NREMT High-Yield Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering common conditions, causes, and signs/symptoms for NREMT high-yield review.

Upper Airway Obstruction

Cause: FBAO, tongue, or swelling blocking the airway. S/S: Stridor, drooling, tripod position, inability to speak or cry.

Asthma

Cause: Bronchospasm + airway inflammation. S/S: Expiratory wheezing, prolonged expiration, accessory muscle use, tripod position. Silent chest = ominous sign.

COPD

Cause: Chronic airway/lung damage (chronic bronchitis/emphysema). S/S: Barrel chest, pursed-lip breathing, prolonged expiration, JVD if cor pulmonale.

Pulmonary Edema / CHF

Cause: Left heart failure causing fluid backup into the lungs. S/S: Crackles/rales, pink frothy sputum, orthopnea, JVD, peripheral edema, dyspnea.

Pneumonia

Cause: Lung infection. S/S: Fever, productive cough, unilateral crackles, pleuritic chest pain.

Pneumothorax (Simple)

Cause: Lung tissue ruptures, air enters pleural space (spontaneous or trauma). S/S: Sudden sharp pleuritic pain, unilateral diminished breath sounds, dyspnea.

Hemothorax

Cause: Blood collects in the pleural space, usually from trauma. S/S: Diminished/absent unilateral breath sounds PLUS signs of shock (pale, tachycardic, hypotensive) from blood loss.

Tension Pneumothorax

Cause: One-way air leak into pleural space, pressure builds with no escape. S/S: Severe respiratory distress, JVD, tracheal deviation (late), unilateral absent breath sounds, hypotension.

Hyperventilation Syndrome

Cause: Anxiety-driven rapid breathing (diagnosis of exclusion). S/S: Rapid deep breathing, perioral/hand tingling, dizziness.

Stable Angina

Cause: Temporary cardiac ischemia, triggered by exertion. S/S: Chest pain relieved by rest/nitro within minutes.

Unstable Angina

Cause: Cardiac ischemia occurring at rest or a new/worsening pattern. S/S: Chest pain at rest, NOT fully relieved by rest or nitro.

Acute MI (Heart Attack)

Cause: Coronary artery occlusion causing tissue death. S/S: Crushing substernal pain radiating to arm/jaw, diaphoresis, nausea, sense of impending doom. Often atypical in women/diabetics/elderly.

Cardiac Arrest

Cause: Cardiac arrhythmia — V-fib, pulseless V-tach, asystole, or PEA. S/S: Unresponsive, no pulse, no breathing (or agonal only).

Cardiogenic Shock

Cause: Heart failing as an effective pump. S/S: Hypotension, weak/rapid pulse, pale/cool/clammy skin, altered mental status, signs of pulmonary edema.

Aortic Dissection/Aneurysm

Cause: Tear in the aortic wall. S/S: Sudden severe tearing pain (chest/back), unequal pulses or BP between arms.

Hemorrhagic / Hypovolemic Shock

Cause: Blood loss from trauma or internal bleeding. S/S: Early — tachycardia, anxiety, pale/cool/clammy skin. Late — hypotension.

Open (Sucking) Chest Wound

Cause: Penetrating chest trauma creating an open wound into the pleural space. S/S: Sucking sound at the wound, frothy blood.

Flail Chest

Cause: Multiple rib fractures causing a free-floating segment. S/S: Paradoxical chest wall movement (segment moves opposite the rest of the chest).

Cardiac Tamponade

Cause: Blood/fluid fills the pericardial sac (often penetrating trauma). S/S: Beck's triad — JVD, muffled heart sounds, hypotension.

Head Injury / TBI

Cause: Blunt or penetrating head trauma. S/S: Altered mental status, unequal pupils, abnormal posturing, Cushing's triad late (high BP, low HR, irregular respirations).

Spinal Injury

Cause: Trauma with axial load or sudden deceleration. S/S: Pain, numbness/tingling, paralysis, priapism.

Neurogenic Shock

Cause: Spinal cord injury disrupts vascular tone (loss of sympathetic tone). S/S: Warm, dry skin (not cool/clammy); hypotension; normal or bradycardic pulse — not tachycardic.

Burns

Cause: Thermal, chemical, or electrical injury. S/S: Depth/$\text{percent } BSA$ burned; singed nasal hair, soot, hoarseness if airway involved.

Abdominal Evisceration

Cause: Penetrating or blunt abdominal trauma. S/S: Organs visible protruding from the wound.

Impaled Object

Cause: Penetrating trauma. S/S: Object protruding from the wound.

Obstructive Shock

Cause: Physical blockage of blood flow/cardiac filling — tension pneumo, tamponade, massive PE. S/S: Varies by mechanism — JVD + tracheal deviation, or Beck's triad.

Septic Shock

Cause: Infection triggers widespread vasodilation. S/S: Fever or hypothermia, tachycardia, tachypnea, altered mental status. Skin can be warm/flushed early, cool/clammy late.

Compensated Shock

Cause: Body's compensatory mechanisms (vasoconstriction, increased HR) still maintaining perfusion. S/S: Tachycardic, tachypneic, pale/cool/clammy, anxious/restless — but BP is still normal.

Decompensated Shock

Cause: Compensatory mechanisms have been overwhelmed. S/S: Hypotension now present, worsening altered mental status, weak/thready pulses, possible late bradycardia.

Stroke (CVA)

Cause: Ischemic (clot) or hemorrhagic (bleed) brain injury. S/S: FAST — facial droop, arm drift, slurred speech; sudden onset.

Seizure

Cause: Epilepsy, fever, hypoglycemia, trauma, or hypoxia. S/S: Tonic-clonic activity, postictal confusion afterward.

Syncope

Cause: Vasovagal, cardiac, orthostatic, or hypoglycemic triggers. S/S: Brief loss of consciousness with spontaneous recovery.

Altered Mental Status (AMS)

Cause: Many possible causes — think AEIOU-TIPS (Alcohol, Epilepsy, Insulin, Overdose, Uremia, Trauma, Infection, Psychiatric, Stroke/Shock). S/S: Confusion or unresponsiveness, varying levels.

Hypoglycemia

Cause: Too much insulin, missed meal, or exertion. S/S: Rapid onset — confusion, diaphoresis, pale, shaky, possibly combative.

DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis)

Cause: Insufficient insulin, usually Type $1$ diabetes. S/S: Kussmaul respirations, fruity/acetone breath, polyuria/polydipsia, warm/dry/flushed skin, nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain.

HHS (Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State)

Cause: Insufficient insulin effect with severe dehydration, usually Type $2$ diabetes/elderly. S/S: Profound altered mental status, severe dehydration, warm/dry skin, NO Kussmaul breathing or fruity breath.

Anaphylaxis

Cause: Severe systemic allergic reaction. S/S: Hives PLUS respiratory distress/wheezing/stridor PLUS hypotension — must have systemic + resp/circ involvement.

Mild Allergic Reaction

Cause: Localized allergic response. S/S: Hives/itching only — no airway, breathing, or circulation involvement.

Opioid Overdose

Cause: Opioid use/overdose. S/S: Pinpoint pupils, respiratory depression, unresponsive. Bradycardic and bradypneic — not tachycardic.

Stimulant Overdose

Cause: Stimulant use (cocaine, meth, etc). S/S: Tachycardia, hypertension, agitation, hyperthermia, diaphoresis.

Poisoning (Ingestion)

Cause: Ingested/absorbed toxic substance. S/S: Varies by substance — nausea, burns around the mouth (caustic), altered mental status.

Heat Exhaustion

Cause: Fluid/electrolyte loss from heat exposure. S/S: Heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, near-normal mental status.

Heat Stroke

Cause: Thermoregulation failure from heat exposure. S/S: Hot skin (dry OR still sweaty), altered mental status, very high body temp — a true emergency.

Hypothermia

Cause: Cold exposure. S/S: Shivering (mild) progressing to no shivering, confusion, and bradycardia (severe).

Drowning / Near-Drowning

Cause: Submersion in water. S/S: Respiratory distress, hypoxia; consider C-spine injury if diving/trauma mechanism.

Bites / Stings

Cause: Envenomation from a bite or sting. S/S: Localized context for pain/swelling; possible systemic symptoms if reaction spreads.

Behavioral Emergency

Cause: Psychiatric or situational crisis. S/S: Agitation, danger to self/others, disorganized thinking.

Suicidal Patient

Cause: Suicidal ideation with expressed intent. S/S: Expressed intent, identified means, and a plan.

Sepsis

Cause: Systemic infection. S/S: Fever or hypothermia, tachycardia, tachypnea, altered mental status, recent infection history.

GI Bleed

Cause: Bleeding in the upper or lower GI tract. S/S: Hematemesis/coffee-ground vomit (upper) or melena/hematochezia (lower); shock signs if severe.

Prolapsed Cord

Cause: Umbilical cord presents/delivers before the baby. S/S: Cord visible in the vaginal opening before the baby.

Breech Presentation

Cause: Malposition — buttocks or feet present first. S/S: Buttocks/feet delivering first instead of the head.

Preeclampsia / Eclampsia

Cause: Pregnancy-induced hypertension. S/S: Hypertension, edema, headache, visual changes (preeclampsia); seizures (eclampsia).

Placenta Previa

Cause: Placenta implants over/near the cervix. S/S: Painless, bright red vaginal bleeding.

Abruptio Placentae

Cause: Placenta separates from the uterine wall prematurely. S/S: Painful vaginal bleeding, rigid/tender abdomen.

Croup

Cause: Viral upper airway infection, common in young children. S/S: Barking cough, gradual onset, low-grade fever.

Epiglottitis

Cause: Bacterial infection of the epiglottis. S/S: Sudden onset, high fever, drooling, tripod position, muffled voice, refuses to lie down.

Febrile Seizure

Cause: Rapid rise in body temperature in a young child. S/S: Seizure activity accompanying fever.