Heat and cold emergencies, drowning, envenomation, and altitude illness presentations and field management.
35 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What is the definition of heat cramps?
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Painful muscle spasms caused by heavy exertion and fluid/electrolyte loss in a hot environment.- What is the hallmark skin finding of heat exhaustion?
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Pale, cool, and clammy (moist) skin.- What is the hallmark skin finding of heat stroke?
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Hot skin, which may be dry or moist.- The single most important sign that distinguishes heat stroke from heat exhaustion is ____.
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altered mental status- What is the field treatment for heat exhaustion in a fully alert patient?
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Move to a cool place, remove excess clothing, and give oral fluids.- What is the immediate priority treatment for heat stroke?
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Aggressive cooling as quickly as possible.- Why should an EMT-B avoid giving oral fluids to a heat emergency patient with altered mental status or nausea?
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Risk of vomiting and aspiration.- What core body temperature is generally associated with heat stroke?
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Above 104 F (40 C).- What position should a heat emergency patient with a normal mental status be placed in for transport?
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Supine with legs slightly elevated.- Hypothermia is defined as a core body temperature below ____.
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95 F (35 C)- What are early (mild) signs of hypothermia?
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Shivering, cold skin, and clumsiness or slurred speech.- What finding suggests a patient has progressed from mild to severe hypothermia?
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Shivering stops and mental status significantly decreases.- Why must a severely hypothermic patient be handled gently and moved with minimal jostling?
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Rough handling can trigger a fatal cardiac dysrhythmia, such as ventricular fibrillation.- What is the recommended field treatment for a hypothermic patient?
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Remove wet clothing, insulate and passively rewarm, and handle the patient gently.- What is 'afterdrop' in hypothermia management?
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A continued drop in core temperature after rewarming begins, as cold blood from the extremities returns to the core.
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