Medical Terminology 3
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: medical terminology.
Medical Terminology 2
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: medical terminology.
Medical Terminology Part 1
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: medical terminology.
Introduction to Medical Terminology
Published in AEMT, EMR, EMT. Tags: medical terminology.
Medicine (as a practice) as we know it has only existed for around 120 years. Medicine as a study has existed since civilization first began. The academic treasures of the ancient world were assimilated into the Roman empire (which lasted almost 1000 years). The medical knowledge of the years were translated into Latin and marched […]
Arterial Blood Gas Determination
Published in AEMT. Tags: acid-base, anatomy, physiology, respiratory.
Like spirometry, EMS generally does not perform ABG collection or analysis. The following information is more hypothetical and intended to demonstrate the connection between a patient and a disorder. Blood gas analysis is a commonly used diagnostic tool to evaluate the partial pressures of gas in blood as well as acid-base content. Understanding and use […]
Disorders of Acid Base Balance
Published in AEMT. Tags: pathophysiology, shock and resuscitation.
Normal arterial blood pH is restricted to a very narrow range of 7.35 to 7.45. A person who has a blood pH below 7.35 is considered to be in acidosis (actually, “physiological acidosis,” because blood is not truly acidic until its pH drops below 7), and a continuous blood pH below 7.0 can be fatal. […]
Respiration and Acid Base Balance
Published in AEMT. Tags: acid-base, anatomy, physiology, respiratory.
Proper physiological functioning depends on a very tight balance between the concentrations of acids and bases in the blood. Acid-balance balance is measured using the pH scale, as shown below. A variety of buffering systems permits blood and other bodily fluids to maintain a narrow pH range, even in the face of perturbations. A buffer […]
Chemical and Neurological Control of Involuntary Respiration
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, neurology, physiology, respiratory.
Involuntary respiration is any form of respiratory control that is not under direct, conscious control. Breathing is required to sustain life, so involuntary respiration allows it to happen when voluntary respiration is not possible, such as during sleep. Involuntary respiration also has metabolic functions that work even when a person is conscious. The Respiratory Centers […]
The Dead Space Gets Filled Up Before Any Air Gets Into The Lungs
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, physiology, respiratory.
Dead space represents the volume of ventilated air that does not participate in gas exchange. The two types of dead space are anatomical dead space and physiologic dead space. Anatomical dead space is represented by the volume of air that fills the conducting zone of respiration made up by the nose, trachea, and bronchi. This […]
Respiratory Volumes & Capacities
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, physiology, respiratory.
Spirometry is the most common type of pulmonary function or breathing test. Spirometry is used to determine a given patient’s lung volumes and capacities as the test measures how much air one can breathe in and out of their lungs. Ambulances do not carry such devices. Discussing lung capacities for EMS personnel is complete hypothetical. […]