Medical Emergencies Flashcards
(30 cards)
Types of Emergencies
Shock Anaphylaxis Pulmonary Embolism Diabetes related Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) (stroke) Cardiac/Respiratory failure Syncope (fainting) Seizures
What is shock and the 3 stages
Bodies pathological reactions to illness, trauma or stress
- Compensatory
- Progressive
- Irreversible
Compensatory Stage
5
- Skin cold and clammy
- Nausea, dizziness
- Respiratory increase (SOB)
- BP decrease/pulse rate increase
- Anxiety increase , patient may be uncooperative
Progressive Stage
7
- BP ⬇️ sig, ⬆️pulse rate
- Respiration shallow/rapid
3 Pulmonary edema (acute resp distress) - Tachycardia (as high as 150bpm)
- Complaints of chest pain
- Mental status/behavior changes, may LOC
- Renal, hepatitis, GI, hematologist problems occur
Irreversible Stage
- BP remains low
- Renal and liver failure
- Release of necrotic tissue toxins, acidosis occurs
Types of shock
- Hypovolemic
- Cadiogenic
- Distributive (neurogenic, septic, anaphylactic)
Hypovolemic Shock what is it and classes.
Loss of intravscular fluid 15-40% (blood, plasma, vomiting/diarrhea, meds)
Class 1: blood loss of 15%
Class 2: 15-30%
Class 3: 30-40%
Class 4: 40% or more
S&S: excessive thirst, cold extremities, cold/clammy skin, cyanosis lips/nails, can lead to respiratory/cardiac failure if not tx
Cardiogenic Shock what is it and S&S
Failure of heart to pump adequate amount blood to vital organs. Most vulnerable: myocardial infarction, cardiac tamponade, dysthymia, cardiac pathology
S&S: chest pain, dizzy/resp distress, cyanosis, restless/anxiety, change in consciousness, irregular/slow pulse, tachycardia/tachypnea, hard to find carotid pulse, ⬇️BP, ⬇️ urinary output, cool/clammy skin
Distributive shock. What is it?
3 types?
Pooling of blood in peripheral blood vessels-⬇️ venous return to heart, ⬇️BP, ⬇️ tissue perfusion, blood vessel inability to return blood to heart
Neurogenic, septic, anaphylactic
Neurogenic shock. What is it? Symptoms? People susceptible?
Disruption of autonomic pathways in spinal cord causing vasodilation of peripheral vessels
S: hypotension, Bradycardia, warm dry skin, cool extremities, ⬇️ peripheral pulse
People: Severe pain, neurological damage, spinal cord injury, meds, adverse effect of anesthesia, blood sugar levels
What is septic shock? Phases
Body invading by bacteria, body releases chemicals that ⬆️ capillary permeability and vasodilation
First phase: hot/dry/flushed skin, ⬆️HR/resp, fever, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, normal-excessive urine output, poss confusion
Second phase: cool/pale skin, norm/subnorm temp, ⬇️BP, ⬆️HR/resp, oliguria/Anuria, seizures/ organ failure
What is Anaphylactic Shock? Levels of reaction
Exaggerated hypersensitivity to exposure to antigen, allergic reaction
Mild: within 2hrs, congestion, eye swelling, itching, tightness in chest/mouth/throat, anxiety
Moderate: all same as mild except faster, warmth/itching/urticaria, anxiety, bronchospasms/edema of airway, dyspnea/cough/wheezing
Severe: same but abrupt, ⬇️BP/weak/thready, rapid progression of bronchospasm/laryngeal edema/severe dyspnea/cyanosis, dysphasia/ab cramp/vomiting/diarrhea, seizures/resp/cardiac arrest
What is diabetic ketoacidosis?
S&S
Life threatening, uses fat instead of glucose due to no insulin, fat breakdown builds up ketones in blood/urine, ⬆️levels poisonous/acidify urine
S&S: sweet odor breath, warm/dry skin/mouth, thirst, deep rapid resp, tachycardia/weak/thread pulse/coma, weak, drowsy, pain, nausea
What is hyperosmolar hyperglycemia nonketotic syndrome (HHNS)
S&S
high blood sugar common in type 2
Dehydrated/dry skin/sunken eyes, hypotension/tachycardia/⬆️temp, confused/seizure/coma
What is hypoglycemia? What to do?
Too much insulin or not enough food.
Mild: mild tremor, sweating, hunger, tachycardia, nervousness/irritability
Moderate: h/a numb lips/tongue, confusion, sweating, cold/clammy skin, blurred vision, slurred speech, irrational behavior
Severe: disoriented, impaired motor function, unarousable, ⬇️LOC, seizure, coma
Give 2-4 glucose tabs, vitals
What is pulmonary embolism? Signs? What to do?
Blood clot in pulmonary artery.
Caused by trauma, surgery, CHF, pregnancy, prolonged immobility
Signs: rapid/weak pulse/tachycardia, dsy/tachypnea, cough, syncope, hypotension, change in LOC, sudden death
Crash cart, monitor vitals, prepare to assist with O2
What is CVA? Signs?
What to do?
Blockage/rupture of blood supple to brain.
Tech Must be quick!!! 5 min or less.
Numbness, one sided weakness, confusion, dizzy, stiff neck, ataxia, nausea/committing, LOC
Prepare to assist with 02, IV, meds
What is cardiac arrest? Signs? What to do?
Heart stops beating effectively.
Electrical activity disrupted, hypovolemic Shock, cardiac tamponade, hypothermia, pulmonary embolism, over dose, MI
Signs: LOC, pulse, BP, dilation of pupils, seizure
Shake and ask if ok, call code if unresponsive, carotid pulse, supine, cpr
What is respiratory arrest? Signs? What to do?
Gas exchange not adequate to meet needs of body due toblocked airway, overdose, injury, coma, disease
Pt not responding, pulse cont then stops, chest movt stops
Shake and ask if ok, call code if unresponsive, carotid pulse, supine, cpr
What is syncope? Causes? Signs? What to do?
Fainting/LOC
Heart disease, hungry, poor ventilation, emotional trauma, extreme fatigue
Pallor/dizzy/nausea, hyperpnea/tachycardia, cold/clammy skin
Elderly may have orthostatic hypotension(bp⬇️ when standing)
Watch NPO’s, lie down, place supine w/legs up, assist to ground, kidney basin
What is seizure and types?
Uncontrolled electrical activity of brain
Generalized and partial (Complex and simple)
Signs of generalized seizure what to do?
Sharp cry, rigid muscles, rapid irregular movements, froth, incontinence, vomit
Don’t put anything in mouth, remove dentures, track time of seizure, sims after face down, don’t restrain
Signs of complex and partial
Complex- motionless or emotional outburst, facial grimacing, confusion, doesn’t know it happened
Simple- finger/hand may shake, can’t speak properly, dizzy, strange smells/tastes/odors, no LOC
Types of head injuries? Signs of each. What to do
Closed- degrees of LOC, lucid and unconscious, loss reflexes, change in vitals, headache/dizzy/visual disturbance, unequal pupils, sz, vomit, hemiparesis
Open- degrees of LOC, hemorrhage, hearing loss, CSF cans drop from nose/ears, periorbital ecchymosis
Head/neck immobilized elevate 15-30 degrees,
Don’t remove dressings/collars/sandbags, keep temp normal, check pulse and resp, never suction through nose
