EMT Vocabulary and Key Concepts

• Study notes for EMT vocabulary and key concepts

Medical Terminology and Definitions

• Retroauricular ecchymosis: Indicates Battle's sign, associated with temporal bone fracture.
• Herniation syndrome: Brain compression due to excessive intracranial pressure (ICP).
• Basilar skull fracture: Characterized by Raccoon eyes (periorbital ecchymosis) and Battle's sign (mastoid ecchymosis).
• Hypovolemia: Symptoms include increased temperature, rapid/weak pulse, increased respiration, hypotension, and anxiety; urine specific gravity >1.030.
• Neurogenic shock: Hypoperfusion shock caused by nerve paralysis, often from spinal cord injuries.
• Avulsion: Soft tissue injury where tissue is torn loose or hanging as a flap.
• Angulated: Refers to a deformed limb out of normal alignment.
• Hemothorax: Blood in the pleural cavity.
• Pneumothorax: Air in the pleural cavity, due to lung or chest wall puncture.
• Subdural hematoma: Collection of blood under the dura mater.
• Evisceration: Displacement of organs outside the body.
• Asthmaticus: Acute, severe, and prolonged asthma attack.
• Tachycardia: Fast heart rate.
• Hypotension: Low blood pressure.
• Hypertension: High blood pressure.
• Dyspnea: Difficulty breathing.
• Myocardial infarction: Heart attack.
• Congestive heart failure: Heart unable to pump required amount of blood.
• Cheyne-Stokes breathing: Breathing pattern of quickening and deepening respirations followed by apnea.
• Diaphoretic: Sweating.
• Tonic-clonic seizure: Generalized seizure with loss of consciousness and jerking movements.
• Angina pectoris: Chest pain, possibly radiating to the left arm and jaw, due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle.
• Acute aortic aneurysm: Sharp, tearing, sudden onset pain; possible loss of distal pulses, pulsating abdominal mass; pain along aorta.
• Pulmonary embolism: Clot or material lodged in lung vessels.
• Tachypnea: Rapid breathing.
• Gestation: Pregnancy.
• Fontanelles: Soft spots on a newborn's skull.
• Kussmaul respirations: Deep, rapid breathing often due to acid accumulation when insulin is unavailable.
• Miosis: Constricted pupils.
• Placenta previa: Placenta implantation over the cervical opening or in the lower uterus.
• Placental abruption: Premature separation of the placenta.
• Obstructive shock: Blockage of the heart.
• Hypovolemic shock: Shock from blood or fluid loss.
• Disruptive shock: Includes septic, neurogenic, anaphylactic, and psychogenic shock.
• Orthostatic hypotension: Low blood pressure upon standing up.
• Tension pneumothorax: Pneumothorax where air enters the chest cavity but cannot escape.
• Bradycardia: Slow heart rate.
• Analgesic: Drug that relieves pain.
• Cardiac tamponade: Acute heart compression from fluid accumulation in the pericardial cavity.
• Pericarditis: Inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart.
• Beta Blockers: Decrease heart rate and dilate arteries by blocking beta receptors.
• Ecchymosis: Bruises.
• Hematemesis: Vomiting blood.
• Hematuria: Blood in the urine.
• Melena: Black, tarry stool.
• Pathologic fracture: Fracture due to weakened bone under normal strain.
• Epiphyseal fracture: Epiphysis separates from diaphysis along the epiphyseal plate.
• Greenstick fracture: Incomplete bone break common in children.
• Comminuted fracture: Bone is splintered or crushed.
• Exsanguination: Loss of blood to an unsustainable level.
• Flail segment/chest: Two or more adjacent ribs broken in multiple places, creating a free-floating section.
• Hypoxia: Low oxygen saturation in the body/blood.
• EKG: Electrocardiogram.
• DKA: Diabetic ketoacidosis.
• Hypoxic: Low oxygen.
• COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Pulmonary edema: Fluid in air sacs and bronchioles.
• Rales (crackles): Crackling lung noises on inspiration, indicating fluid or fibrosis in the alveoli.
• Rhonchi: Rattling noise of mucous in the lungs.
• Abruptio placentae: Premature placental separation with severe abdominal pain.
• Braxton Hicks contractions: "False labor" contractions that are usually painless and not an emergency.
• Paraparesis: Partial paralysis of the lower limbs.
• Bounding pulse: Unusually strong pulse.

Medication Dosages

• Aspirin dose: 324 mg total, typically four 81mg baby aspirin.
• Naloxone (Narcan) dose: 0.4mg for adults, titrate in 0.1mg increments.
• Nitroglycerin dose: 0.4mg, maximum of 3 doses.
• Albuterol dose: 2.5mg/3 mL or 2.5mg/0.5 mL.
• Activated charcoal dose: 1-2 g/kg of body weight.
• Albuterol is a Beta Agonist: Beta 2
• Anticoagulant Medications: Medications that inhibit the blood's ability to clot.

Assessment Tools and Concepts

• GEMS diamond: Assessment tool for Geriatric Patients, focusing on Environmental, Medical, and Social aspects.
• Cardiac Tamponade: Beck's triad: hypotension (hTN), jugular venous distention (JVD), muffled heart sounds, clear lung sounds.
  • Pulsus paradoxus: systolic BP reduces by at least 10 during inspiration.
• Kidney injuries are commonly associated with hematuria (blood in the urine).

Protocols

• Hartford Consensus (THREAT):
  • Threat suppression
  • Hemorrhage control
  • Rapid Extrication to safety
  • Assessment by medical providers
  • Transport to definitive care
• AHA chain of survival:
  • Recognition of cardiac arrest and activation of the emergency response system
  • Immediate high-quality CPR
  • Rapid defibrillation
  • Advanced resuscitation by Emergency Medical Services and other healthcare providers
  • Post-cardiac arrest care
  • Recovery (including additional treatment, observation, rehabilitation, and psychological support)