingers

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18
Q

Immersion foot

A

Occurs after prolonged exposure to cold water

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19
Q

When the ice thaws in a frozen extremity what happens?

A

Further chemical changes occur in the cell, causing permanent damage or cell death, called necrosis or gangrene

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20
Q

Frostbite can be identified by..

A

A hard, waxy feel of the affected tissues

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21
Q

Rough handling of a patient with hypothermia can cause what?

A

The heart to fibrillate

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22
Q

With a patient with moderate or severe hypothermia, your goal is to prevent further heat loss by:

A
  • removing the patient immediately from the cold environment
  • place the patient in the ambulance
  • remove wet clothing
  • cover the patient with blankets
  • transport
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23
Q

Passive rewarming

A

Placing patient in warm environment
Removing wet clothing
Applying heat packs or hot water bottles to the groin, axillary, and cervical regions

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24
Q

Hyperthermia

A

A high core temperature, usually 101 or higher

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25
Q

Heat emergency can take the following three forms

A

Heat cramps
Heat exhaustion
Heat stroke (life threatening)

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26
Q

Heat cramps

A

Painful muscle spasms that occur after vigorous exercise

27
Q

Heat cramps usually occur where?

A

Leg or abdominal muscles

28
Q

Heat exhaustion

A

A heat emergency in which a significant amount of fluid and electrolyte loss occurs because of heavy sweating

29
Q

Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion

A
  • dizziness, weakness, or syncope
  • onset while working vigorously or exercising in a hot, humid, or poorly ventilated environment
  • onset, even at rest, in the older and infant age groups in hot, humid, or poorly ventilated environments
  • cold, clammy skin with ashen pallor
  • dry tongue and thirst
  • normal vital signs, although the pulse is often rapid and weak
30
Q

Heat stroke

A

Most serious heat emergency

Occurs when the body is subjected to more heat than it can handle and normal mechanisms for getting rid of the excess heat are overwhelmed.

31
Q

The first sign of heat stroke

A

Change in behavior

32
Q

After the first sign of heat stroke, what else can happen?

A

The patient can become unresponsive very quickly and seizures may occur

One telltale sign of heat stroke is when the patient no longer perspires

33
Q

Treating heat cramps

A 
Remove patient from hot environment
Administer high flow oxygen
Rest the cramping muscles
Replace fluids by mouth
Cool the patient with cool water spray or mist, and add convection to the cooling method by manually or mechanically fanning the patient
34
Q

Treating heat exhaustion

A
  • Remove the patient from the hot environment
  • Administer high flow oxygen
  • If patient is fully alert, give water by mouth
  • If nausea develops, secure and transport the patient on his or her left side
35
Q

Treating for heat stroke

A
  • move the patient out of the hot environment and into the ambulance
  • set the air conditioning to maximum cooling
  • remove the patient’s clothing
  • administer high flow oxygen
  • provide cold water immersion in an ice bath if possible
  • cover the patient with wet towels or sheets
  • aggressively and repeatedly fan the patient with or without dampening the skin
  • rapid transport
36
Q

Drowning

A

The process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid

37
Q

Diving reflex

A

The slowing of the heart rate cause by submersion in cold water

38
Q

Most serious water related injuries are associated with…

A

Dives with or without scuba gear

39
Q

Air embolism

A

A condition involving bubbles of air in the blood vessels

40
Q

Decompression sickness

A

Commonly called the bends

Occurs when bubbles of gas, especially nitrogen, obstruct the blood vessels

This condition results from too rapid an ascent from a dive, too long of a dive at too deep a depth, or repeated dives within a short period of time.

41
Q

Most striking symptom of decompression sickness is…

A

Abdominal and/or joint pain so severe that the patient literally doubles up or “bends”

42
Q

Symptoms of decompression sickness may not occur for…

A

Several hours

43
Q

The only treatment outside what we could give in the field for decompression sickness is a…

A

Hyperbaric chamber

44
Q

Hyperbaric chamber

A

A chamber or a small room that is pressurized to a level higher than atmospheric pressure

45
Q

When gaining a SAMPLE history with diving emergencies, it is important to get

A

Depth of the dive
Length of time the patient was underwater
The time of onset of symptoms
Previous diving activity

46
Q

Treatment for suspected air embolism or decompression sickness from scuba diving are:

A
  • remove patient from the water
  • administer oxygen
  • consider the possibility of pneumothorax
  • provide prompt transport to the ED or to the nearest decompression facility
47
Q

Dysbarism injuries

A

Any signs and symptoms caused by the difference between the surrounding atmospheric pressure and the total gas pressure in various tissues, fluids, and cavities of the body

48
Q

Acute mountain sickness

A

Caused by a diminished oxygen pressure in the air at altitudes above 5000 feet resulting in hypoxia

49
Q

HAPE

A

Fluid collects in the lungs, hindering the passage of oxygen into the bloodstream

Occurs at altitudes of 8k or greater

50
Q

HACE

A

Occurs in climbers and may accompany HAPE

Signs and symptoms include a severe, constant, throbbing headache; ataxia (lack of muscle coordination and balance); extreme fatigue; vomiting; and loss of consciousness

51
Q

Black widow spider

A

Black with an hourglass marking on the abdomen

Contains a neurotoxin

52
Q

Systemic symptoms of a black widow bite

A

Dizziness, sweating, nausea, vomiting, and rashes

53
Q

Antivenin

A

A serum containing antibodies that counteract the venom

54
Q

Brow recluse spider

A

Dull brown and have a dark, violin shaped mark on the back

Cytotoxic (causes severe local tissue damage)

55
Q

Hymenoptera

A

Bees, wasps, yellow jackets, and ants

56
Q

Out of the 115 kinds of snakes in the US, how many are venomous?

A

19

57
Q

Examples of pit vipers

A

Rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths

They have a triangular shaped, flat head

58
Q

The venom of a pit viper not only destroys tissues locally, but…

A

Interfere with the body’s clotting mechanism and cause bleeding at various distant sites

59
Q

Treatment of a snake bite from a pit viper

A
  • calm the patient
  • locate the bite area
  • be alert for anaphylactic reaction to the venom and treat with an epinephrine injector
  • do not give anything by mouth
  • mark the skin with a pen over the area that is swollen
  • if any signs of shock, give blanket and oxygen
  • if snake has been killed, bring it with you to the hospital
  • notify the hospital you are bringing a snake bite victim in, describe the snake to them
  • transport ASAP
60
Q

Coral snake venom

A

Causes paralysis of the nervous system

61
Q

The sting of a scorpion is usually more…

A

Painful than it is dangerous, causing localized swelling and discoloration

62
Q

Ticks commonly carry two infectious diseases:

A

Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Lyme disease

Both spread through the tick’s saliva which is injected into the skin when the tick attaches itself

63
Q

Nematocysts

A

Large animals may discharge hundreds of thousands of them (animals such as jellyfish for example)

EMT (26 decks)

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