COMMON

EMERGENCIES
ENVIRONMENTAL & MEDICAL
EMERGENCIES
 COMMON ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES
HYPOTHERMIA - Exposure to extreme cold for a short
time or moderate cold for a long time.
MILD HYPOTHERMIA - The patient will First Aid
present with cold skin and shivering
and will still be alert and oriented  Check responsiveness

Signs and Symptoms  Cover the patient with

 Increased breathing rate a warm blanket
 Increase pulse rate & blood
pressure  Apply hot compress
 Slow thick speech, Staggering walk  Check vital signs
 Apathy, Drowsiness, incoherence
 Sluggish pupils  Refer to a physician
 Uncontrollable shivering
 COMMON ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES

SEVERE HYPOTHERMIA - Patient may become unresponsive,

& is a true medical emergency that can lead to death.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS FIRST AID

 Extremely slow breathing
rate
 Extremely slow pulse rate
 Unresponsiveness
 Fixed and dilated pupils
 Rigid extremities
 Absence of shivering
 Check responsiveness
 Check, ABC, perform CPR if
needed
 Care for shock
 Refer to a physician
 THREE TYPES OF
HEAT EMERGENCIES
1. HEAT CRAMPS
A muscular pain and spasm due
largely to loss of salt from the
body in sweating or inadequate
intake of salt.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
 Muscle cramps, often in
abdomen or legs
 Heavy perspiration
 Lightheadedness; weakness
FIRST AID
 Have the victim rest with
his/her feet
 Cool the victim, do not use
an alcohol rub
 Give the victim electrolyte
beverages to sip or make
salted drink
 To relieve muscle cramps,
massage the affected
muscles gently but firmly
until they relax.
 THREE TYPES OF
HEAT EMERGENCIES
2. HEAT EXHAUSTION FIRST AID
Response to heat characterized  Have the victim rest his/her feet
by fatigue, weakness & collapse elevated
due to inadequate intake of  Cool the victim, don’t use an
water to compensate for loss of alcohol rub
 Give the victim electrolyte
fluids through sweating.
beverages to sip or make a salted
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS drink
 Nausea, vomiting, weakness,  Monitor the victim for signs of
dizziness shock
 Irrational behavior, headache  If victim starts having seizures,
 Unconsciousness, dilated protect from injury & give 1st aid
Pupils for convulsions
 Cool, pale/red moist skin,  If victim loses consciousness, give
extreme thirst first aid for unconsciousness
 THREE TYPES OF
HEAT EMERGENCIES
3. HEAT STROKE OR SUNSTROKE
a response to heat characterized by FIRST AID
extremely high body temperature and
disturbance of sweating mechanism.
 Cool the victim

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS  Give First Aid for shock

 Raised body temperature, Weakness
 If the victim starts having
 Dry, hot, red skin
seizures, give first aid for
 Dark urine seizures.
 Small pupils
 Keep the victim cool as you
 Rapid shallow breathing
await medical help.
 Extreme confusion
 Seizures, Unconsciousness
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

STROKE - condition that occurs when SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

blood flow to the brain is interrupted  Weakness
long enough to cause damage. People  Dizziness
over age 50 are most common victims,  Confusion
but younger people can have them too.  Headache
 Ringing in the ears
CAUSES  Change of mood
 Thrombosis or embolism (formation &  Difficulty in breathing
transport of plaque) and swallowing
 Ruptured artery in the brain  Loss of bowel and Bladder
o Aneurism - swelling of veins control
o Hemorrhagic stroke - rupturing of  Numbness of face, arm or
veins leg, often on one side
 Compression of an artery in the brain only
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

FIRST AID FOR STROKE VICTIMS

 Check and maintain the victim’s ABC.
 Have the victim rest in a comfortable position
 Seek immediate medical help
 Do not give the victim anything by mouth
 If victim is unconscious, place him or her in the recovery
position and administer first aid for unconsciousness.
 Continue to monitor ABC’s
 Stay with the victim until you have medical help.
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

DIABETES - Is a condition that affects the way the body uses food.
It causes the sugar level in the blood to be too high.
MAJOR TYPES OF DIABETES

Type 1 Diabetes can occur at Type 2 Diabetes makes up most

any age, but it is most often
diagnosed in children, teens, or
young adults. In this disease,
the body makes little or no
insulin. Daily injections of
insulin are needed. The exact
cause is unknown.
diabetes cases. It often occurs
in adulthood and is a non-
insulin-dependent type, patient
produces inadequate amounts
of insulin and may be
controlled by diet or oral
hypoglycemics. Many people
with type 2 diabetes do not
know they have it.
COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

TYPES OF EMERGENCY DIABETES

 Diabetic Coma
(Hyperglycemia)– happens
when there is too much sugar
and too little insulin in the
blood, and body cells do not
get enough nourishment.
 Insulin Shock (Hypoglycemia)
– occurs when too much
insulin is in the body.
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
Signs of Diabetic Coma
 Kussmaul respirations (rapid,
deep breathing)
 Dehydration
 Warm, dry skin
 “Fruity” breath odor
 Rapid, weak pulse
 Normal or slightly low blood
pressure
 Varying degrees of
unresponsiveness
Signs of Insulin Shock
 Normal or rapid respirations
 Rapid pulse, pale, moist skin
 Normal to low blood pressure
 Sweating, dizziness, headache
 Altered mental status (aggressive
or confused behavior)
 Hunger
 Fainting, seizure, or coma
 Weakness on one side of the body
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

FIRST AID FOR DIABETIC VICTIMS

 Check and maintain the victim’s ABC.

 Have the victim rest in a comfortable position

 If victim is conscious and able to swallow without risk of

aspiration, encourage him/her to drink juice or another drink
that contains sugar, or administer oral glucose.
 If victim is unconscious, seek immediate medical help and
transport. (patient will need IV glucose)
 Continue to monitor ABC and stay with the victim until you
have medical help.
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

FIRST AID FOR DIABETIC VICTIMS

In a diabetic emergency, it is possible to confuse the
signs and symptoms of insulin shock and diabetic coma.
Since insulin reaction is a true emergency that needs
quick response, give ANY FULLY CONSCIOUS PERSON in a
diabetic emergency sugar-candy, fruit, juice or softdrinks
containing sugar. This will quickly get sugar into the
blood to help someone having an insulin shock. If instead
of having an insulin reaction, he/she is in diabetic coma,
the sugar will not cause further harm.
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
SEIZURES First Aid
 If you know the person has epilepsy, it’s
Is a sudden
involuntary muscle usually not necessary to call physician
contraction, unless seizure lasts longer than a few
usually due to minutes.
uncontrolled However, you should call physician when
electrical activity someone having a seizure:
 Has another seizure again soon after the
in the brain.
first.
 He/she does not regain consciousness
after the jerking movement has stopped.
 Is pregnant.
 Carries identification as a diabetic.
 Is in the water and has swallowed large
amounts of water.
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
FEBRILE SEIZURES
High temperature does not
necessarily mean the victim is
seriously ill. Some children,
however, have febrile seizure when
a high fever is rising or falling.
First Aid Management
 After an episode of febrile
seizure, take the child’s
temperature. It is important to
bring the child’s temperature to
normal.
 Remove all clothes, give the
child a sponge bath on a
counter with lukewarm water
& turn on a fan.
 Stop if a child shivers (don’t
place child in bath tub,
because he/she could have
another seizure in the water)
 The physician may recommend
an OTC drug such as
acetaminophen. Notify the
child’s physician that a seizure
has occurred. If the cause of
the seizure is unknown, ask a
physician to determine if it
was caused by infection.
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

When to get help for Fever

 Fever is over 39.4 OC (103
O
F)
 Fever is accompanied by:  Stiff neck
 Difficulty in breathing  Bulging fontanel (soft
 Unusual skin colors spots of the baby skull)
(blue, gray, purple).  Signs of dehydration
 A rash of tiny red or  If the victim appears to
purple dots under the be very ill, take steps to
skin reduce the fever while
 Shock you seek medical
assistance
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

EMERGENCY CHILDBIRTH
Causes of Emergency Childbirth
 Rupture tubal pregnancy with concealed hemorrhage into
the abdominal cavity
 Unusual bleeding from the vagina at any stage
 Convulsion associated with pregnancy
 Miscalculations in the anticipated delivery
 Premature onset of labor after an accident
 Delay in transportation
 Other factors that may abbreviate delivery
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

EMERGENCY CHILDBIRTH Delivery Procedures

Signs and Symptoms
 If labor contractions are
approximately 2 minutes
apart.
 If the woman is straining or
pushing down with
contractions.
 If the woman is crying out
1. Position the Patient.
2. Inspection of the Presenting
Part.
3. Delivery of the Head.
4. Cutting the Cord.
5. Expulsion of the Afterbirth.
6. Care after delivery.

constantly.
 Warning from the woman that
the baby is coming.
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

FEVER - Is a sustained body temperature above the normal

level of 37oC
First Aid
 Make patient rest in a cool surroundings, preferably in
bed with a light cover.
 Allow him/her to rest
 Give plenty of cool, bland drinks to replace lost fluids.
 Adults may take two paracetamol tablets. Give a child
the recommended dose of paracetamol syrup (not aspirin)
 If you are worried about the patient’s condition, call a
doctor
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

HEADACHE - May accompany any illness, particularly a

feverish ailment such as flu, but it may be the most prominent
symptom of a serious condition, such as meningitis or stroke.
First Aid
 Help the patient to sit or lie down comfortably in a quite
place.
 An adult may take 2 paracetamol tablets or her own
painkillers. Give a child recommended dose of paracetamol
syrup (not aspirin).
 If in doubt or if the pain does not ease within two hours, call
a doctor.
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

ABDOMINAL PAIN - A pain in the abdomen often has a relatively

trivial cause, but can indicate serious disease, such as perforation
or obstruction of the intestine.
First Aid
 Make patient comfortable, and prop him/her up if breathing is
difficult. Giving her a container to use if vomiting.
 Do not give the patient any medicines or anything to eat or
drink.
 Give patient a covered hot-water bottle place against the
abdomen.
 If the pain is severe, or does not ease within 30 minutes, call a
doctor.
 COMMON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

VOMITING & DIARRHEA - Are most likely to be caused by food

poisoning, dirty water, allergy, or unusual or exotic foods.
First Aid
 Calm the patient while he/she is being sick. Afterwards, give
the patient a warm damp cloth with which to wash
him/herself.
 Give patient lots of bland fluids to sip slowly & often. If the
appetite returns, give him only bland, starchy or sugar food
for the first 24 hours.
 If you’re worried about the patient’s condition, particularly
if it is persistent, call a doctor.