 Change in consciousness
 Breathing problems
 Signals of a heart attack
 Signals of a stroke
 Loss of vision
 Signals of shock
 Sweating
 Persistent abdominal pain or pressure
 Nausea or vomiting
 Diarrhea
 Seizures

 Unconscious or altered level
 Breathing problems
 Signals of a heart attack
 Persistent abdominal pain or pressure
 Severe bleeding
 Vomiting or passing blood
 Severe burns
 Suspected poisoning
 Seizures or stroke
 Suspected or obvious injuries to the head, neck, or back
 Painful, swollen, deformed areas

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Do no further harm
Check the scene for safety and then the person
Care for life threatening conditions first
Help the person rest comfortably
Keep the person’s body temperature normal
Reassure the person
Watch for changes in consciousness
Do not give the person anything to eat or drink unless they are fully conscious, able to swallow and do not show signs of a stroke
Help the person with their medication if asked

 Definition – a partial or complete loss of consciousness resulting from a temporary reduction of blood flow to the brain
 Signs and Symptoms
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Lightheaded or dizzy
May show signs of shock
Numbness or tingling in fingers and toes
Sweating
Vomiting
Everything going dark

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Care
Lower the person to the ground
Loosen tight clothing
Check that the person is breathing
Do not give them anything to eat or drink
Roll onto side if they vomit
Call 9-1-1 if you are unsure of the victim’s condition

 Definition – an irregularity in the brain’s electrical activity, often marked by loss of consciousness and uncontrollable muscle movement; also called a convulsion
 The chronic condition is known as epilepsy
 Can be caused by injury, disease, fever, poisoning, or infection

 A blank stare
 A period of distorted sensation during which the person is unable to respond
 Uncontrolled muscular contractions, called convulsions, which last several minutes
 May experience an aura, an unusual sensation or feeling, such as hallucination; strange sound, taste or smell; or an urgent need to get to safety

 Most common in children younger than 5.
 Often caused by
 Ear infections
 Infections of the throat or digestive system
 They most often occur with a rapid rise in body temperature.

 Sudden rise in body temperature
 Change in consciousness
 Rhythmic jerking of head and limbs
 Loss of bladder or bowel control
 Confusion
 Crying out
 Becoming rigid
 Holding breath
 Upward rolling of eyes

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The seizure lasts more than five minutes
This is the person’s first seizure
The person has multiple seizures
The cause of the seizure is unknown
The person is pregnant
The person is diabetic
The person appears injured or fails to regain consciousness
The seizure takes place in water
The person is elderly and could have suffered a stroke
The person is a young child or an infant and experienced a febrile seizure brought on by high fever

 Reassure the person
 Care for them the same way you would care for someone who is unconscious
 Do not put anything between their teeth
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Protect the person from being injured by moving nearby objects
Protect the person’s head
 Roll them on to their side if there is fluid in their mouth

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Definition – also known as a brain attack, is a disruption of blood flow to a part of the brain, which causes permanent damage to brain tissue
Mini-stroke – a temporary episode, like a stroke, is caused by a disruption of blood flow to the brain; someone who has a mini stroke is at high risk of having a full blown stroke.

 High Blood Pressure
 Puts added pressure on arteries and make them stiffer
 Controlled by losing weight, changing diet, exercising routinely and managing stress
 Diabetes
 Uncontrolled, the resulting elevated blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels throughout the body

 Cigarette Smoking
 Smoking increases blood pressure, damages blood vessels and makes blood more likely to clot.
 Benefits of quitting smoking begin as soon as you stop.
Ten years after quitting, a persons risk of stroke is about the same as someone who never smoked.
 Diet
 Diets that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol cause fatty materials to build up on the walls of the blood vessels.
 Fatty foods – egg yolks, beef, pork, ham, whole milk

 Control your blood pressure
 Quit smoking
 Eat a healthy diet
 Exercise regularly
 Maintain a healthy weight
 Control diabetes

 Having difficulty talking or being understood when speaking
 Facial droop or drooling
 Having blurred or dimmed vision
 Experience a sudden, severe headache, dizziness, or confusion
 Loss of balance or coordination, trouble walking
 Incontinence

 Face – weakness on one side of the face
 Arm – weakness or numbness in one arm
 Speech – slurred speech or trouble speaking
 Time – Call 9-1-1 and let the dispatcher know when the symptoms started

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Note when the symptoms started
If they are unconscious –
 Make sure their airway is open
 Position the victim on their side if they have fluid in their mouth
 Stay with the person and monitor their signs of life
If they are conscious –
 Check for non-life threatening conditions
 Reassure the victim
 Have the victim rest in a comfortable position
Do not give them anything to eat or drink

 Definition – the inability of the body to change sugar (glucose) from food to energy
 This can lead to other medical conditions such as –
 Blindness
 Nerve disease
 Kidney disease
 Heart disease
 Stroke

 Type I
 Begins in childhood
 Body produces little to no insulin
 Person will be insulin dependent
 No cure
 Type II
 Body makes insulin but not enough for the body’s needs
 Genetic or lifestyle factors

 Hyperglycemia
 Too much sugar in the blood
 Person may have not taken enough insulin or reacting badly to a meal
 Hypoglycemia
 Too little sugar in the blood
 Person may have taken too much insulin, eaten too little food, or overexerted him or herself.

 Changes in level of consciousness
 Changes in mood
 Rapid breathing or pulse
 Feeling or looking ill
 Dizziness and headache
 Confusion

 If the person is conscious –
 Help them eat or drink something with sugar in it –
 Fruit juice or table sugar dissolved in water
 Glucagon
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 Help them get to their injectable medicine
If they are unconscious –
 Call 9-1-1
 Do not give them anything by mouth

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Allergic reactions are caused by over activity of the immune system against specific antigens (foreign substances)
Antigens that often cause allergic reactions –
 Bee or insect
 Antibiotics
 Pollen
 Animal dander
 Latex
 Certain foods

 Hives
 Itching
 Rash
 Weakness
 Nausea
 Stomach cramps
 Vomiting
 Dizziness
 Trouble breathing

 Has trouble breathing
 Complains of the throat tightening
 Explains that he or she is subject to severe allergic reactions
 Is unconscious

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Monitor the person’s breathing
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Give care for life-threatening conditions
Check a conscious person to determine –
 The substance (antigen) involved
 The route of exposure
 The effects of the exposure
 Assist the person to use an Epi Pen
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Assist the person to take antihistamine
Document any changes in the person’s condition

 A poison is any substance that causes injury, illness or death if it enters the body.
 A person can be poisoned by -
 Ingestion – foods, drugs, medications, household items, plants
 Inhalation – gases and fumes
 Absorption – plants, fertilizers, pesticides
 Injection – bites, stings, needles

 Check for clues about what happened
 Unusual odors
 Flames
 Spilled containers
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Try to get information from the victim or bystanders
Try to find out –
 The type of poison
 The quantity taken
 When it was taken
 How much the person weighs

 Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
 Chest or abdominal pain
 Trouble breathing
 Sweating
 Changes in consciousness
 Headache
 Dizziness
 Burning or tearing eyes
 Burns around the lips, tongue, or on the skin

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Remove the person from the source of poison if the scene is dangerous.
Check the person’s level of consciousness, breathing, and other signs of life.
Care for any life threatening conditions.
Gather information.
Look for containers and take them with you to the phone.
Call 9-1-1 or the National Poison Control Center
1-800-222-1222
Follow the directions given to you by the professionals.

 Dedicated to helping people deal with poisons.
 Many can be found in emergency departments of hospitals.
 Many poisonings can be cared for without the help of EMS, so PCCs help reduce the workload of the EMS system.

 Toxic Fumes
 Person’s skin may turn pale and ashen
 Get the victim fresh air as soon as possible
 Chemicals
 Wet – flush the area for at least 20 minutes
 Dry – brush off the chemicals with a gloved hand, then flush the area with water

 Use cleaners in a well ventilated room.
 Wear protective clothing when working with chemicals.
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Read product information carefully.
Never use someone else’s medication.
 Keep poisonous substance out of the reach of children and child proof cabinets.