MED EMER 4 PT ONE

Partial obstruction

patient is able to cough, hands on throat, wheezing, dyspnea

Complete obstruction

patient is unable to speak or breathe, may faint

Partial obstruction treatment

sit patient upright, encourage coughing

Complete obstruction treatment CONSCIOUS

heimlich maneuver

Complete obstruction treatment UNCONSCIOUS

call EMS, complete CPR, inspect oral cavity every 5 cycles, no finger sweep!

Prevention of obstructed airway

use rubber dam or gauze curtain

Partial obstruction with very poor air exchange

(crowing or stridor) should be treated as a complete airway obstruction

Aspiration

object enters the lungs

Symptoms immediately after aspiration (list at least 3)

Dyspnea, Hoarseness, Wheezing, Coughing, Cyanosis, Decreased breath sounds, Stupor, Excessive sputum production, Possibly suffocation

Symptoms a week after aspiration (list at least 3)

fever, pain in chest/lung, tachypnea, loss of strength, unusual sounds when breathing/coughing, weight loss, death if untreated

Ingestion

90% are passed through GI tract, excreted within 2 to 12 days

Oropharyngeal

most common location for ingestion, main symptom is feeling like something is trapped in the throat

Esophagus

form of ingestion, main symptom is feeling a sensation in the center of the chest, and neck or throat pain

GI tract

form of ingestion, main symptom is abdominal distension or discomfort, may cause rectal bleeding

Treatment of aspirated object

contact EMS, chest radiograph required, treat accordingly

Treatment of ingested object

endoscopy of upper GI tract, CT scan of abdomen, remove object

Allergy

hypersensitivity to ordinarily harmless substance, majorly environmental

Severity of reaction

dependant on amount of allergen, rate of exposure, and route of exposure

“Common allergy”

Type 1 allergic reaction, immediate reaction, caused by IgE

Cytolytic

Type 2 allergic reaction in which cell death occurs

Anaphylactoid

Type 3 allergic reaction, not IgE regulated, same symptoms as type 1

Delayed

Type 4 allergic reaction, more than 12 hours, often manifests as contact dermatitis

Sensitizing dose

initial exposure to allergen, primary immune response, IgE is produced and attached to mast cells until another encounter

Challenge dose

initiation of allergic reaction, antigen becomes allergen, mast cells release histamines to destroy allergen

Symptoms of allergy

tend to develop gradually, urticaria (hives), pruritus (itching), conjunctivitis (redness of eyes), flush/pallor skin, angioedema (swelling), bronchospasm, hypotension, tachycardia, decreased conscious, runny nose, vomiting and stuff

Biphasic reaction

1 to 72 hours after successful treatment and resolution of initial response, more likely if allergen is ingested

Treatment of mild allergy

localized reaction, give benadryl, may recommend taking Chlorpheneramine for three days after

Treatment of severe allergy

Contact EMS, administer epinephrine three doses every 5 mins, most deaths occur because epinephrine was administered too late