OMSB Emergency Medicine (OEEM) key terms

A rapid sorting process that ranks patients by acuity so that the sickest are treated first when resources are limited. It uses vital signs, chief complaint, and danger-zone findings to assign a priority category.

A five-level triage scale used in many emergency departments. Level 1 needs immediate resuscitation, level 2 is high risk, and levels 3 to 5 depend on the number of resources the patient is expected to need.

A symptom or sign that signals serious underlying disease and mandates urgent investigation. Examples include thunderclap headache, painless vision loss, and fever with neck stiffness in an adult.

A structured primary survey sequence: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, and Exposure. Each step is assessed and treated before moving on, so immediately life-threatening problems are corrected first.

The initial rapid assessment and simultaneous resuscitation of a critically ill or injured patient, following the ABCDE sequence. It aims to identify and treat threats to life before any detailed history or secondary examination.

A head-to-toe examination and full history performed after the primary survey and resuscitation are complete and the patient is stable. It looks for injuries or conditions not found during the initial assessment.

A 15-point score of eye opening, verbal response, and motor response used to grade level of consciousness. A score of 8 or less generally indicates a need to protect the airway.

A sequence of interventions to keep the airway open and oxygenated, from positioning and suction to supraglottic devices, endotracheal intubation, and surgical airway. Choice depends on anatomy, aspiration risk, and provider skill.

The coordinated use of a sedative and a paralytic agent to secure the airway quickly while minimising aspiration risk. It requires preoxygenation, pre-assessment, positioning, and a planned rescue strategy.

Continuous analgesia and sedation given after a breathing tube is placed to prevent awareness, reduce distress, and support ventilator synchrony. Doses are titrated to a sedation target and reassessed regularly.

A state of inadequate tissue perfusion that causes cellular hypoxia and organ dysfunction. It may be hypovolaemic, distributive, cardiogenic, or obstructive, and is recognised by hypotension, altered mentation, and poor perfusion.

The rapid administration of intravenous crystalloid or blood products to restore circulating volume in hypovolaemic or distributive shock. Response is judged by perfusion markers, not by a fixed volume alone.

A blood marker of anaerobic metabolism and tissue hypoperfusion. A raised level supports the diagnosis of shock and guides resuscitation; serial values help show whether perfusion is improving.

Life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. It requires prompt recognition, cultures, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and fluid resuscitation, often within the first hour.

Sepsis with persistent hypotension requiring vasopressors to maintain mean arterial pressure despite adequate fluid resuscitation, together with raised lactate. It carries high mortality and needs early intensive treatment.

A quick bedside screen for sepsis using three items: respiratory rate of 22 or more, altered mentation, and systolic blood pressure of 100 mmHg or less. Two or more positive items prompt further evaluation.

Drugs such as noradrenaline that constrict blood vessels to raise mean arterial pressure when fluids alone are insufficient. They are used in septic, cardiogenic, and other shock states with close monitoring.

A spectrum of myocardial ischaemia including ST-elevation myocardial infarction, non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and unstable angina. Immediate ECG and troponin testing guide urgent reperfusion or antiplatelet therapy.

Acute coronary occlusion causing ST-segment elevation on ECG in a territory pattern. It requires emergency reperfusion, usually primary percutaneous coronary intervention, as soon as possible.

The interval from a patient's arrival at the emergency department to inflation of a balloon during primary percutaneous coronary intervention. It is a quality measure for STEMI care, with a common target of 90 minutes or less.

A cardiac muscle protein released into blood when heart muscle is injured. High-sensitivity assays detect small rises and are used with serial sampling and clinical context to diagnose myocardial infarction.

Sudden focal neurological deficit caused by infarction or haemorrhage in the brain. Emergency assessment focuses on time of onset, glucose, imaging, and eligibility for thrombolysis or thrombectomy.

The time after symptom onset during which clot-dissolving treatment may be given for ischaemic stroke. It is commonly up to 4.5 hours, with selected patients treated later after advanced imaging.

The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, a standardised 0 to 42 score of neurological deficit after stroke. Higher scores indicate more severe deficits and help guide treatment decisions and monitoring.

Continuous seizure activity lasting five minutes or more, or repeated seizures without recovery between them. It is a medical emergency requiring immediate benzodiazepines and airway support.

A severe, rapidly developing systemic hypersensitivity reaction involving airway, breathing, or circulation. Intramuscular adrenaline is the first-line treatment, given without delay alongside oxygen and fluids.

A systematic assessment of the injured patient using primary and secondary surveys, including cervical spine precautions and log-rolling. It aims to find and treat life-threatening injuries in a set order.

A coordinated system for rapidly delivering balanced blood components to a patient with severe haemorrhage. It is activated early in major trauma and monitored for coagulation, calcium, and temperature derangements.

A focused bedside ultrasound examination of the abdomen and pericardium in trauma, looking for free fluid. It is quick, repeatable, and guides decisions about surgery or further imaging.

Severe abdominal pain of sudden onset that often requires urgent surgical evaluation. Causes include perforation, obstruction, ischaemia, and haemorrhage, and assessment must exclude shock and peritonitis.

A sudden decline in kidney function shown by a rise in creatinine or fall in urine output. Emergency management focuses on cause, volume status, and dangerous complications such as hyperkalaemia and pulmonary oedema.

A dangerously high serum potassium level that can cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Emergency treatment includes calcium for membrane stabilisation, insulin with glucose, and removing potassium from the body.

A metabolic emergency of insulin deficiency causing hyperglycaemia, ketosis, and acidosis. Treatment combines intravenous fluids, insulin infusion, and careful potassium replacement with monitoring for precipitating illness.

A pre-intubation safety check covering team roles, equipment, drugs, predicted difficulty, and a rescue plan. Using it reduces missed steps and improves coordination during emergency airway management.

A short-stay area within or beside the emergency department for patients needing observation, serial testing, or brief treatment. It helps avoid unnecessary admission while keeping patients under emergency supervision.

The decision about where a patient goes after emergency assessment: discharge, admission, transfer, or observation. It considers diagnosis, risk, social factors, and the patient's ability to follow up.