Term
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Definition
| Responsible for functions of staying awake, paying attention, and sleeping. Keeps people alert and oriented. |
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Term
| Requirements to maintain mental status |
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Definition
-Oxygen (perfuse brain tissue)
-Glucose (nourish brain tissue)
-Water (hydrate brain tissue) |
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Term
| Causes of altered mental status |
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Definition
-Deficiencies in oxygen, glucose, water
-Trauma, infection, chemical toxins
-Primary brain problem (stroke)
-Problem within another system (hypoxia/asthma) |
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Term
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Definition
| Form of sugar, body's basic source of energy; cells require glucose to remain alive and create energy. Will not pass into cell w/o insulin. |
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Term
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Definition
| Produced by pancreas, binds to receptor sites on cells. Allows large glucose molecule to pass into cells. Sugar intake-insulin production balance allow body to use glucose effectively as an energy source. |
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Term
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Definition
| Underproduction of insulin by pancreas. |
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Term
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Definition
| Inability of body's cells to use insulin properly. |
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Term
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Definition
| Low blood sugar; diabetic takes too much insulin, does not eat, overexercises or overexerts, vomits. Very rapid onset, pale-sweaty skin, tachycardia, seizures. Can result in starvation of brain cells, altered mental status, unconsciousness, permanent brain damage. |
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Term
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Definition
| High blood sugar; diabetic takes too little insulin, is infected, is stressed, or is increasing dietary intake. Can result in profound dehydration, excessive waste products released into system, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). |
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Term
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Definition
| Profoundly altered mental state, shock (caused by dehydration), rapid breathing, acetone odor on breath. |
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Term
| Less than 60-80 mg/dL blood glucose in symptomatic diabetic |
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Definition
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Term
| Less than 50 mg/DL blood glucose in symptomatic diabetic |
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Definition
| Significant alterations in mental status |
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Term
| Over 140 mg/DL blood glucose in symptomatic diabetic |
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Definition
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Term
| Over 200-300 mg/DL for prolonged time in symptomatic diabetic |
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Definition
| Dehydration, other more serious symptoms |
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Term
| Administration of oral glucose |
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Definition
-Patient squeezes glucose from tube directly in mouth
-EMT can administer glucose using tongue depressor |
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Term
| Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) |
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Definition
| Small clots temporarily block circulation to part of brain; causes strokelike symptoms. Resolves when clots break up; complete resolution within 24 hours |
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Term
| Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale: Facial Response |
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Definition
| Ask patient to grimace or smile; stroke patient more likely to show abnormal response. |
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Term
| Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale: Body Response |
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Definition
| Ask patient to close eyes and extend arms straight out in front for 10 seconds; stroke patient more likely to show an abnormal response. |
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Term
| Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale: Vocal Response |
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Definition
| Ask patient to say something: "The sky is blue in Cincinnati"; stroke patient more likely to give abnormal or no response. |
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Term
| Patient Care: Stroke (Conscious/Can maintain airway) |
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Definition
-Calm and reassure patient
-Monitor airway
-Administer high-concentration oxygen
-Transport patient in semi-sitting position to hospital w/CT scan AT MINIMUM |
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Term
| Patient Care: Stroke (Unconscious/Cannot maintain airway) |
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Definition
-Maintain open airway
-Provide high-concentration oxygen
-Transport w/patient lying on affected side to hospital w/CT scan AT MINIMUM |
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