intubation

An ambulance is a vehicle designated for the transport of sick or injured people. The first ambulances called by that name were horse ambulances used in the American Civil War. The first practical ambulances were created by Dominique Jean Larrey, a French surgeon (1766-1842), for use in the Napoleonic Wars. Modern-day ambulances are typically large automobiles on a van or light truck chassis. However, an ambulance can be any vehicle, including a bus, helicopter, or even a hospital ship. During the 1960s and 1970s, station wagons were used in some American cities (despite their limited space) and ...

Including:

• Ambulance - Ambulances in North America
• Ambulance - Ambulance Providers
• Ambulance - Service Level
• Ambulance - Need for Flexibility
• Ambulance - Ambulances in France & Europe
• Ambulance - First responders vehicles
• Ambulance - Hospital ambulances
• Ambulance - Special warning devices and traffic law
• Ambulance - Ambulances in the UK
• Ambulance - Private ambulance companies
• Ambulance - Military ambulances

Read more here: » Ambulance: Encyclopedia - Ambulance

The indications for tracheotomy are: Acute setting - maxillofacial injuries, large tumors of the head and neck, congenital tumors, e.g. branchial cyst, acute inflammation of head and neck, and Chronic / elective setting - when there is need for long term mechanical ventilation and tracheal toilet, e.g. comatose patients, surgery to the head and neck. In emergent settings, in the context of failed endotracheal intubation or where intubation is contraindicated, cricothyrodotomy or mini-t ...

See also:

Tracheotomy, Tracheotomy - Indications for a tracheotomy, Tracheotomy - How a tracheotomy is performed, Tracheotomy - Complications

Read more here: » Tracheotomy: Encyclopedia II - Tracheotomy - Indications for a tracheotomy

A cardiac arrest is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the ventricles of the heart to contract effectively during systole. The resulting lack of blood supply results in cell death from oxygen starvation. Cerebral hypoxia, or lack of oxygen supply to the brain, causes victims to lose consciousness and stop breathing. Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that, if left untreated, invariably leads to death within seconds to minutes. The primary first-aid treatment for cardiac arrest is cardiopulm ...

Including:

• Cardiac arrest - Etiology
• Cardiac arrest - Treatable causes
• Cardiac arrest - Diagnosis
• Cardiac arrest - Treatment
• Cardiac arrest - First aid
• Cardiac arrest - Other prehospital care
• Cardiac arrest - Hospital treatment
• Cardiac arrest - Ethical Issues

Read more here: » Cardiac arrest: Encyclopedia - Cardiac arrest

Anaphylaxis is a severe and rapid systemic allergic reaction to a trigger substance, called an allergen. Minute amounts of trigger substances may cause a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. Anaphylaxis may occur after ingestion, inhalation, skin contact or injection of a trigger substance. The most severe type of anaphylaxis - anaphylactic shock - will usually result in death in mere minutes if untreated. The word is from New Latin (derived from Greek ἀνα-/ana, meaning "up, again, back, against") + φύλ� ...

Including:

• Anaphylaxis - Immediate action
• Anaphylaxis - Symptoms
• Anaphylaxis - Causes
• Anaphylaxis - Treatment
• Anaphylaxis - Reference

Read more here: » Anaphylaxis: Encyclopedia - Anaphylaxis

Vehicle extrication is the process of removing a person from a vehicle that has been involved in a motor vehicle accident when conventional means of exit are impossible or unadvisable. This is typically accomplished by utilizing hydraulic tools, including the Jaws of Life. Vehicle extrication - Operations. The extrication consists of four steps: the protection of the zone, to avoid a risk of collision (marking out the zone, lighting) and of fire (switching off the ignition, disconnecting the ba ...

Including:

• Vehicle extrication - Operations
• Vehicle extrication - Additional risks with new technologies
• Vehicle extrication - External links

Read more here: » Vehicle extrication: Encyclopedia - Vehicle extrication

At the end of pregnancy, the fetus must take the journey of childbirth to leave the reproductive female mother. Upon its exit into the oxygen-consuming world, the newborn must begin to adjust to life outside the uterus. Adaptation to extrauterine life - Breathing and circulation. Perfusing its body by breathing independently instead of utilizing placental oxygen is the first challenge of a newborn. With the first breaths, there is a fall in pulmonary vascular resistance, and an increase in the surface area ...

Including:

• Adaptation to extrauterine life - Breathing and circulation
• Adaptation to extrauterine life - Energy metabolism
• Adaptation to extrauterine life - Temperature regulation

Read more here: » Adaptation to extrauterine life: Encyclopedia - Adaptation to extrauterine life

Capnography is the monitoring of the respiratory carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration as a time-concentration curve. It is a direct monitor of the inhaled and exhaled concentration of CO2, and an indirect monitor of the CO2 concentration in a patient's blood. During anaesthesia, there is interplay between two components: the patient and the anaesthesia administration device (which is usually a breathing circuit and a ventilator or respirator). The critical connection between the two components is either ...

Read more here: » Capnography: Encyclopedia - Capnography

In medicine, shock (hypoperfusion) is a life-threatening medical emergency characterized by inability of the circulatory system to supply enough oxygen to meet tissue requirements. Hypotension is usually, though not always, present. Without prompt medical treatment, shock usually causes death. Shock - Types of shock. Hypovolemic shock. The single most common cause of shock is blood volume loss, resulting from a serious wound or a severe burn leading to hypovolemic shock. Th ...

Including:

• Shock - Types of shock
• Shock - Symptoms and signs
• Shock - Treatment
• Shock - Prognosis

Read more here: » Shock: Encyclopedia - Shock

Apnea (British spelling - apnoea) (Greek απνοια, from α-, privative, πνεειν, to breathe) is a technical term for suspension of external breathing. During apnea there is no movement of the muscles of respiration and the volume of the lungs initially remains unchanged. Depending on the patency of the airways there may or may not be a flow of gas between the lungs and the environment; gas exchange within the lungs and cellular respiration is not affected. Apnea can be voluntarily achieved (i.e., "holding one's breath" ...

Including:

• Apnea - Mechanism
• Apnea - Hyperventilation
• Apnea - Apneic oxygenation

Read more here: » Apnea: Encyclopedia - Apnea

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), also known as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) or adult respiratory distress syndrome (in contrast with IRDS) is a serious reaction to various forms of injuries to the lung. This is the most important disorder resulting in increased permeability pulmonary edema. ARDS is a severe lung disease caused by a variety of direct and indirect insults. It is characterized by inflammation of the lung parenchyma leading to impaired gas exchange with concommitant sys ...

Including:

• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Definition
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Historical background
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Consensus after 1967 and 1994
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Patient presentation and diagnosis
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Pathophysiology
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Inflammation
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Mechanical stress
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Progression
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Treatment
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - General
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Mechanical ventilation
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Positive end-expiratory pressure
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Prone position
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Fluid management
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Corticosteroids
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Nitric oxide
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Surfactant therapy
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Complications
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Epidemiology

Read more here: » Acute respiratory distress syndrome: Encyclopedia - Acute respiratory distress syndrome

Gastroesophageal reflux, a full stomach, pregnancy, and obesity all increase the risk of aspiration in the semiconscious. Normally fasting for six hours before elective surgery is enough to empty the stomach. In patients that are injured, gastric emptying is much slower. The commonest cause of severe aspiration is reguritation of stomach contents by semiconscious patients. Patients with neu ...

See also:

Pulmonary aspiration, Pulmonary aspiration - Risk factors, Pulmonary aspiration - Consequences, Pulmonary aspiration - Prevention

Read more here: » Pulmonary aspiration: Encyclopedia II - Pulmonary aspiration - Risk factors

In theory the process of "lethal injection" could refer to a wide variety of means of execution: besides the diverse deadly chemicals available for use, intravenous administration can be achieved in a number of different ways. The technique has historical precedents in other forms of execution by poisoning, such as the forced suicide undergone by Socrates, and also in the widespread use of lethal injection as a means of animal euthanasia. In a sense, the snake pit can be also considered a primitive means of lethal injection. The present section discusses the methods of lethal injection in current active use in the world; ...

See also:

Lethal injection, Lethal injection - Procedure, Lethal injection - Procedure in the United States, Lethal injection - History, Lethal injection - Lethal injection drugs, Lethal injection - Sodium Pentothal, Lethal injection - Pancuronium, Lethal injection - Potassium, Lethal injection - Controversy

Read more here: » Lethal injection: Encyclopedia II - Lethal injection - Procedure

The origins of EMS date back to the days of Napoleon, when the French army utilized horse drawn "ambulances" to transport the injured soldier from the battlefield. One of the first civilian EMS services can be traced back to 1869, when Dr. Edward L. Dalton at Bellevue Hospital, then known as the Free Hospital of New York, in New York City started a basic transportation service for the sick and injured. The component of care on scene began in 1928, when Julien Stanley Wise started the Roanoke Life Saving and First Aid Crew in Roanoke, Virgini ...

See also:

Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Medical Services - History, Emergency Medical Services - Levels of Care, Emergency Medical Services - Prehospital Care Strategies, Emergency Medical Services - Scoop and run Scoop and Shoot, Emergency Medical Services - Stay and play, Emergency Medical Services - Play and run, Emergency Medical Services - Organization and Funding, Emergency Medical Services - In the USA, Emergency Medical Services - Challenges of the future, Emergency Medical Services - The future of EMS

Read more here: » Emergency Medical Services: Encyclopedia II - Emergency Medical Services - History

Glycopyrrolate decreases acid secretion in the stomach by blocking certain substances' activities in the body. Hence it is usually used for treating ulcers in the stomach and small intestine, in combination with other medications. In anesthesia, glycopyrrolate injection is a preoperative antimuscarinic operation that reduces salivary, tracheobronchial, and pharyngeal secretions, as well as decreases the acidity of gastric secretions blocks cardi ...

See also:

Glycopyrrolate, Glycopyrrolate - Medical uses, Glycopyrrolate - Side effects

Read more here: » Glycopyrrolate: Encyclopedia II - Glycopyrrolate - Medical uses

The extrication consists of four steps: the protection of the zone, to avoid a risk of collision (marking out the zone, lighting) and of fire (switching off the ignition, disconnecting the battery, absorbing powder on oil and gasoline pools, fire extinguisher and fire hose ready to use) ; the stabilisation of the vehicle, to avoid the movements of the vehicle itself (e.g. falling in a ditch), and the movements of the suspension (risk of worsening of an unstable trauma) ; the opening of the vehicle and ...

See also:

Vehicle extrication, Vehicle extrication - Operations, Vehicle extrication - Additional risks with new technologies, Vehicle extrication - External links

Read more here: » Vehicle extrication: Encyclopedia II - Vehicle extrication - Operations

It is inserted into the trachea, generally via the mouth, but sometimes through the nares of the nose (e.g. in extensive mouth surgery) or even through a tracheostomy. The process of inserting a ETT is called intubation. Intubation usually requires general anaesthesia and muscle relaxation but can be achieved in the awake patient with local anaesthesia or in an emergency without any anaesthesia, although this is extremely uncomfortabl ...

See also:

Endotracheal tube, Endotracheal tube - Procedure, Endotracheal tube - Types

Read more here: » Endotracheal tube: Encyclopedia II - Endotracheal tube - Procedure

In the United States, EMTs are certified according to their level of training. Individual states set their own standards of certification (or licensure, in some cases). All EMT training must meet the minimum requirements as set forth in the U.S. Department of Transportation's standards for the EMT-B (Emergency Medical Technician - Basic) curriculum. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT), a voluntary standards and testing body, recognizes three levels of EMT: EMT-B (Basic), EMT-I (Intermediate) and EMT-P (Param ...

See also:

Emergency medical technician, Emergency medical technician - Certification, Emergency medical technician - Medical Direction, Emergency medical technician - Employment of EMTs

Read more here: » Emergency medical technician: Encyclopedia II - Emergency medical technician - Certification

Ambulance - Ambulance types. Ambulances in both the United States and Canada are defined by KKK-1822E requirements which defines several categories of ambulances. Type I Ambulances are based on the chassis-cabs of light duty pickup-trucks, Type II Ambulances are based in modern passenger/cargo vans, Type III Ambulances are based on chassis-cabs of light duty vans, Extreme Duty versions of both Type I and Type III are also now authorized based ...

See also:

Ambulance, Ambulance - Ambulances in North America, Ambulance - Ambulance types, Ambulance - Ambulance Providers, Ambulance - Service Level, Ambulance - Need for Flexibility, Ambulance - Ambulances in France & Europe, Ambulance - First responders vehicles, Ambulance - Hospital ambulances, Ambulance - Special warning devices and traffic law, Ambulance - Ambulances in the UK, Ambulance - Private ambulance companies, Ambulance - Military ambulances

Read more here: » Ambulance: Encyclopedia II - Ambulance - Ambulances in North America

The origins of EMS date back to the days of Napoleon, when the French army utilized horse drawn "ambulances" to transport the injured soldier from the battlefield. One of the first civilian EMS services can be traced back to 1869, when Dr. Edward L. Dalton at Bellevue Hospital, then known as the Free Hospital of New York, in New York City started a basic transportation service for the sick and injured. The component of care on scene began in 1928, when Julien Stanley Wise started the Roanoke Life Saving and First Aid Crew in Roanoke, Virgini ...

See also:

Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Medical Services - History, Emergency Medical Services - Levels of Care, Emergency Medical Services - Prehospital Care Strategies, Emergency Medical Services - Scoop and run, Emergency Medical Services - Stay and play, Emergency Medical Services - Play and run, Emergency Medical Services - Organization and Funding, Emergency Medical Services - In the USA, Emergency Medical Services - Challenges of the future, Emergency Medical Services - The future of EMS

Read more here: » Emergency Medical Services: Encyclopedia II - Emergency Medical Services - History

Treatment consists of hydration to lower the osmolality of the blood, replacement of lost electrolytes, insulin to force glucose and potassium into the cells, and eventually glucose simultaneously with insulin in order to correct other metabolic abnormalities, such as elevated blood potassium (hyperkalemia) and elevated ketone levels. Most patients require admission to step-down unit or intensive care unit (ICU) so that vital signs, urine output, and blood tests can be monitored on an hourly basis. In patients with severe alteration of menta ...

See also:

Diabetic ketoacidosis, Diabetic ketoacidosis - Mechanism, Diabetic ketoacidosis - Treatment, Diabetic ketoacidosis - External link

Read more here: » Diabetic ketoacidosis: Encyclopedia II - Diabetic ketoacidosis - Treatment