Acute Care Flashcards
(135 cards)
15 year old with hypertensive emergency. List two medications that you can use to lower BP acutely.
For each medication, list one side-effect (not including hypotension).
IV medications
- labetolol: bradycardia, bronchospasm in asthmatics
- nicardipine: tachycardia, hypokalemia
- sodium nitroprusside: dizziness, cyanide toxicity (if malnourished or hepatic impairment)
A 15 year old child is being transferred to your centre after an MVC in which he sustained a closed
head injury. Which of the following is likely to occur on transport and will cause significant sequelae?
Hypotension
- Which of the following is least associated with increased intracranial pressure?
TCA overdose
- What is the appropriate ETT tube size for a 2 year old? (1)
Uncuffed= (2/4) + 4= 4.5
age in years/4+4
A 4-year-old with CP is involved in an MVA. He has been in the ICU for 1 week with a GCS of 4.
There is no improvement despite aggressive management and mechanical ventilation.
Parents approach you regarding the withdrawal of treatment.
Discuss the options again with the parents, and if they remain certain about the
decision then proceed with withdrawal
Notes: 3 components (2 examinations at separate times of 12-24h) o Irreversible coma with known cause o Absence of brainstem reflexes o Apnea
- Regarding consent for organ donation, which is true:
b) can consent to donation of organs despite the absence of full brain death criteria
- 4 “medical reasons” why brain dead patient may not be able to be an organ donor.
Contraindications:
- active CMV, Hep B or Hep C infection
- active extracranial malignancy
- severe, untreated systemic sepsis
- AIDS
- viral encephalitis
- risk of rare viral or prion protein illness like Creutzfeld-Jakob
- active West Nile virus or rabies
- active disseminated TB
- A boy is struck by lightning in a field. Most likely consequence?
c. cardiovascular collapse
- EKG kid in vfib/ maybe early torsades?. Patient has CPR being performed already intubated. Has IV.
Give the interventions and drugs that will be administered for his cardiac care in the first 5 minutes of
resuscitation.
CPR Shock CPR Shock CPR Epi CPR Shock Amiodarone or Lidocaine \+/- Mag Sulf if TDP (from long QT)
- Child with pulseless wide-complex tach, got defibrillated x 1 and is receiving CPR. IV is in situ. What
do you do next?
a. shock
c. epinephrine 1:10000, 0.1 cc/kg
Reversible causes of cardiac arrest?
- H’s: hypovolemia
- hypoxia
- hydrogen (acidosis)
- hyper/hypokalemia
- hypoglycemia
- hypothermia
- T’s: tension pneumo
- tamponande
- toxins
- thrombosis (pulmonary or coronary)
- unrecognized trauma
Asystole A. epi
Bradycardia B high dose epi
SVT C Atropine
V. tach with pulse D adenosine
V tach without pulse E. amiodarone
Pulseless electrical activity F. Lidocaine
Asystole: epi bradycardia: epi or atropine (if increased vagal tone) SVT: adenosine V tach with pulse: amiodarone/adenosine Pulsesless V tach: defib, then epic PEA: epi
- Child with 15% blood loss after MVA. ETA to ER is at least 1 hour. Which of the vital signs most
represents the patient upon arrival to ER.
a. pulse 120, RR 30, BP 90/60
- Can lose up to 30% of blood before BP decreases
- 15% is between very mild to mild hemorrhage
- A teenager is seen in the ER with shortness of breath. He has distended neck veins, hepatomegaly
and an S3 and an S4. What are two abnormalities on this CXR? What are two possible diagnoses?
- Cardiomegaly and Left pleural effusion ?perivascular markings
Causes heart failure in adolescent - Myocarditis
- Acute hypertension (glomerulonephritis)
- Genetic or metabolic cardiomyopathy
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Babe in shock with Na 131, K 5.9. What is the BEST thing to do right now?
b. NS bolus
- 3 yo with trauma, skull and femur fracture and has already received 3 boluses of 20 cc/kg. HR 160,
low BP – unchanged Next step:
c) inotropes and packed RBC
Notes: - to improve cardiac output
- medication therapy for hemorrhagic hypovolemic shock: vasoactive agents not
routinely indicated but patients with persistent hypotension may require short
course of something like epinephrine to restore cardiac contractility and vascular
tone until adequate fluid resuscitation is provided
- Description of toxic shock syndrome with erythema, fever, low BP. Already received 2x20cc/kg.
Slightly decreased LOC. Next?
a) bolus and inotropes. (norepi best as distributive shock)
- Infant with temp 40C, BP 70/30, HR 160. Diffuse skin erythema. Refractory to 20 cc/kg bolus normal
saline X 3. Slightly decreased LOC. Next step?
b. Inotropes and re-bolus
- Newborn term, Appropriate GA baby, cried at birth, Apgars 9 and 9. Few hours later found to be in
respiratory distress. RR 80, HR high. Cap refill 4-5 seconds, BP 48/32. Hyperinflated chest with minimal
indrawing. Cannot hear breath sounds on left, cannot hear heart sounds. Baby is turning cyanotic. What
investigation do you do (1)? What is your possible diagnosis (1) Baby’s heart rate is now 80 and is more
cyanotic. What one investigation do you want to do (1)
Transillumination. 2 nd choice: CXR
● False (+): ELBW, subcutaneous air or edema, PIE
● CXR would confirm but is clinical diagnosis
Tension Pneumothorax, DDX: Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.
● CC: sudden deterioration with O2 desat/increased O2 need
● Tachycardia, fall in BP
● Circulatory compromise due to mediastinal shift (pressure on RA= lower preload and CO) =
bradycardic due to hypoxemic
Treatment: Needle Decompression
● Butterfly needle (23 gauge if > 32 GA or > 1500g) + 3 way stop cock and syringe
● Insert into 2 nd intercostal space mid-clavicle line (just above 3 rd rib)
● Advance while aspirating until pull air back; and shoot out through different port; repeat
- 2 diagnostic criteria for ARDS.
- within 1 week of known clinical insult or new or worsening resp symptoms
- bilateral opacity on CXR not explained by effusion, collapse or nodules
- resp failure not explained by cardiac failure or fluid overload
- Oxygenation issues (PaO2/FiO2 less than 300 with PEEP 5 or more)
- What are two life-threatening acute presentations of a teenage boy with an anterior mediastinal
mass? State the acute presentation, and describe why it is life-threatening
Risks (compression)
o Airway compromise (airway obstruction/ respiratory failure)
o Cardiac tamponade (obstructive shock)
o Vascular Obstruction (SVC syndrome) (obstructive shock)
What are 5 causes of mediastinal mass?
Etiology (5Ts- thymoma, terrible lymphoma, teratoma, ectopic thyroid, dilated thoracic aorta)
- Child in status asthmaticus who has been given inhaled beta agonists, ipratroprium bromide and iv
steroids. Heʼs still in trouble. What are FOUR other medications that can be tried?
IV Ventolin/epinephrine
Magnesium Sulfate
Heliox
Theophylline
- Toxic child with high fever, respiratory distress. White-out on 1 side of the lung on CXR. What to do?
b. chest ultrasound
Notes: Whiteout Hemithorax DDx: large pleural effusion, empyema, hemothorax, complete lung collapse,
community acquired pneumonia, pleural masses