General Medicine Flashcards
(128 cards)
What are the cornerstone of medical evaluation?
- History taking
- Examination
- Special investigation
Why is rheumatic fever something we should worry about?
In some instances, rheumatic heart diseases may be exacerbated by increased bacteremia during certain dental procedures
What are some of common conditions should we worry about in terms of the cardiovascular disease section of the medical history?
- Heart failure
- Acute Myocardial Infraction
- Hypertension - high blood pressure
- Congenital Heart Disease - bacterial endocarditis
- Arrhythmias - related to heart failure and blood thinners
What is important aspects to assist a patient with general stress?
- Open communication about fears and concerns
- Short appoitment
- Mornign appoitment
- Ensure profound local anaesthesia
- Need to provide adequate post-operative pain control
- Post-procedure telephone call
What are some of common conditions should we worry about in terms of the blood disorders section of the medical history?
- Inherited bleeding disorders - haemophilia
- Anaemia
- Leukemia or blood dyscrasias
- Blood thinners
What are some of common conditions should we worry about in terms of the respiratory tract disease section of the medical history?
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive airways disease
- Tuberculosis
- Sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing
What are some of common conditions should we worry about in terms of the neurological disorders disease section of the medical history?
- Stroke
- Epilepsy, seizures and convulsions
- Behavioral/psychiatric disorders
What are some of common conditions should we worry about in terms of the endocrine disease section of the medical history?
- Diabetes - type I and type II
- Thyroid disease - uncontrolled hyperthyroidism and stress sensativity
What are some of common conditions should we worry about in terms of the genitourinary tract disease section of the medical history?
- Kidney disease - abnormal drug metabolism
- Sexually transmitted disease - HIV, Hep b and C
What are some of common conditions should we worry about in terms of the muscuskeletal disease section of the medical history?
- Arthritis - relating to TMJ and use of NSAIDS
- Prosthetic joints
What are some of the other conditions to look out for when conducting a thorough medical history?
- Tobacco and alcohol use
- Drug addiction and substance abuse
- Cancer treatment
- Use of steroids
- Pregnancy
- Previous operations or hospitalisations
What is considered to be normal blood pressure?
Any blood pressure where the systolic (first reading) is below 120 and diastolic (second reading) is below 80 e.g. 119/79
What is INR?
International Normal Rate is a test that identifies potential blood clotting issues by comparing them to an international norm (with 1 being norm and everything above is considered to be worst clotting = more bleeding)
What are the basic drugs and equipment that should be available at every dental practice required by law?
Drugs:
1. Oxygen
2. Adrenaline
3. Glucose
4. Bronchodilator
5. Aspirin
6. Hydrocortisone
Equipment:
1. Blood pressure monitor
2. Glucose monitor
3. Pulse oximeter
4. Automated external defibrillators
5. Laryngeal airways
What is syncope, what’s it’s causes and how do we manage it?
Syncope - transient self-limiting loss of consciousness. The onset is rapid and spontaneous and complete. Has presyncope phase of light-headed, nauseated, anxious and pale.
The underlying mechanism - cerebral hypoperfusion - i.e. low oxygen levels
Causes:
Vasovagal
Orthostatic
Cardiac dysrhythmias
Cardiac disease
Managmenet:
- Stop treatment
- Lie the patient down
- Support airway by removing all object for the mouth
- Measure the patient’s blood pressure and heart rate
- If the patient does not regain consciousness - call 000 begin DRSABCD
What are coronary ischaemia syndromes?
They are syndromes that result from coronary artery obstruction.
The main two that we should worry about are:
- Angina - cuases by temporary myocardial infraction from demand for more blood flow. It typically present as crushing central chest pain, radiating to left arm, neck of jaw
- Acute myocardial infraction - should be suspected if chest pain is unrelieved by nitroglycerin
What is the protocol of action if you suspect the patient having coronary ischaemia syndromes in chair?
- Stop treatment
- Measure: blood pressure, heart rate and pulse oximetry
- Assess consciousness
- To relieve symptoms use glyceryl as instructed, call the registered nurse
If patient reports pain to be THE WORST EVER DO:
1. Call 000
2. Give glyceryl to a patient with previous history of angina
3. Give aspiring 300 mg orally
4. Measure: blood pressure, heart rate and pulse oximetry
5. Start supplemental oxygen - call registered nurse
6. Provide reassurance
7. If patient loses consciousness - start DRSABCD protocol
What is cardiac arrest, what are signs and causes, what is the management of the patient?
Cardiac arrest is the stop of heart function.
Signs: no pulse, loss of consciousnes and respiration
Causes: ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, asystole
Managment:
1. Stop dental treatment
2. Call 000
3. DRSABCD
What are the different severity of an asthma attack?
- Moderate/mild: Saturation level of oxygen in blood abover 94%
- Severe: Oxygen saturation of 90-94%
Life-threatning: oxygen saturation of less than 90%
What is the management of mild or moderate asthma?
- 4 puffs of slabutamol inhaler, 1 puff at a time, shaken before each puff
- Ask the patient to take 4 breaths in and out of the spacer after each puff
- Wait 4 minutes
- If no imporvement - repeate
- If no improvement again - define this as a sever or life-threatening attack
What is the management of sever or life threatening asthma attack?
- Call 000
- Start oxygen and airway support
- Salbutamol - 12 puffs for 6+ years, 6 puffs for less than 6 year olds
- 1 puff at a time, 4 breaths in between
- When waiting for help - perform the protocol every 20 minutes
- If patient is worsening - continuously administer salbutamol
What are the signs of partial airway obstruction?
- Wheeze
- Stridor (noisy inspiration
- Laboured breathing
- Coughing spasms
- Cyanosis
What are the signs of complete obstruction of the airways?
- Inability to breath, speak, cry or cough
- Agitation, gripping of the throat
- Cyanosis
- Bulging of the neck veins
- rapid development of respiratory failure
- Loss of consciousness
What are the steps of management if an inhaled object appears to have fallen down the oropharynx?
- Stop dental treatment
- Check for object location
- If not found, put the patient into an upright position
- Refer the patient for further medical assessment