Unit 8 Sudden Illness

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Unit 8Sudden Illness

• PE 216 Emergency Response

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Altered Level of Consciousness

• Indicates
• Impairment of brain function
• Brain injury
• Can range from mild disorientation to severe
  confusion or unconsciousness

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Challenges with LOC

• An unresponsive patient cannot provide essential
  information to rescuers
• Initial assessment (ABCs) should always be first
  priority
• Always assume a spinal cord injury in an
  unconscious patient

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Syncope

• Victim becomes unconscious and recovers quickly
  without assistance
• Fainting, passing out, blacking out,
  collapsing.
• SS mimic shock

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Syncope

• Causes
• Upsetting emotional events
• Psychogenic shock
• Response to illness
• Sharp changes in blood pressure
• Treatment
• Protect from further injury
• Monitor for life-threatening conditions
• Rule out underlying pathology
• Elevate the legs

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Stupor

• A confused mental state
• Causes
• Head injury
• Shock
• Alcohol/drug abuse
• Heat illness
• Blood sugar fluctuations

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Glasgow Coma Scale

• 15 point scale to determine LOC

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Assessing Memory Loss

• Anterograde Amnesia
• Forgetting information presented after the injury
• Example remembering a list of given words
• Retrograde Amnesia
• Forgetting information presented before the
  injury
• Example DOB, address, date, president

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Seizures

• Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain
• Victim presents with uncontrollable muscle
  contractions
• Typically ends after a few minutes of seizure
  activity
• Types grand mal, petit mal

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Seizures

• Care and Treatment
• Protect victim from further injury
• Monitor ABCs
• Loosen restrictive clothing
• Activate EMS if seizure lasts longer than 5
  minutes, or episodes are repetitive
• Dont
• Place anything in the victims mouth
• Give anything to drink
• Restrain or hold back the victim

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Poisonings

• Routes to Exposure
• Ingestion enters via the mouth
• Inhalation breathed in
• Absorption passes through the skin or mucous
  membranes
• Injection delivered via a puncture in the skin

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Poison Control Centers

• Staffed 24/7
• Provides advice on care for poisonings based on
  the suspected substance
• National Number
• 800-222-1222

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Treatment of Poisonings

• Activate EMS is patients condition is unstable
• Contact the poison control center
• Follow directions given by advisor
• Never Force patient to vomit corrosive
  substances
• May need to use activated charcoal or syrup of
  ipecac

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Anaphylactic Shock

• Severe allergic reaction in which a person goes
  into shock
• Results in swollen respiratory tissues, leading
  to respiratory arrest
• Causes
• Insect bites, food allergies, inhaled allergens,
  chemical exposure, medications, drug overdoses

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Treatment of Anaphylaxis

• Activate EMS
• Maintain ABCs
• Assist patient in using any prescribed
  medications
• Asthma inhalers, Epi-Pen
• If patient is able to swallow, give 1 dose of
  Benadryl

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Asthma Attacks

• Pathology
• Constriction of bronchioles in the airway
• Causes
• Stress
• Allergens (pollen)
• Exercise in cool environment
• SS
• Difficulty Breathing
• Wheezing
• Cyanosis

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Asthma Attacks

• Treatment
• Assist patient with inhaler (bronchodilator)
• Allow patient to rest comfortably
• Encourage deep/slow breathing
• Activate EMS if airway becomes compromised
• Prevention
• Proper use of medications
• Proper warm up before activity
• Avoid exercise in cold/wet environments
• Exercise indoor, away from allergens

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Exertional Heat Illness

• Heat Rash
• Red, raised, prickly, itch rash
• in areas of friction
• Jock Itch
• Heat Syncope
• Fainting/collapse
• Peripheral vasodilation causes a drop in blood
  pressure, and pooling in extremities
• Lay athlete in cool environment, begin replacing
  fluids
• Loosen/remove restrictive/wet clothing

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Exertional Heat Illness

• Heat Cramps
• Painful muscle spasms
• Commonly in calf,
• abdomen
• Caused by excessive loss
• of water/electrolytes
• Also due to an imbalance
• in concentration
• Do not use salt tablets
• Extra dietary sodium/potassium/calcium can be
  added if electrolytes are an issue
• Ice massage and stretch cramping muscles

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Exertional Heat Illness

• Heat Exhaustion
• Unable to sustain
• adequate cardiac output
• because of dehydration
• Rectal Temp
• lt104 degrees
• No neurological
• symptoms (LOC)
• Signs and Symptoms
• Pale Skin
• Cramps, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea
• Headache, Dizziness, Loss of Coordination

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Exertional Heat Illness

• Heatstroke (Medical Emergency!)
• Most serious heat related illness
• Life threatening, medical emergency
• Body can no longer regulate its temperature
• Rectal Temp gt104
• Tissues begin to die because of heat
• Signs and Symptoms
• Shallow/fast breathing
• Rapid/strong pulse
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Headache, dizziness, weakness
• Decreased blood pressure
• Red/hot/dry skinloss of sweating mechanism

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Heat Exhaustion vs. Stroke
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Treating Heat Related Illness

• Heat stroke is a medical emergency! Call 911!
• Treatment
• Remove from sun
• Remove clothing
• Fan the patient
• Place ice packs on
• Neck, armpits, groin, ankles

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Treating Heat Stroke in Sports

• Rapid cooling is more important than
  transportstill call 911 but have to get temp
  down
• Tissue death will occur if body temp is not
  lowered!
• Measure temp rectally
• Immerse patient in approximately 50 F degree
  water until temp is 102then remove
• Provide IV Fluids if EMT/Physician is present
• Return to play after 1 week, and cleared by
  physician
• Gradually return to activity

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UV Exposure

• UV Exposure predisposes humans to skin cancers
• Due to damage of DNA
• Prevent by wearing sunscreen
• SPF value indicates how much longer you can be
  exposed (than without sunscreen) and prevent
  redness
• Light/fair skinned individuals are at higher risk

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Cold Related Injuries

• Frost Nip
• Causes high wind and severe cold
• SS Firm, cold, red, blistering skin on
  extremities and facial structures
• Treatment
• Firm, sustained pressure
• from hand
• No rubbing!
• Put fingers in armpits
• Breathe warmly on area

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Cold Related Injuries

• Frostbite (Chilblains)
• Causes Prolonged exposure
• to cold
• SS redness, swelling,
• tingling, pain, waxy,
• cyanosis
• Classification
• Superficial skin and
• subcutaneous tissue
• Treatment
• gradual re-warming
• Deep underlying tissues are frozen
• Treatment rapid re-warming, hospitalization