CPR & AED and Basic Life Support Lecture Notes

50 vocabulary flashcards covering the FAHS1898A CPR & AED Module, including emergency procedures, injury assessment, and basic life support.

CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

CCF

Chest compression fraction; the percentage of time spent on compressions where a $10\%$ increase equals an $11\%$ increase in survival.

V-fib

Ventricular fibrillation; a state where the heart is shivering uncontrollably.

Asystole

A flatline rhythm in cardiac arrest.

AED

Automated External Defibrillator.

CPR Compression rate

$110/\text{min}$ using a metronome.

CPR Compression depth

$5-6\,\text{cm}$ depth.

CPR Cycle Ratio

$30$ compressions to $2$ breaths.

Emergency Numbers (South Africa)

$112$ or $10177$ for ambulance/AED and $2011$ for police.

Recovery Position

A lateral position that keeps the airway open and lets vomit drain.

Positive Pressure Ventilation

Blowing air into the patient, which pushes air into both the trachea and oesophagus.

Aspiration

The accidental sucking in of fluids like vomit into the lungs, often caused by lying supine.

Perfusion

The flow of blood through tissues; indicated by skin color where Pink is good and Blue is bad.

Stridor

Upper airway swelling resulting in a croupy or crowing sound.

Wheezing

A whistling sound caused by lower airway obstruction or constriction.

Asthma

A chronic inflammatory lung disease where bronchioles contract and air gets trapped in the alveoli.

Spacer

A device used with an inhaler for kids or severe attacks to prevent medicine from leaking into the air.

Anaphylaxis

A life-threatening systemic allergy characterized by swelling, low BP, and potential airway obstruction.

Histamine

A substance released during an allergic reaction that causes blood vessels to dilate (lowering BP) and lung tubes to constrict.

Epinephrine (Adrenaline)

Medication used in auto-injectors to treat life-threatening allergic reactions.

Golden Hour

The critical window of time after a traumatic injury when medical treatment is most effective.

Shock

Insufficient blood flow to tissues and vital organs caused by volume loss, pump failure, or loss of blood vessel tone.

Capillary Refill

A test where the nailbed is pressed; color should return within $2\,\text{sec}$.

Tetanus

An infection that should be monitored for after minor bleeding or skin injuries.

Tourniquet

A device used for major bleeding that is placed above the joint of the bleeding site.

Heimlich Maneuver

A technique for choking involving alternating $5$ abdominal thrusts and $5$ back slaps.

Rule of Palm

A method to determine burn severity; if the burn is larger than the palm of the hand, it requires medical attention.

Superficial Burn

A 1st degree burn where skin is red, dry, and painful with no blisters.

Partial Thickness Burn

A 2nd degree burn involving damaged dermis, blisters, and moist/weeping skin.

Full Thickness Burn

A 3rd degree burn where skin is charred, leathery, and waxy white with little to no pain.

Circumferential Burn

A burn that goes all the way around a limb, potentially causing a tourniquet effect.

Atherosclerosis

Fatty deposits in arteries that can lead to heart attacks.

Aspirin (Dosage for Heart Attack)

$300\,\text{mg}$ administered under the tongue if the patient is not allergic and no stroke signs are present.

Ischemic Stroke

A 'brain attack' caused by a blockage of blood flow.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

A stroke caused by the rupture of a blood vessel.

FAST Acronym

Facial droop, Arm drift, Speech slur, and Timing; used to recognize a stroke.

AVPU Score

A scale to assess consciousness: Alert, Voice, Pain, Unresponsive.

Hypoxia

Low levels of $O_2$ in the brain or tissues.

Febrile Convulsion

Fits or seizures caused by a fever, commonly in infants.

Fracture

A broken bone, which may be open (breaks the skin) or closed.

Crepitus

A grating sensation produced by the friction between bone fragments.

Sprain

An injury to a muscle, tendon, or ligament.

Splinting

The immobilization of a fracture by securing the joint above and below the injury.

Manual In-line Neck Stabilisation

Holding a victim's head still to prevent movement of the spine.

Log Roll

A maneuver used to roll a patient onto their side while keeping the head, neck, and back aligned.

First Collision (MVC)

The impact of the car with an object (e.g., a tree).

Second Collision (MVC)

The impact of the body with the car interior (e.g., windshield).

Third Collision (MVC)

The impact of internal organs against the skull or body walls.

SAMPLE

Acronym for gathering patient history: Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last oral intake, Events.

Primary Survey

The rapid assessment of Airway, Breathing, and Circulation (and Bleeding/Fractures).