Medical Emergencies

A medical emergency is an injury or illness that is acute and poses an immediate risk to a person's life or health. Not all medical emer­gencies are life-threatening; some conditions require medical attention in order to prevent significant and long-lasting effects on physical n mental health. There are emergencies that require assistance Ivory.I qualified person (e.g. a nurse, a doctor, an ambulance brigacli though some of the emergencies can be dealt with by the v....... themselves knowing the ABC of first aid and having first aid kit.

Different natural and man-made disasters and such as II...>.I. earthquakes, hurricanes, crowds, traffic accidents, gas or nuclear implosions, fire, etc. result in emergency situation and great number invictims who urgently need first aid. The key aims of first aid can In summarized in three key "P" points: to preserve life, to prevent further harm (prevent the condition from worsening), and to promote recovery. The ABC of the first aid refers to the assessment of person's all ways, breathing and circulation (if the airway hasn't become blocked, if breathing hasn't stopped and if the person is not in cardiac arrest), One of the most serious emergencies occurs when an individual has stopped breathing. This may be the result of asphyxiation, elect I cution, drowning, a heart attack or another type of accident. Artificial respiration must be started immediately. Mouth-to-mouth breathing In the most effective form. If the heart has stopped beating as well, then cardiac massage will also be necessary.

The cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) of a victim in these instances involves two aspects. The first is getting oxygen into the blood by blowing air into the lungs. The second is heart massage - ap­plication of chest pressure to compress the heart and squeeze blood out of it into the circulatory system.

The second most critical emergency is severe bleeding, especially from a main artery. It can usually be stopped with direct pressure above the place of bleeding. If a vein bleeds, the extremity must be elevated. A condition which accompanies many medical emergencies is cir­culatory shock, commonly known simply as shock. It is a serious, life-threatening medical condition in which the victim's bodily tissues do not receive an adequate supply of oxygen-containing blood. A cir­culatory shock should not be confused with the emotional state of shock, as these two are not related.

The essential signs of shock are seen as tachycardia / tachypnoea, hypotension, and signs of poor organ perfusion (such as low urine output, confusion or loss of consciousness). Also a victim may suffer nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. The victim should be put supine with feet raised. No food or drink should be given. Any bleeding should be controlled and the victim should be kept warm and comfortable until professional assistance arrives. Shock may lead to hypoxia (a lack of oxygen in blood) or cardiac arrest (the heart stopping).

Another serious emergency situation occurs when a poisonous substance is swallowed. This usually happens in a household where a child swallows any chemical household product (ammonia, bleach or even shampoo), or takes an overdose of medicine. The antidote for each substance is different; thus, instructions on the container should be followed strictly. In some cases, the victim should be forced to vomit or even gastric lavage in hospital may be needed.

It is also helpful to have the necessary equipment and medications readily available in a first aid kit. Any first aid kit should contain sterile cotton wool, adhesive bandages and gauze pads for cleaning wounds; saline for cleaning wounds or washing out foreign bodies from the eyes, and antiseptic wipes or sprays to reduce the risk of infection in abrasions or around the wounds. Various simple medications, such as aspirin, painkillers, antihistamines, activated charcoal, emetics to in­duce vomiting, tranquilizers, smelling salts and others should be avail­able. There should be some medications for topical application — an­tiseptic ointment, fluid, or spray, iodine or brilliant green solution, burn gel or spray, mild anesthetic and others. A more elaborate kit might also contain forceps, disposable syringes and hypodermic nee­dles, a stethoscope for measuring the heartbeat or listening to the lungs, a hemomanometer, tracheotomy and suture kits, and supplies of dextrose, plasma and saline solutions.

Дата добавления: 2015-08-13