Medical Emergencies Part I

Emergency medicine is the medical speciality concerned with the care of medical conditions requiring immediate medical intervention. Its one of the vital branches of medicine that allows doctors with the knowledge and skills required to care for people with life-threatening or urgent healthcare needs. Emergency medicine encompasses planning, oversight, and medical direction for community emergency medical response, medical control, and disaster preparedness. Emergency medicine professionals provide valuable clinical, administrative, and leadership services to the emergency department and other sectors of the health care delivery system. Many challenges result from our practice’s principles: available at any time for any patient with any complaint. Patients who come to the ED are not familiar with us personally, yet must feel confident about our abilities to help them during their time of greatest concern. Their needs may be as straightforward as an excuse note for work or a prescription refill in the middle of the night, or as complex as an acute illness or injury, an exacerbation of a chronic condition, or a cry for help if depressed or suicidal. Qualities successful EPs exhibit include intelligence, sensitivity, humility, insight, proficiency in making decisions with and acting on limited information, and the ability to multitask. Being skilful negotiators, working well with individuals having different backgrounds and ethnicities, and advocating strongly for patients at all times are essential qualities. In addition to these traits, EPs must be experts in trauma and medical resuscitation of adults and children, and in sharing news with patients and family members about the outcomes of these events. The majority of patients use the ED infrequently. Many may be experiencing this setting for the first time. Patients’ lack of familiarity with this environment, fear, stress, waiting times, painful procedures, and overall discomfort often preclude them from having a positive experience. These are only some of the issues that patients contend with in the ED. As emergency medical care is an essential component of a comprehensive healthcare delivery system, it must be available 24 hours a day. EPs provide rapid assessment and treatment of any patient with a medical emergency. In addition, they are responsible for the initial assessment and care of any medical condition that a patient believes requires urgent attention.

Cardiovascular emergencies which will be covered include acute coronary syndrome (acute MI), heart failure, hypertensive crisis, basic life support and advanced life support. Respiratory emergencies covered include pulmonary embolism, acute exacerbation of COPD, Pneumothorax, Pneumonia and Asthma.