Transcript Signs Symptoms

MEDICAL
CONDITIONS
MedicAlert ®

MedicAlert ® Medical ID Alert identification
engraved with primary medical condition(s), ID
number, and the 24-Hour Emergency Response
Center number
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MedicAlert ®
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MedicAlert ®
New product this
spring/summer
 Being marketed for
children in particular
 Can be worn over or
instead of bracelet
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Medical Conditions
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Angina
Anaphylaxis
Asphyxia
Asthma
Diabetes
Epilepsy
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Heart Attack
Hyperventilation
Stroke (CVA)
Syncope (Fainting)
Unresponsiveness
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Angina
Angina is pain resulting from a deficiency of
blood supply, and therefore oxygen to the heart
muscle
 Pain may vary from discomfort, tightness, to very
severe
 Pain usually eases or disappears with rest
 Normally doesn’t last longer than 15 min
 Usually aware of their condition, and may be on
medication
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Signs Symptoms
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Vary from one person to another
Will normally be the same for that person
If a change in symptoms – suspect heart attack
Sub-sternal pain – “pressure or squeezing”
May radiate across chest, upper extremities, neck, jaw,
back
Feeling of indigestion
Will be relieved almost immediately with medication
Will NOT be influenced by changing the rate of
respirations, coughing, or movement
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Treatment
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If the patient has
medication, assist the
patient in taking it
Keep the patient at rest
Give oxygen
Take a medical history
Check for MedicAlert ®
identification
Evaluate vital signs
Monitor vital signs during
transportation
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If the patient does not improve
with mediation, has no
medication or shows signs of
getting worse, activate EMS and
treat as Load and Go
If the patient does improve with
medication, recommend they
seek further care at a medical
facility and offer transportation
Be prepared to treat the patient
if they lose consciousness
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Anaphylaxis
Caused by a serious and rapid allergic reaction
 This is life threatening
 Allergies to nuts, bee stings, latex,etc. can
trigger this reaction
 People with known anaphylaxis usually carry
epinephrine
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Signs and Symptoms
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Respiratory distress
(wheezing)
Rapid breathing and
pulse
Throat tightness and
difficulty swallowing
Dizziness, faintness
Cool and clammy skin
Swelling
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Vomiting
Red, watery eyes
Abdominal cramps,
diarrhea
Tingling in the lips and
mouth
Itchy rash
Sense of doom
May be wearing
MedicAlert ®
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Treatment
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Activate EMS
Assist the patient to administer the injection in the thigh
muscle (no other area)
Hold the injector at a 90 degree angle to the skin and
press against the thigh muscle
Monitor vital signs closely
Administer oxygen
Be prepared for AR
Treat for shock
Transport to medical aid
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EpiPen Administration
Remove from tube
 Remove blue safety release
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Help patient swing and push
the orange tip against their
mid-outer thigh until you
hear a “click”
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EpiPen Administration
Hold on thigh for several seconds
 When EpiPen® is removed, the orange needle
cover automatically extends to cover the
injection needle
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Asphyxia
Suffocation caused by decreased oxygen and
increased carbon dioxide in the blood
 Causes:
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 Trauma
 Drowning
 Suffocation
 Lack of oxygen in the air
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Symptoms and Treatment
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Symptoms
 Bluish tint or a pale appearance to the skin and lips
(cyanosis)
 Deteriorating level of consciousness
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Treatment
 Move patient to clean air
 Establish an airway and administer oxygen
 Perform AR if required
 Monitor vital signs
 Activate EMS and treat as Load & Go
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Asthma
Caused by an acute reactive constriction of the
bronchi
 Asthma attack may be brought on by:
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 Allergic reactions
 Respiratory infections
 Emotional stress
 Cold weather
 Exercise
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Signs and Symptoms
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Whistling or high pitched wheezing during respiration
Anxiety
Over-inflated chest
Shallow rapid respiration
Increased pulse
Breathing through pursed lips, as if sucking in air through
a straw
Appear to be “air hungry”
Use of accessory neck muscles to assist breathing
Prefer sitting forward
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Treatment
Reassure the patient
 Maintain an open airway
 Be prepared to assist breathing
 Administer high flow oxygen
 Put the patient in the most comfortable position
 Transport to a medical aid facility
 Assist the patient to take medication if they have
any
 Many asthmatics will recover with use of inhaler
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Inhalers
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Assist the patient to:
 Remove the cover
 Place the opening in their mouth
 Start inhaling
 Press down on the inhaler to administer medication
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Diabetes
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A disorder which affects the body’s ability to regulate the
level of blood sugar
Approximately 1 in 20 Canadians have diabetes
When the body cannot produce enough insulin, cells are
unable to take up and utilise the glucose
Or, if there is too much insulin in the blood stream or not
enough glucose, the energy within the cells become
depleted, and they begin to malfunction
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Hypoglycemia (Insulin Shock)
Severe low blood sugar
 Most common complication of insulin use
 Extremely dangerous
 Signs and symptoms appear quite similar to
those of shock
 Treatment must be rapid
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Causes
Delayed or missed meals
 Vomiting
 Prolonged exercise without extra food or insulin
adjustment
 Overdose of insulin
 Excessive alcohol ingestion
 Emotional distress
 Illness
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Signs and Symptoms
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Cold, clammy skin
Combativeness
Confusion or disorientation
Irritability
Hostility
Slurred speech
Trembling, shakiness of
hands
Seizures
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Reduced LOC
Unresponsiveness
Tingling or numbness of lips
and mouth
Thickening of the tongue
Sensation of forceful
heartbeats, or ‘skipping a
beat’
Poor co-ordination
Headache
Hunger
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Treatment
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Check for a MedicAlert®
Activate EMS
Provide sugar immediately
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fruit juice or non-diet soda pop (1 cup)
Lifesavers (5 or 6 lozenges)
honey (2 tablespoons)
sugar (3 packets or teaspoons)
glucose (3 tablets), or dextrose (3 tablets)
If the patient is alert, urge the patient to eat or drink as
quickly as possible and if symptoms do not subside
within ten minutes, repeat the treatment
Recommend the patient seek further medical aid
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Treatment - Unresponsive
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Ensure there is an adequate airway
Place in the semi-prone position
Check for a MedicAlert®
Place liquid sugar source into downside cheek
Wait 3-4 minutes and repeat
Monitor vital signs continuously; activate EMS
If patient regains consciousness:
 Continue sugar by mouth
 Give a more complex carbohydrate, such as bread, crackers,
cheese, meat or peanut butter
 Avoid excessive activity
 Transport to medical aid
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Hyperglycemia (Diabetic Coma)
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Develops slowly, over a period of days
Appropriate medical attention is the key to treatment
Causes of high blood sugar may include:
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missed or insufficient doses of insulin
increasing resistance to insulin, possibly as the result of infection
inability to take medications and follow diet properly
undiagnosed diabetes
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Signs and Symptoms
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Fatigue
Dry, warm, flushed skin
Extreme thirst
Dehydration
Frequent urination
Rapid, weak pulse
Rapid, deep breathing
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Fruity odour on breath
(“acetone odour” or
“apple cider odour”)
Nausea
Abdominal pain
Irritation and agitation
Confusion, eventually
leading to
unconsciousness and
coma
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Treatment
Monitor vital signs
 Check for MedicAlert ®
 Transport to medical aid
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When in doubt, give sugar.
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Insulin Shock
(Needs Sugar)
Diabetic Coma
(Needs Insulin)
Pulse:
strong and rapid
weak and rapid
Breathing
shallow
deep and sighing
Skin
pale and sweating
flushed, dry, warm
Breath Odor
odorless
like musty apple or nail
polish
LOC
faintness to
unconsciousness
gradual onset of
unconsciousness
Other Signs
headache
trembling
hunger
unsteady walk
nausea
Do not assist the diabetic to take their insulin shot
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Epilepsy
Usually well-controlled by drug therapy
 Affects approximately 1in 200 people
 An epileptic seizure is the physical result of
uncoordinated electrical activity in the brain
 May be brought on by:
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 Emotional strain
 Fatigue
 Flashing lights or loud noises
 Alcohol intake
 Failure to take medications
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Signs and Symptoms
Petit Mal
 No overt physical signs
 Person may simply
suddenly stop talking
 Trance-like gaze for a
short period of time
 May not remember the
event
Grand Mal
 Involuntary muscle
contractions (seizures)
 Loss of consciousness
 May have loss of bladder
or bowel control
 Possible temporary
cessation of breathing
 Fatigue and wanting to
sleep
 Pupil response may not
be normal
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Treatment – Grand Mal
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Lay the patient down –even during a seizure– to prevent
further injury
Remove any sources of potential injury
Be prepared to support breathing with AR
Never place any fingers or any other object in a patient’s
mouth during a seizure
Check for a MedicAlert ® and get additional information
After the end of the convulsion, check breathing and
pulse, and maintain an open airway
Transport the patient to medical aid
Reassure the patient
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Heart Attack
Myocardial Infarction (M.I.)
 Occurs when the circulation to a part of the
cardiac muscle becomes impaired, resulting in
an inadequate oxygen supply
 The cardiac muscle may lose its ability to
function effectively
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Signs and Symptoms
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Pain in the chest radiating down one or both arms, to the
jaw, neck or back
 squeezing, crushing, stabbing, or vice-like
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Apprehension
Denial
Laboured breathing
Sweaty or nauseous
Face may be pale and ashen
Skin may have a bluish tint (cyanosis)
Severity of signs and symptoms varies.
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Treatment - Conscious
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Activate EMS and treat as Load & Go
Transport the patient in a position of comfort (usually
semi-sitting) to medical aid
Do not allow the patient to exert themselves in any way
Give oxygen
Keep the patient calm and still
Loosen restrictive clothing
Take a medical history
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Check for a MedicAlert ®
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…continued
Evaluate vital signs
 Assist the patient to take their own medication
 Keep the patient warm, but do not overheat
 Monitor vital signs during transportation
 Be prepared to treat the patient if they lose
consciousness
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Treatment - Unresponsive
Establish and maintain an airway
 Loosen restrictive clothing
 Administer oxygen
 Provide AR or CPR if needed
 Activate EMS and treat as Load & Go
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Aspirin® Administration
Taking an Aspirin ® within the first four hours of
a heart attack can reduce a person's risk of
fatality by 25 %
 Do NOT administer Aspirin ® or an ASA product
if:
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 The patient is already taking blood thinning
medication such as warfarin / Coumadin ®
 Sign and symptoms indicate a possible stroke
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Aspirin™ Administration
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Five (5) following conditions must be met:
 The patient is conscious and alert
 The patient is able to provide an accurate medical
history
 The patient is able to chew and/or swallow the
medication
 The patient is not allergic to Aspirin ® or ASA products
 The patient is NOT asthmatic
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If all conditions are met:
Check for MedicAlert ® identification
 Ask questions about allergies or chronic
respiratory conditions
 Administer ASA by one of the two following
methods:
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Preferentially, two children’s Aspirin ® (81 mg each) by
chewing
 OR One adult Aspirin ®(325 mg) by swallowing
Monitor and communicate the patient’s response
to the medication and any possible complication
 Continue to be available to assist the patient
with the use of their own medication
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Rescuers may not recommend the use of
Aspirin® or ASA products in any other
circumstance, for example headache, or sprains
and strains.
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Hyperventilation
Involves breathing too quickly (carbon dioxide
and oxygen levels in the blood are altered)
 Not a medical emergency
 Usually as a result of stress, strain or overexertion
 Patient does not wheeze or make other
abnormal sounds with respiration
 Do not treat with a paper bag, or cupped hands
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Hyperventilation
Signs and Symptoms
 Tingling and numbness in
the hands and around the
mouth
 Deep, rapid respiration
with rapid pulse
 Marked anxiety,
escalating to panic
 Dizziness, syncope
 Fingers and hands drawn
into a claw like spasm
Treatment
 Try to calm and reassure
 Explain to the casualty
what is happening
 Slow the breathing by
mimicking breathing
 Administer oxygen
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Stroke
Also known as a Cerebral Vascular Accident
(CVA)
 Is the result of a reduction in the supply of blood
to a section of the brain
 Signs and symptoms will depend on where the
damage occurred
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Stroke
Sign and Symptoms
 inability to talk
 confused, unable to express
themselves
 pulse is strong, though slow
 one side of the face may be
droopy
 one pupil may be dilated
compared to the other
 may have muscle paralysis on
one side, or reduced muscle
power on one side of the body
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History
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Patient may have a history of:
 high blood pressure (hypertension)
 short duration fainting spells
 “mini-strokes”, known as transient ischemic attacks
(TIAs)
 headaches
 periods of dizziness
 visual disturbances
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Treatment - Conscious
Maintain an open airway
 Administer oxygen
 Reassure the patient
 Keep the patient calm
 Monitor vital signs
 Activate EMS and treat as Load &Go
 Give nothing by mouth
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Treatment - Unresponsive
Maintain an open airway
 Administer oxygen
 Monitor vital signs
 Activate EMS and treat as Load & Go
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Syncope - fainting
Caused by dilation of blood vessels in the
extremities of the body
 Blood pools in these vessels leaving the brain
without sufficient circulation
 May be caused by fear or emotional stress
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Symptoms and Treatment
Signs and Symptoms
 Pale skin
 Profuse sweating
 Dizziness
 Weakness
Treatment
 Lie them down (head
lower than heart)
 Cool cloth to forehead or
neck
 Loosen clothing
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Altered Level of Consciousness
Lowered level of consciousness is the abnormal
state of inappropriate response or complete lack
of response to sensory stimuli
 AVPU Scale
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 A -Alert ( fully conscious response)
 V - Verbal ( responds to loudly spoken verbal
stimulus)
 P - Pain (responds to pain stimulus, such as rubbing
knuckles over patient sternum)
 U - Unresponsive (no response)
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Causes of Unresponsiveness
“U” on the AVPU Scale
Altitude Sickness
 Angina
 Asphyxia
 Asthma
 Diabetes
 Epilepsy
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Heart Attack
 Hyperventilation
 Lightening Strikes
 Poisoning
 Stroke
 Syncope
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Treatment
Establish presence of ABCs
 Administer oxygen ASAP
 Monitor vital signs
 Move patient to semi-prone position
 Continue to monitor and record vitals
 Establish reasons for unconsciousness
 Check for MedicAlert ®
 Activate EMS
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