ems term #658

syncope: a brief period of unresponsiveness caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain; fainting.

ems term #655

diabetes mellitus - a disease of altered relationships between glucose and insulin

ems assessment tip #650

a typical faint or syncopal episode may be preceded by the patient yawning, sweating,  and complaining of dizziness and nausea. if the patient was a sudden syncopal episode during exertion, it may be an indication that a cardiac rhythm disturbance caused the syncope and not a more typical mechanism for fainting.

ems assessment tip #650

the teem "complex" with regard to partial seizures typically refers to that which results in an alteration in mental status.

ems term #649

postictal state - the recovery period that follows the clonic phase of a generalized seizure. in a postictal state the patient commonly appears weak, exhausted, and disoriented and progressively improves.

ems assessment tip #649

the term "simple" with regard to partial seizures typically refers to a seizure during which the patient retains consciousness.

ems term #627

ischemic stroke - a stroke caused by obstruction to a vessel in the brain, calleed a thrombotic stroke if caused by a clot or an embolic stoke if called by plaque or other material carried to the brain.

ems assessment tip #626

the time of onset of a stroke is commonly defined as the last rime the patient was seen neurologically intact, meaning without any neurological deficit such as numbness, weakness, paralysis, slurred or stuttering speech, or cognitive problems.

ems term #624

coma - an unconscious state in which a person does not respond to any stimulus, including pain.

ems assessment tip #623

even though the patient may still have a gag or cough reflex, he may not be able to maintain his own airway if he has an altered mental status.

ems term #623

reticular activating system - nerve cells within the brainstem that control consciousness.

ems assessment tip #611

an increased respiratory rate and heart rate in the acute coronary syndrome patient may be an indication of hypoxia or may be only a response to the chest pain or discomfort.

ems term #594

cardiac compromise - reduced heart function caused by any condition, disease, or injury affecting the heart.

ems assessment tip #604

a systolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or a systolic pressure that is 30 mmHg less than the patient's baseline systolic pressure is a contraindication to the administration of any additional nitroglycerin.

ems term #585

automaticity - the ability of cells within the cardiac conduction system to generate a cardiac impulse on their own.

ems assessment tip #570

the severity of shortness of breath does not directly correlate with the level of hypoxia. a severely hypoxic patient may not complain of extreme shortness of breath. pay close attention to your assessment findings.

ems term #586

cardiac conduction system - contractile and conductive tissue of the heart that generates electrical impulses and causes the heart to beat.

ems assessment tip #559

respiratory distress may be produced by both medical illness and traumatic injuries. do not assume that a patient in respiratory distress is usffering a medical illness, but expose the patient and inspect for any evidence of traumatic injuries, especially in the patient with a sudden onset of symptoms.

ems term #569

pulsus paradoxus - a drop in blood pressure of more than 10 mmHg during inhalation resulting from increased pressure within the chest that suppresses the filing of the ventricles of the heart with blood.

ems assessment tip #568

subcutaneous emphysema can be felt much more easily than it can be seen on inspection..

ems term #564

tripod position - a position in which the patient sits upright, leans slightly forward, and supports the body with the arms in front and elbows locked. this is a position commonly found in respiratory distress.

ems assessment tip #550

inspiratory stridor is an indication of an almost completely occluded airway. it is created when the patient breathes in sharply in order to draw air past the airway obstruction. as air passes through the narrowed glotic opening, airflow becomes turbulent and it creates the high pitched sound. if the inspiratory stridor disappears and your patient's mental status continues to deteriorate, it probably means that total airway occlusion has occurred.

ems term #555

small-volume nebulizer - a device that uses compressed air or oxygen to nebulize a liquid medication into a mist that a patient can inhale.

ems assessment tip #547

crackles (or rales)  are a sign of pulmonary edema. be sure to auscaltate the posterior lower lobes of the lungs to pick up early indications of crackles and pulmonary edema. if you only auscaltate the upper lobes, you may easily miss the condition, since gravity pulls the fluid downward into the lower portions of the lungs.

ems term #21

acute coronary syndrome - a group of signs and symtomss resulting from a variety of conditions that can affect the heart, in which the coronary arteries are narrowed or occluded by fat deposits, clots, or spasm.

ems assessment tip #485

once a medication has been administered, it is important to reassess the patient to determine if there is any change in the condition. aspirin and activated charcoal may not produce obvious changes in the patient's condition.

ems term #16

acromion - the lateral triangular projection of the scapula that forms the point of the shoulder.

ems assessment tip #446

pain is typically produced by ischemia (tissue that is hypoxic), inflammation, infection, or obstruction.

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ems term #1263

neglect - the provision of insufficient attension or respect to someone who has a claim to that attention.

ems assessment tip #444

abdominal respiratory patterns typically do not allow for adequate breathing. assess the patient carefully to ensure the respiratory rate and tidal volume are adequate.

ems term #965

pathologic fracture - a broken bone resulting from a disease that causes bone degeneration.

ems assessment tip #443

in a medical patient who complains of a sudden onset of shortness of breath, assess the lower extremities for pain, redness, or swelling to one calf. the patient may also have pain in his calf when pullling his foot backward toward his head. this may be an indication of a blood clot in a deep vein of the lower leg that has broken off and traveled to the lungs.

ems term #764

parietal pain - localizrd, intense, sharp, constant pain associated with irritation of the peritoneum.

ems assessment tip #442

an extremely distended abdomen in the medical patient may be the result of a larger amount of fluid, not blood, in the abdomen. this could still lead to hypoperfusion from fluid loss and respiratory compromise from upward pressure to the diaphragm.

ems term #476

metered-dose inhaled - a device consisting of a plastic container and a canister of medication used to inhale an aerosolized medication.

ems assessment tip #440

a pale oral mucosa inside the mouth may indicate that the medical patient has been losing blood over a long period of time.

ems term #540

bronchoconstriction - constriction of the smooth muscle of the bronchi and bronchioles.

ems assessment tip #438

a responsive medical patient is one who not only responds to your questions and commands but responds appropriately. if the patient responds, but not appropriately, consider the patient's responses to be unreliable and conduct a rapid secondary assessment.

ems term #941

hypercarbia - increased carbon dioxide levels in the blood. also called hypercapnia.

ems assessment tip #432

if a patient is taking a beta blocker or calcium channel blocker drug, the heart rate may ramain slower than expected in some conditions, such as shock. therefore, the one significant sign of shock that might not be seen in this patient is tachycardia, because of the effects of the drugs.

ems term #990

crepitus - the sound or feel of broken fragments of bone grinding against each other.

ems assessment tip #433

a normal blood glucose level in a nondiabetic patient who has nothing to eat or has had no drink containing sugar or other carbohydrates for 8-12 hours is on average, 80-90 mg/dL it may range from 70-100 mg/dL. shortly after a meal and for an hour or so, the nondiabetic BGL is usually 120-140 mg/dL.

ems term #797

convection - loss of body heat to the atmosphere when air passes over the body.

ems assessment tip #430

a palpated systolic blood pressure is an average of 7 mmHg lower than an auscultated systolic blood pressure.

ems term #15

acetylcholinesterase - an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. nerve agents inhibit the action of the enzyme, allowing acetylcholine to accumulate

ems assessment tip #429

a pulse that becomes very weak or disappears only when the patient inhales may indicate shock from blood loss, a tension pneumothorax, or pericardial tamponade.

ems term #14

acetylcholine - a neurotransmitter that is distributed throughout the body and is necessary for normal function of the parasympathetic nervous system.

ems assessment tip #427

a pelvic fracture can be associated with severe bleeding. be prepared to treat hemorrhagic shock in a patient with a pelvic fracture.

ems term #765

peritonitis - irritation and inflammation of the peritoneum.

ems assessment tip #423

a patient who is hoarse or cannot speak and who has evidence of trauma to the neck may have an injury to the larynx.

ems term #13

acetabulum - the rounded cavity or socket on the external surface of the pelvis that receives the head of the femur.

ems assessment tip #422

 if the patient exhibits the signs and symptoms of shock or hypoperfusion and you find jugular vein distension on inspection of the neck, look for a cause of poor perfusion other than blood loss.

ems term #12

acceleration/deceleration injury- a head injury typical of a vehicle crash in which the head comes to a sudden stop, but the brain continues to move back and forth inside the skull, resulting in bruising to the brain.

ems assessment tip #421

some patients take medicated eye drops that cause the pupils to dialate. also, patients who have had their eyes examined that day may have dialated pupils. the pupils will continue to respond to light changes, but very slightly.

ems term #420

aspiration - breathing a foreign substance into the lungs.

ems assessment tip #420-2

you may meet more resistance when ventilating a patient with stridor because of the increase in resistance to airflow through the swollen larynx. if you feel resistance, however, make sure it is not from a poorly established head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver or jaw-thrust maneuver.

ems term #419

brain herniatiion - a protrusion or pushing of a portion of the brain through the cranial wall.

ems assessment tip #415

the mental status of a patient with a brain injury will continue to deteriorate or will not improve if it is already altered.