UF Critical Care Paramedic Module I Exam Review

Vocabulary flashcards based on the Critical Care Paramedic Module I Exam covering pharmacology, respiratory physiology, gas laws, microbiology, and flight physiology.

Hyperkalemia

An electrolyte disturbance that does not typically cause seizures, unlike hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, and hypernatremia which do.

Boyle's Law

The gas law governing the inverse relationship between pressure and volume, which explains why a simple pneumothorax at sea level expands into a tension pneumothorax when transported to an altitude of $8{,}000\text{ feet}$.

Histotoxic Hypoxia

A form of tissue hypoxia resulting from cellular inability to utilize oxygen, exemplified by cyanide binding to Complex IV of the electron transport chain.

High Anion-Gap Metabolic Acidosis

A state of metabolic acidosis characterized by an elevated anion gap, commonly caused by diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), lactic acidosis, and uremia (hyperchloremia causes a normal anion-gap acidosis).

Magnesium Sulfate ($\text{MgSO}_4$)

A therapeutic salt consisting of a polyatomic sulfate ion bonded to an alkaline earth metal; in aqueous solution, magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular cation, which inhibits acetylcholine release, potentiates neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs), causes flaccidity at high levels, and induces tetany at low levels.

Succinylcholine Potassium Elevation

The standard acute increase in serum potassium of approximately $0.5\text{ mmol/L}$ following depolarizing neuromuscular blockade; thus, a post-intubation level of $4.2\text{ mmol/L}$ reflects a pre-induction level of approximately $3.7\text{ mmol/L}$.

Labetalol IV Dosing Sequence

A stepped intravenous dosing protocol for blood pressure control escalating from $20\text{ mg}$ IVP, to $40\text{ mg}$ IVP, then $80\text{ mg}$ IVP, followed by a continuous infusion up to the maximum dose.

Cefepime

A fourth-generation cephalosporin antibiotic that possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity including coverage against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Hydrophilic Solute

A water-soluble chemical characteristic allowing substances to readily dissolve in the aqueous environment of the intravascular plasma compartment.

First-Order Elimination Kinetics

A pharmacokinetic process characterized by a rate of metabolism directly proportional to the concentration of free drug (constant fraction eliminated per unit time) when clearance enzymes are not saturated, producing an exponential decay curve.

Imipenem

A broad-spectrum carbapenem antibiotic that targets bacterial cell wall synthesis rather than inhibiting ribosomal protein synthesis.

Succinylcholine RSI Dose

A rapid sequence intubation paralytic dose of $1.5\text{ mg/kg}$, corresponding to approximately $120\text{ mg}$ in an $81.8\text{ kg}$ ($180\text{ lb}$) adult trauma patient.

Phase 4 Depolarization Suppression

The primary cardiac electrophysiological mechanism of beta-blockers that decreases phase 4 pacemaker automaticity, leading to negative inotropic and negative chronotropic effects.

Terbutaline

A $\beta_2$-adrenergic agonist and smooth muscle relaxant administered non-intravenously (typically subcutaneously at $0.25\text{ mg}$) as a bronchodilator or tocolytic agent.

Gay-Lussac's Law

The gas law defining the direct relationship between gas pressure and temperature at constant volume, explaining why a high-flow oxygen cylinder becomes cold as cylinder pressure drops.

Epinephrine

An endogenous catecholamine hormone that acts on $\beta$-receptors and $\alpha$-receptors (at higher doses) and induces hyperglycemia through increased hepatic glycogenolysis.

Eukaryotic Structure of Fungi

The cellular characteristic of fungal pathogens that creates clinical treatment challenges due to their shared cellular machinery and structures with human eukaryotic host cells.

Gram-Negative Rods

Rod-shaped bacilli that appear pink under light microscopy following Gram staining due to their thin peptidoglycan layer and outer lipid membrane.

Lymphocytes

The leukocyte subtype on a complete blood count (CBC) with differential that characteristically becomes elevated in response to a viral infection.

Staphylococcus aureus

A Gram-positive bacterium identifiable under microscopy as purple-stained spherical cocci occurring in clusters.

Acute Ventilatory Failure Protocol

The immediate intervention of disconnecting a patient from mechanical ventilation and manually ventilating via bag-valve mask (BVM) when acute hypercapnia ($\text{EtCO}_2$ of $75\text{ mmHg}$) and hypoxemia ($\text{SpO}_2$ of $88\%$) develop.

Pre-Oxygenation Denitrogenation

The clinical administration of high-flow oxygen before ascending to altitude to wash out nitrogen from blood and body tissues to prevent dysbarism.

Phase 3 Repolarization Prolongation

The electrophysiological cardiac action of Class III antiarrhythmics (such as amiodarone) that prolongs the action potential duration by blocking potassium efflux channels.

Abandonment

The unlawful termination of the clinician-patient relationship without patient consent or without transferring care to equivalent or higher medical personnel, such as handing off a critical patient to an emergency department technician.

Levofloxacin (Levaquin)

A broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic that exerts bactericidal activity by inhibiting bacterial DNA synthesis via DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV inhibition.

Continuous Suction Chest Tube Drainage

An open, vented thoracic suction system that remains unaffected by altitude-induced volume expansion under Boyle's Law because air is actively and continuously removed.

Hypemic Hypoxia

A state of cellular oxygen deficiency caused by a reduction in the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, exemplified by carbon monoxide binding hemoglobin with higher affinity than oxygen.

Metoprolol

A selective $\beta_1$-adrenergic antagonist administered in $5\text{ mg}$ IV boluses every 5 minutes up to a maximum dose of $15\text{ mg}$ to control tachycardia in aortic dissection.

Sympathetic Glycogenolysis

The autonomic conversion of glycogen to glucose mediated by the sympathetic nervous system to increase blood sugar during stress or emergency states.

Dobutamine

A synthetic catecholamine inotrope that increases cardiac contractility with minimal chronotropic effect, minimizing excessive increases in myocardial oxygen demand.

Assault

The intentional act of creating a reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact in a competent patient, such as threatening an invasive or painful procedure.

Graham's Law

The gas law stating that the rate of diffusion of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of its molecular weight, explaining why carbon dioxide diffuses across alveolar membranes faster than oxygen.

Esmolol (Brevibloc)

An ultra-short-acting cardioselective $\beta_1$-adrenergic receptor antagonist featuring an exceptionally short duration of action, allowing rapid titration.

Atmospheric Oxygen Concentration

The fixed proportion of ambient air comprised of oxygen, which remains constant at $21\%$ across the atmosphere up to $150{,}000\text{ feet}$.

Calcium Chloride ($\text{CaCl}_2$)

The first-line agent administered in severe hyperkalemia to immediately stabilize cardiac resting membrane potential without altering serum potassium concentrations.

Ipratropium

An inhaled anticholinergic muscarinic antagonist that produces bronchodilation without activating beta-adrenergic receptors.

Charles' Law

The physical gas law establishing that volume is proportional to absolute temperature, explaining how cold temperatures increase ambient air density and enhance helicopter rotor lift.

Glucagon

A peptide hormone that bypasses $\beta$-adrenergic receptors to stimulate cyclic AMP ($\text{cAMP}$) synthesis directly, exerting positive inotropic and chronotropic effects in beta-blocker toxicity.

Fick's Law of Diffusion

The law stating that gas diffusion rate across a membrane depends on surface area, membrane thickness, and pressure gradients; available hemoglobin concentration is not a component of this law.

Rule of Threes (Hematocrit/Hemoglobin)

The clinical heuristic where hematocrit is approximately three times the hemoglobin value ($\text{Hct} \approx 3 \times \text{Hb}$), predicting a hematocrit of $36\%$ from a hemoglobin of $12\text{ g/dL}$.

Barotitis Media

A barotraumatic middle ear disorder that primarily develops during aircraft descent due to contraction of air volume in the tympanic cavity as atmospheric pressure rises.

Carbapenems

A major class of beta-lactam antibiotics that possess an extraordinarily broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and resistance to beta-lactamase hydrolysis.

Cordarone (Amiodarone)

A Class III antiarrhythmic agent that primarily acts by blocking potassium channels (with additional sodium, calcium, and beta-blocking actions) and carries a known risk of hepatic toxicity.