Just got a chance to read over last months EMS mag and saw some neat pt assessment tidbits yall might enjoy. If you have any of your own, please include them here.
Some are old favorites that I constantly forget such as positive Babinski Reflex is when toes spread out and up or toward the pt's face and indicates cerebral lesion (maybe normal in child up to 2 y/o). Negative Babinski Reflex is when big toe curls downward. If anyone has a memory aid or trick for learning this, please tell me.
Others you may or may not be aware of such as:
Hypoglycemia is most commonly misdiagnosed as stroke because of similar s/s especially in older population so check BGL early and whatever you do, don't give D50 to a CVA pt!.....(unless they need it due to low BGL)
Not sure whether the fluid is blood,CSF, or H2O, along with the halo test you can also check the BGL with your glucometer on this clear fluid. If it's CSF, it will contain a low amount of glucose.
Unequal pupils that are reactive to light in ALOC is most likely hypoxia, drug overdose, electrolyte problem, hypoglycemia, etc. plus 8% of the population has baseline unequal pupils anyway. Unequal pupils that don't react with ALOC is likely structural lesion, subarachnoid hemorrhage, tumor, stroke, or epidural hematoma.
Todd's Paralysis is transient focal weakness or paralysis to leg or arm following seizure. It may indicate focal lesion but important to know that it will go away after a while, hence transient.
Heart rate and fever go hand in hand. For every 1 degree increase in temperature, the heart increases 10 bpm. Some diseases such as typhoid and malaria will produce bradycardia however. A early indicator of sepsis is tachycardia.
Some are old favorites that I constantly forget such as positive Babinski Reflex is when toes spread out and up or toward the pt's face and indicates cerebral lesion (maybe normal in child up to 2 y/o). Negative Babinski Reflex is when big toe curls downward. If anyone has a memory aid or trick for learning this, please tell me.
Others you may or may not be aware of such as:
Hypoglycemia is most commonly misdiagnosed as stroke because of similar s/s especially in older population so check BGL early and whatever you do, don't give D50 to a CVA pt!.....(unless they need it due to low BGL)
Not sure whether the fluid is blood,CSF, or H2O, along with the halo test you can also check the BGL with your glucometer on this clear fluid. If it's CSF, it will contain a low amount of glucose.
Unequal pupils that are reactive to light in ALOC is most likely hypoxia, drug overdose, electrolyte problem, hypoglycemia, etc. plus 8% of the population has baseline unequal pupils anyway. Unequal pupils that don't react with ALOC is likely structural lesion, subarachnoid hemorrhage, tumor, stroke, or epidural hematoma.
Todd's Paralysis is transient focal weakness or paralysis to leg or arm following seizure. It may indicate focal lesion but important to know that it will go away after a while, hence transient.
Heart rate and fever go hand in hand. For every 1 degree increase in temperature, the heart increases 10 bpm. Some diseases such as typhoid and malaria will produce bradycardia however. A early indicator of sepsis is tachycardia.
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