This is the second of two articles on the Patient Assessment System (PAS). In the first article, we reviewed the entire PAS, paying particular attention to the areas of the PAS that can indicate an emergent problem requiring immediate care. In this edition of the WMN, we will review the PAS and Critical Care—taking a close look at the patient’s chief complaints which would indicate an underlying potentially life-threatening injury or illness that would necessitate immediate care and attention. In particular, we will review the differential diagnosis and management for changes in level of consciousness, chest pain, shortness of breath, and shock.
https://www.wildernessmedicinenewsletter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/wmnlogo20151.png00WMN Editorshttps://www.wildernessmedicinenewsletter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/wmnlogo20151.pngWMN Editors2007-05-01 13:34:392017-06-06 07:25:21Critical Care and the Patient Assessment System Part II
The way in which you handle the first five minutes
of an emergency can make the difference between life and Read more
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https://www.wildernessmedicinenewsletter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/wmnlogo20151.png00WMN Editorshttps://www.wildernessmedicinenewsletter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/wmnlogo20151.pngWMN Editors2007-01-22 14:53:262011-12-06 18:34:3120 Years of the Wilderness Medicine Newsletter
High altitude illnesses can occur when individuals trek to the higher elevations around the world finding themselves in an environment that is not supportive of human life. We have the ability to adapt, or acclimatize, to higher elevations if, we give our bodies time to adapt. Therein lays the problem—it takes time for our human physiology to make appropriate adjustments so that we may survive and thrive in higher and higher environs.
A simple example is a climb up Mount Everest to its summit at 29,035’ (8,850m). By slowly walking from sea level (1 atmosphere) to 29,035’ (1/3 atmosphere), your body has time to acclimatize to that altitude and extract enough oxygen out of the rarified air to survive. However, if you flew to the same altitude of 29,035’ and then decompressed the plane to that altitude, you would be unconscious within 2 – 3 minutes and dead within 8-10 minutes.
November/December 2006 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 19 Number 6
In this edition of the WMN, we will concentrate on the recognition and management of a fractured pelvis, a fractured femur, angulated fractures, and compound fractures. For the sake of completeness, we will also include a quick review of the management of chest trauma, head trauma, facial trauma, and compartment syndrome (we covered these four topics in past issues of the newsletter)
.
September/October 2006 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 19 Number 5
The mention of poisons and accidental poisoning is both a little disconcerting and at the same time fascinating. We have all enjoyed a good thriller whose main character had to unravel what happened to the deceased only to find out that some sort of exotic, odorless, and tasteless toxin had been slipped into their holiday eggnog. The science of toxicology and the recognition and management of potential poisoning victims is complex and inexhaustible. At home in our local emergency departments, we have the luxury of poison control centers with their extensive toxin databases. In the wilderness, in distant lands, or on the high seas, we do not have easy access to this wealth of information, so we have to be prepared to deal with a potential accidental poisoning victim. Even though it is less of a problem in the extended care setting, there is still a risk of accidental poisoning, especially from foods.
July/August 2006 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 19 Number 4
Critical Care and the Patient Assessment System Part II
/in Level of Consciousness, Patient Assessment, Shock/by WMN EditorsThis is the second of two articles on the Patient Assessment System (PAS). In the first article, we reviewed the entire PAS, paying particular attention to the areas of the PAS that can indicate an emergent problem requiring immediate care. In this edition of the WMN, we will review the PAS and Critical Care—taking a close look at the patient’s chief complaints which would indicate an underlying potentially life-threatening injury or illness that would necessitate immediate care and attention. In particular, we will review the differential diagnosis and management for changes in level of consciousness, chest pain, shortness of breath, and shock.
May/June 2007 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 20 Number 3
Read more
Critical Care and the Patient Assessment System
/in Patient Assessment, Uncategorized/by WMN EditorsThe way in which you handle the first five minutes
of an emergency can make the difference between life and Read more
20 Years of the Wilderness Medicine Newsletter
/in Disaster Response, Environemtal Injuries, Mountain rescue, prevention/by WMN EditorsRead more
High Altitude Illness
/in Altitude Illness, Environemtal Injuries/by WMN EditorsHigh altitude illnesses can occur when individuals trek to the higher elevations around the world finding themselves in an environment that is not supportive of human life. We have the ability to adapt, or acclimatize, to higher elevations if, we give our bodies time to adapt. Therein lays the problem—it takes time for our human physiology to make appropriate adjustments so that we may survive and thrive in higher and higher environs.
A simple example is a climb up Mount Everest to its summit at 29,035’ (8,850m). By slowly walking from sea level (1 atmosphere) to 29,035’ (1/3 atmosphere), your body has time to acclimatize to that altitude and extract enough oxygen out of the rarified air to survive. However, if you flew to the same altitude of 29,035’ and then decompressed the plane to that altitude, you would be unconscious within 2 – 3 minutes and dead within 8-10 minutes.
November/December 2006 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 19 Number 6
Read more
Orthopedic Emergencies
/in Orthopedic Emergencies/by WMN EditorsIn this edition of the WMN, we will concentrate on the recognition and management of a fractured pelvis, a fractured femur, angulated fractures, and compound fractures. For the sake of completeness, we will also include a quick review of the management of chest trauma, head trauma, facial trauma, and compartment syndrome (we covered these four topics in past issues of the newsletter)
.
September/October 2006 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 19 Number 5
Read more
Poisonous Pearls of Wisdom
/in Poisons/by WMN EditorsThe mention of poisons and accidental poisoning is both a little disconcerting and at the same time fascinating. We have all enjoyed a good thriller whose main character had to unravel what happened to the deceased only to find out that some sort of exotic, odorless, and tasteless toxin had been slipped into their holiday eggnog. The science of toxicology and the recognition and management of potential poisoning victims is complex and inexhaustible. At home in our local emergency departments, we have the luxury of poison control centers with their extensive toxin databases. In the wilderness, in distant lands, or on the high seas, we do not have easy access to this wealth of information, so we have to be prepared to deal with a potential accidental poisoning victim. Even though it is less of a problem in the extended care setting, there is still a risk of accidental poisoning, especially from foods.
July/August 2006 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 19 Number 4
Read more