Acute Medical Emergencies

The Advanced Life Support Group (ALSG), Manchester UK, began life in 1990 and became a registered medical education charity in 1993. The organisation exists to "preserve life by providing training and education to the general public and in particular but not exclusively to doctors, nurses and other members of the medical profession, in life saving techniques".The book is written and edited by Emergency Medicine specialists who are Advanced Life Support Group (ALSG) trainers.

"Nevertheless, senior nurses with training responsiblitiies will find this book an invaluable reference source and, on this basis, copies should be kept in emergency departments as well as university and hospital libraries". (Emergency Nurse, 1 March 2011)

• Working Group viiContributors to first edition viiiContributors to second edition ixPreface to second edition xPreface to first edition xiAcknowledgments xiiPart I: IntroductionChapter 1 Introduction 3Chapter 2 Recognition of the medical emergency 7Part II: Structured ApproachChapter 3 A structured approach to medical emergencies 15Chapter 4 Airway assessment 33Chapter 5 Breathing assessment 43Chapter 6 Circulation assessment 55Chapter 7 Disability assessment 67Part III: Presenting ComplaintsChapter 8 The patient with breathing difficulties 87Chapter 9 The patient with shock 121Chapter 10 The patient with chest pain 147Chapter 11 The patient with altered conscious level 159Chapter 12 The ‘collapsed’ patient 187Chapter 13 The overdose patient 203Chapter 14 The patient with a headache 215Chapter 15 The patient with abdominal pain 233Chapter 16 The patient with hot red legs or cold white legs 261Chapter 17 The patient with hot and/or swollen joints 269Chapter 18 The patient with a rash 281Chapter 19 The patient with acute confusion 293Part IV: Organ FailureChapter 20 Organ failure 309Part V: Special CircumstancesChapter 21 The elderly patient 345Chapter 22 Transportation of the seriously ill patient 355Chapter 23 The pregnant patient 369Chapter 24 The immunocompromised patient 377Chapter 25 The patient with acute spinal cord compression 381Part VI: Interpretation of Emergency InvestigationsChapter 26 Acid–base balance and blood gas analysis 387Chapter 27 Dysrhythmia recognition 409Chapter 28 Chest X-ray interpretation 431Chapter 29 Haematological investigations 437Chapter 30 Biochemical investigations 449Part VII: Practical ProceduresChapter 31 Practical procedures: airway and breathing 457Chapter 32 Practical procedures: circulation 469Chapter 33 Practical procedures: medical 477Part VIII: AppendixAppendix: Drugs commonly used in the management of medical emergencies 487Answers to time out questions 493Index 505