This study aimed to: Describe a system to identify the primary survey positive patientSignpost to guidance on the management of the primary survey positive patientIntroduce the SOAPC system for the...
Dyspnoea is characterised by the sensation of uncomfortable or difficult breathing, breathlessness or experiencing air hunger (American Thoracic Society, 1999)..
The articles in this series, which can be torn out for use in practice, are intended to support clinician development and to assist in the overall assessment of patient presentations. The...
Symptoms of COVID-19 were initially described as being flu-like, with a persistent cough and shortness of breath as leading features. A loss of smell or taste has also since been identified as a...
The lungs have multiple protective mechanisms to prevent lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia. The curved, undulating nature of the upper airways creates a great deal of turbulence in...
As of 7 April 2020, there were more than 1 270 000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 worldwide and over 68 000 confirmed fatalities (WHO, 2020b). At the same time, in the UK, there was a cumulative total of...
The clinical forms of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema, although guidelines discourage differentiation between the two forms when making a diagnosis (NICE, 2010). Chronic bronchitis is...
Evidence suggests that high amounts of oxygen administered to patients with COPD can lead to hypercapnia (high levels of arterial carbon dioxide), potentially resulting in respiratory acidosis (Perrin...
The term hyperventilation syndrome (HVS) was first mentioned in 1938 by Kerr et al who attributed their patients' tetany to hyperventilation associated with anxiety. Since then, the term has been...
IO infusion is a method of administration of medications or fluids directly into the marrow of a bone (Figure 1)..
Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is the volume of air forcefully expelled from the lungs in one quick exhalation. It is a reliable indicator of ventilation capacity as well as airflow obstruction...
A specialist paramedic was called to attend a local police station where a 32 year old police officer was experiencing a ‘tight and wheezy chest’. Three hours earlier he had apprehended a criminal...