6.2. First Aid for life threatening medical emergencies

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  Heart attack

• Bleeding

• Burns

• Broken bone

• Displacements

• Drowning

First aid for a heart attack

Heart attack is a sudden and sometimes fatal occurrence of

coronary thrombosis, typically resulting in the death of part

of a heart muscle

• The person may have persistent, vice-like chest pain, which may spread to their arms, neck, jaw, back or stomach.

• Call 103 (112) immediately or get someone else to do it.

• Make sure they are in a position that is comfortable for them (e.g. sit them on the floor, leaning against a wall or chair).

• Give them constant reassurance while waiting for the ambulance.

Dangers of bleeding: arterial, venous

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healthy person can endure a loss of 10-15% of the total blooc volume without serious medical difficulties

• 15-30%:

• tachycardia with the small difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressures

• pale & cool skin

• slight changes in behavior of victim

• 30-40%: blood pressure drops, the heart rate increases, and the mental status worsens.

• >40% - the limit of the body's compensation is reached and aggressive resuscitation is required to prevent death.

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First aid for bleeding heavily

Put pressure on the wound with whatever is available to stop or slow down the flow of blood.

Call 103 (112)

Lay the person down Remove foreign particles carefully from the wound: leave large items such as knives or weapons where they are Use a clean cloth, bandage or your hands to put pressure directly onto the wound.

Keep pressure on the wound until help arrives. ^

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Only for arterial hemorrhage

• A tourniquet is a compressing device, specifically a bandage, used to control circulation to an extremity for a short period of time.

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  A tourniquet is put over the cloth, the pulse doesn't have to be felt.

Safety tourniquet practice involves:

1. »

   Careful placement of tourniquet proximal to all sites of hemorrhage.

2. Limiting tourniquet time to less than 2 hours (cold season 40-60 minutes)

3. !!! Pressures that obstruct

venous but not arterial flow can

intensify hemorrhage and

hours

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cause damage to healthy tissue

1* First aid for burns

If types of burns:

• Thermal - Chemical

• Electrical - Radiation ■ The severity of burns:

• First-degree (red skin without blisters)

• Second degree (Redness with clear blister)

• Third degree (Extends through dermis. Stiff and white/brown wounds)

• Fourth degree (Extends through skin, and into underlying fat, muscle and bone)

The first aid required depends on the severity and type of the burn ^

^ First aid for thermal burns (1 -2 degree)

Cooling the burn will reduce pain, swelling and the risk ot scarring The taster and longer a bum is cooled the less the impact of the injury

Cooling the burn will reduce pai and the risk of scarring.

The faster and longer a burn is coole the less the impact of the injury.

Cover the burn with cling film or a plastic bag.

The burn may need urgent medical treatment. If you're in any doubt, seek medical advice and

always call 103 if a child has been burned.

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Gently dry the burned area and use a burn ointment to promote healing and help prevent scarring. Then cover the area with a bandage.

if First aid for thermal burns (3-4 degree)

1. Cooling the burn with help of cool and wet clean bandage (or cloth)

• Do not apply ice

• Raise the burned area above the heart (if it is possible)

2. Call 103

^ First aid for chemical burns

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Sourse of danger: strong acid or base, chemical weapons