Questions and Answers
What does carbon monoxide (CO) prevent hemoglobin from doing?
Carrying oxygen to the cells
How long does the body require to dispose of carbon monoxide?
Up to 48 hours
What are some common effects of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Headache, blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, loss of muscle power
What is stress?
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What are examples of stressors?
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What are some effects of fatigue?
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What is dehydration?
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What can cause dehydration?
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What condition is described as the inability of the body to control its temperature?
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What does alcohol impair?
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What are some visual illusions that can occur at night? (Select all that apply)
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What is autokinesis?
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What can result from false horizon illusions?
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What is the reversible perspective illusion?
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What is the size-distance illusion?
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What is fascination (fixation) in the context of flying?
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What does hypoxia mean?
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Which of the following are types of hypoxia? (Select all that apply)
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What causes hypoxic hypoxia?
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What is hypemic hypoxia?
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What is histotoxic hypoxia?
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What causes stagnant hypoxia?
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What are common symptoms of hypoxia? (Select all that apply)
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What is the treatment for hypoxia?
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What is hyperventilation?
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What are symptoms of hyperventilation? (Select all that apply)
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What is the treatment for hyperventilation?
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What causes ear and sinus problems during flights?
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What is spatial disorientation?
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What systems does the body use to overcome spatial disorientation?
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What is the vestibular system?
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What is the somatosensory system?
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What are some vestibular illusions? (Select all that apply)
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What is the leans?
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What is the Coriolis Illusion?
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What is the Graveyard Spiral?
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What is the somatogravic illusion?
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What is the inversion illusion?
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What causes elevator illusion?
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What are examples of visual illusions? (Select all that apply)
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What is the False Horizon illusion?
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What is autokinesis?
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What is motion sickness?
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What is carbon monoxide poisoning?
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Study Notes
Hypoxia
- Hypoxia refers to a condition characterized by reduced levels of oxygen in the body.
- Four types of hypoxia: hypoxic, hypemic, stagnant, and histotoxic.
Types of Hypoxia
- Hypoxic Hypoxia: Occurs at high altitudes where oxygen availability is low.
- Hypemic Hypoxia: Involves blood's inability to transport adequate oxygen, often caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Histotoxic Hypoxia: Cells cannot effectively use oxygen due to toxicity from substances like alcohol and drugs.
- Stagnant Hypoxia: Results from inadequate blood flow to tissues, potentially due to high G-forces or cold temperatures.
Symptoms and Treatment of Hypoxia
- Initial symptoms: euphoria, increased reaction time, visual impairment, cyanosis, headache, and dizziness.
- Treatment: Descend to a lower altitude and/or use supplemental oxygen.
Hyperventilation
- Characterized by rapid, deep breathing leading to a loss of carbon dioxide in the blood.
- Symptoms include visual impairment, unconsciousness, dizziness, and muscle spasms.
- Treatment involves restoring carbon dioxide levels by breathing into a paper bag or talking aloud.
Middle Ear and Sinus Problems
- Pressure differences during flight can cause ear pain and sinus discomfort due to trapped gas in middle ear cavities.
- Eustachian tubes help equalize pressure but may not function properly in some situations, leading to pain and reduced hearing ability.
Spatial Disorientation
- Defined as a condition where a person's sense of direction does not align with reality.
- The body relies on three systems for orientation: vestibular (inner ear), somatosensory (skin, joints, muscles), and visual (eyes).
Vestibular System
- Comprised of three semicircular canals in the inner ear that detect motion and orientation through fluid movement.
Somatogravic System
- Sends sensory signals about the body's position relative to gravity but is often misled by accelerative forces causing sensory illusions.
Vestibular Illusions
- Common types include:
- The Leans: Misperception of banking direction after leveling off from a turn.
- Coriolis Illusion: Confusion in aircraft axis movement due to head movement while in a turn.
- Graveyard Spiral: Illusion of descent leading to loss of altitude in a spiral.
- Somatogravic Illusion: Sensation of climbing when accelerating.
- Inversion Illusion: Feeling of tumbling backwards during abrupt altitude changes.
- Elevator Illusion: Sensation of ascent or descent caused by vertical accelerations.
Visual Illusions
- False Horizon: Misalignment due to sloping cloud formations or lights leading to dangerous attitudes.
- Autokinesis: A stationary light moves when fixated upon, creating an erroneous flight path.
- Optical Illusions: Features such as runway width affect perception during approach; these include runway and terrain slopes, featureless terrain, and ground lighting issues.
Motion Sickness
- Results from conflicting messages from the body; symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, and vomiting.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning
- CO is a toxic, odorless gas that impairs oxygen transport in the blood, leading to hypemic hypoxia.
- Symptoms include headache, dizziness, blurred vision, and loss of muscle control.
- Immediate corrective actions include ventilation and the use of supplemental oxygen.
Stress
- The body’s physical and psychological response to demands, leading to increased hormones, heart rate, and respiration.
- Common stressors: physical (noise), physiological (fatigue), and psychological factors.
Fatigue
- Impairs attention, coordination, and decision-making capabilities; can arise from sleep loss, stress, or prolonged cognitive activity.
Dehydration
- Refers to a significant loss of water in the body, which can affect physiological function.### Dehydration
- Causes include hot environments, wind, humidity, and consumption of diuretic beverages like coffee, tea, and alcohol.
- Common symptoms are headache, fatigue, cramps, sleepiness, and dizziness.
- Initial sign of dehydration is fatigue, which impairs physical and mental performance.
- Long flights in high temperatures or at altitudes enhance dehydration risk due to increased water loss.
- Recommended fluid intake is two to four quarts of water every 24 hours.
Heatstroke
- Heatstroke occurs when the body cannot regulate temperature, starting with dehydration symptoms but may lead to collapse.
- To prevent heat-related issues, carry and consume water regularly during flights, regardless of thirst.
- The body absorbs water at a rate of 1.2 to 1.5 quarts per hour; drink one quart per hour under severe heat stress.
- Wear light-colored, porous clothing and a hat; ensure ventilation in the flight deck to reduce heat.
Alcohol
- Alcohol consumption harms bodily efficiency and judgment, critical for pilots making time-sensitive decisions.
- Impairs multiple faculties including:
- Judgment and sense of responsibility
- Coordination and visual field
- Memory and reasoning ability
- Attention span
- Even one ounce of alcohol can slow reflexes and increase errors, with vision and hearing impairments possible after one drink.
Night Vision Illusions
- Various visual illusions at night include Autokinesis, False Horizon, Reversible Perspective, Size-Distance, and Fascination.
Autokinesis
- Visual illusion where a stationary light appears to move after prolonged focus.
- Occurs after staring at a single light in darkness for over 8-10 seconds.
- To mitigate, engage in visual scanning and avoid focusing on one light for too long.
False Horizon Illusion
- Confusion between cloud formations and the true horizon or ground.
- Can happen when the natural horizon is obscured, especially near bright lights or large water bodies.
- Pilots may misinterpret lights along shorelines as stars.
Reversible Perspective Illusion
- Aircraft may appear to be moving away when actually approaching.
- Common when flying parallel to another aircraft.
- Correct analysis involves observing the brightness of lights: increasing indicates approach, while dimming suggests moving away.
Size-Distance Illusion
- Misinterpretation of distance due to unfamiliar object size perception.
- Influenced by changes in light brightness, misleading pilots on an object’s proximity.
Fascination (Fixation)
- Occurs when pilots concentrate on a single task or object at the expense of surrounding cues.
- Particularly hazardous at night, as the assessment of ground closure rates can be difficult, risking delayed corrective action.
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Description
This quiz covers key terms and definitions related to aeromedical factors, specifically focusing on hypoxia and its types. Understand and memorize the different forms of hypoxia, their causes, and effects which are crucial for pilots and aviation professionals. Perfect for reinforcing knowledge from the PHAK textbook.
