Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Sudden Illness
Introduction
 Some illnesses develop over time, whereas others can

strike without a moment’s notice.
 By knowing the signals of sudden illness and paying
careful attention to details at the emergency scene, you
can determine how best to help a victim of sudden illness.
 You do not need to know the exact cause of the illness to
give appropriate care.
 Always follow the emergency action steps: CHECK—
CALL—CARE.
AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

2 Copyright © 2005 by The American National Red Cross
All rights reserved.
Responding to a Medical Emergency
 Sudden illnesses often show the following

signals:
 Change in a person’s level of
consciousness
 Feeling lightheaded, dizzy or weak
 Nausea or vomiting
 Changes in breathing, circulation, skin
temperature, color or moisture
Specific Sudden Illness
 Sudden illnesses become evident in a variety of ways.

 Common sudden illnesses include—
 Fainting.
 Diabetic emergencies.
 Seizures.
 Stroke.
 Poisoning.
 Heart attack.
 Shock.
Specific Sudden Illness
 Sudden illness can be—
 Acute.
 Chronic
 General guidelines of care for sudden illnesses include—
 Do no further harm.
 Monitor breathing and consciousness.
 Help the victim rest in the most comfortable position.
 Keep the victim from getting chilled or overheated.
 Reassure the victim.
 Give any specific care needed.
5 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

Copyright © 2005 by The American National Red Cross
Fainting (Syncope)
 Fainting is a common sudden illness characterized by a

partial or complete loss of consciousness.
 Fainting is caused by a temporary reduction of blood flow
to the brain.
 Caused by
 Stressful Event
 Pain
 Medical Conditions
 Changing Positions
Fainting
(continued)
 The victim will commonly display shock-like signals, such as—
 Cool, pale, moist skin.
 Nausea.
 Numbness or tingling in the fingers and toes.
 Additional signals that precede fainting include—
 Sweating.
 Vomiting.
 Distortion or dimming of vision.
 Head or abdominal pain.

Care for Fainting
 General care for sudden illness:
 Position the victim on the back on a flat surface. Elevate
the legs about 12 inches (pale elevate the tail…red elevate
the head)
 Loosen any restrictive clothing
 Check for any other life-threatening and non-life-
threatening conditions
 Do not give the victim anything to eat or drink
 Do not splash the victim with water or slap his or her face
 As long as the fainting victim recovers quickly and has not
lasting signals, you may or may not need to call 9-1-1 or
the local emergency number (Later Check it Out)
Diabetic Emergencies
 The condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin or
does not use insulin effectively is called diabetes mellitus
 In the digestive process, the body breaks down food into simple
sugars such as glucose
 Insulin is a hormone that helps sugar (glucose) pass from the
bloodstream into the cells
 Without a proper balance of sugar and insulin, cells will starve and
the body will not function properly

Diabetes
 There are two major types of diabetes: Type I
and Type II
 In Type I diabetes (insulin-dependent)
the body produces little or no insulin
Most people who have Type I diabetes have
to inject insulin into their bodies daily
Childhood/Juvenile Diabetes

Diabetes Continued
 In Type II diabetes (non-insulin-dependent)
 the body produces insulin, but either the cells do not use
the insulin effectively or not enough insulin is produced
 Can regulate by diet
 Adults usually
 All
 Must carefully monitor their diet, exercise, and blood
levels

Diabetic Balance
 A situation in which a victim becomes ill because of
an imbalance of insulin and sugar in the
bloodstream is called a diabetic emergency.
 There are two types of diabetic emergencies:
 Hyperglycemia: the insulin level in the body is
too low
 Ketoacidosis
 Hypoglycemia: the insulin level in the body is too
high

Hyperglycemia
 The body attempts to maintain energy by using other
stored food and energy sources (fats)
 This increases acidity levels in the blood:
 Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Become ill
• Flushed, hot, dry skin
• Sweet fruity breath odor (mistaken for alcohol)
• If not treated Diabetic Coma

Hypoglycemia
 Blood sugar too low
 Take too much insulin
 Fails to eat adequately
 Over Exertion (i.e. exercise)
 Emotional Stress
 If levels not treated insulin shock occurs from lack
of sugar for the brain to function properly

Diabetic Signs and Symptoms
 Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia are different

conditions, but their primary signals are similar these
include—
 Changes in the level of consciousness, including
dizziness, drowsiness and confusion.
 Irregular breathing.
 Abnormal pulse (rapid or weak).
 Feeling or looking ill.

Care for a Diabetic Emergency
 Check and care for any life-threatening conditions

 If the victim is conscious, check for non-life-
threatening conditions
 Look for a medical alert tag or ask the victim if he or
she has diabetes
 If conscious give them food
 Candy, fruit juices, table sugar and water
 If it is low it will help if high no harm

Care for a Diabetic Emergency (cont.)
 If the victim is unconscious or after 5 minutes and

they do not get better—
 Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number
immediately
 Do not give the victim anything by mouth
 Monitor signs of circulation and breathing
 Keep him or her from getting overheated or
chilled

Seizures
 Seizures are a disruption of the brain electrical activity
 Seizures may be caused by an acute or chronic condition
 Acute can be from disease, fever, poisoning, or infection
 The chronic form of seizure is known as epilepsy
 2.3 million are affected by epilepsy
 Regulated by medication
 Risk Factors
• Head Trauma (internal vs. external)
• CNS infections
• Stroke
• Family Member

Seizures (cont.)
 Before a seizure occurs, the victim may experience an aura
 Unusual sensation
 Hallucination
 Strange sound, smell or taste
 Seizures can range from mild blackouts to sudden, uncontrolled muscular
contractions that can last several minutes (1-3 min)
 Symptoms Range
 Irregular or stop breathing
 Drool
 Eyes roll to back of head
 Body Rigid
 Urinate/Defecate
 Daydream

Febrile Seizures
 Febrile seizures are most common in children under the age of 5 & can be triggered by
infections of the ear, throat or digestive system or when an infant or child runs a fever
of over 102°F (38.9°C)
 A febrile seizure may have some or all of the following signals:
 A sudden rise in body temperature
 A change in the level of consciousness
 Rhythmic jerking of the head and limbs
 Urinating or defecating
 Confusion
 Drowsiness
 Crying out
 Becoming rigid
 Holding the breath
 Upward rolling of the eyes

Febrile Seizures (cont.)
 A febrile seizure may have some or all of the following signals:
 A sudden rise in body temperature
 A change in the level of consciousness
 Rhythmic jerking of the head and limbs
 Urinating or defecating
 Confusion
 Drowsiness
 Crying out
 Becoming rigid
 Holding the breath
 Upward rolling of the eyes
21
Care for a Seizure
 Do not try to hold or restrain the victim
 Protect the victim from injury and maintain an open
airway
 Remove nearby objects that could cause injury
 After the seizure, position him or her on one side so that
fluid can drain from the mouth
 Check for life-threatening conditions
 Stay with the victim until he or she is fully conscious and
aware of his or her surroundings
 Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number, if necessary

Call for any of the following
 Lasts more than 5 minutes
 Repeated seizures without regaining consciousness between
 Appears to be injured
 Not known to have predisposing condition
 Pregnant
 Infant or child experiencing an initial febrile seizure
 Diabetes
 Takes place in water
 Fails to regain consciousness after a seizure

Stroke
 A stroke, also called a cerebrovascular
accident (CVA) or brain attack, is a disruption
of blood flow to a part of the brain, causing
permanent damage to brain tissue.

Stroke (cont.)
 Stroke is commonly caused by a blood clot,

(thrombus or embolus) a rupture (aneurysm),
or by fat deposits lining an artery
(atherosclerosis)
 A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a
temporary episode that is similar to a stroke &
is sometimes called a mini-stroke. Like a
stroke, TIA results from reduced blood flow to
the brain.
Stroke (cont.)
 Ways to reduce the risk of a stroke or TIA

include the following:
 -Controlling blood pressure
 -Not smoking
 -Eating a healthy diet
 -Exercising regularly
 -Controlling diabetes

Stroke Signals
 A victim of stroke may exhibit or experience some or all

of the following signals:
 -Appearing or feeling ill, or displaying abnormal
behavior
 -Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg,
often on only one side of the body
 -Difficulty speaking or being understood
 -Blurred or dimmed vision
 -Pupils of unequal size

Stroke Signals (cont.)
 -Sudden severe headache

 -Dizziness
 -Confusion
 -Change in mood
 -Ringing in the ears
 -Loss of consciousness
 -Loss of bowel or bladder control

Sudden Signals
 Difficulty talking or being understood when

speaking
 Blurred or dimmed vision
 Experience sudden, severe headache, dizziness or
confusion

F.A.S.T. Regonition
For a “brain attack” or stroke think F.A.S.T.

 Face – Weakness on one side of face
 Arm – Weakness or numbness in one arm
 Speech – Slurred speech or trouble speaking
 Time – Time to call 9-1-1 if you see any of these signs

Care for a Stroke
 Care for life-threatening conditions
 Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately
 Position him or her on one side (affected or paralyzed side
down) to allow fluids to drain
 Stay with the victim and check his or her breathing and signs
of circulation
 If the victim is conscious—
 Check for non-life-threatening conditions
 Offer comfort and reassurance
 Have the victim rest in a comfortable position

Closing
 Sudden illness can strike anyone, at any time. Even if

you do not know the cause of the illness, you can still
give proper care.
 Knowing the signals of sudden illness, such as changes
in consciousness, profuse sweating, confusion and
weakness, will help you determine the necessary care
to give the victim until EMS personnel arrive.
 Who has the 1st question??


Chapter 15

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Chapter 15: Sudden Illness

 Some illnesses develop over time, whereas others can

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Sudden illnesses often show the following

 Sudden illnesses become evident in a variety of ways.

5 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Fainting is a common sudden illness characterized by a

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia are different

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Check and care for any life-threatening conditions

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 If the victim is unconscious or after 5 minutes and

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Stroke is commonly caused by a blood clot,

 Ways to reduce the risk of a stroke or TIA

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 A victim of stroke may exhibit or experience some or all

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 -Sudden severe headache

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Difficulty talking or being understood when

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

For a “brain attack” or stroke think F.A.S.T.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

31 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

 Sudden illness can strike anyone, at any time. Even if

 Who has the 1st question??

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION

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