Medical and Dental Emergencies
Emergency questions test recognition, immediate action, and the order of interventions. Prioritize airway, breathing, circulation, then specific treatment.
Core concepts
- Syncope: most common emergency; place patient supine, elevate legs, ensure airway, monitor.
- Hypoglycemia: sweating, tremor, confusion; give oral glucose if conscious, glucagon if not.
- Anaphylaxis: hives, swelling, bronchospasm, hypotension; epinephrine is first-line, then airway support and transport.
- Angina and myocardial infarction: chest pain, diaphoresis, radiating pain; stop procedure, give oxygen, aspirin if appropriate, activate EMS.
- Airway obstruction: universal choking sign; abdominal thrusts for conscious adults, back blows for infants.
- Seizures: protect from injury, do not restrain, do not place objects in mouth, time the event.
- Local anesthetic overdose and epinephrine reactions: recognize tremor, palpitations, and manage supportively.
Traps
Questions often test whether to give epinephrine (anaphylaxis) versus nitroglycerin (angina), and whether to sit the patient up (angina, dyspnea) or lay them down (syncope). Another trap: placing objects in the mouth during a seizure-never do this.
Rule of thumb
Syncope → supine with legs up. Angina → upright, oxygen, nitroglycerin if prescribed. Anaphylaxis → epinephrine first, then EMS.