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Airway, breathing, circulation emergencies

Emergency Medicine and Critical Care · MBBS

Study notes

A 22-year-old man is brought to the Emergency Room after a motorbike accident. 1. Airway: When the doctor arrives, the patient is making a loud, high-pitched 'whistling' sound (stridor) every time he tries to inhale. This means his airway is partially blocked due to swelling from the injury. 2. Breathing: The doctor notices the patient is breathing 30 times per minute (tachypnea - very fast) and his fingernails look slightly blue (cyanosis). This means his oxygen levels are low. 3. Circulation: The patient's skin is cold and clammy (sweaty). His heart is beating very fast (tachycardia), and his blood pressure is very low (hypotension). This suggests he is losing blood internally (hemorrhagic shock). Management Step-by-Step: Step 1 (Airway): The doctor immediately uses a special tube (endotracheal intubation) to make sure the breathing pipe is open and clear. Step 2 (Breathing): Once the tube is in, the doctor connects him to an oxygen machine (ventilator) to push air into his lungs. Step 3 (Circulation): The doctor applies pressure to any visible wounds to stop bleeding and starts an IV drip (intravenous line) to give him salty fluids and blood to bring his blood pressure back up.

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