Medical emergencies Medical emergencies Acute pancreatitis is a rapidly-onset inflammation of the pancreas. Depending on its severity, it can have severe complications and high mortality despite treatment. While mild cases settle with conservative measures or endoscopy, severe cases require surgery (often more than one intervention) to contain the disease process. ...more on Wikipedia about "Acute pancreatitis"
Acute renal failure (ARF) is a rapid loss of renal function due to damage to the kidneys, resulting in retention of nitrogenous (urea and creatinine) and non-nitrogenous waste products that are normally excreted by the kidney. Depending on the severity and duration of the renal dysfunction, this accumulation is accompanied by metabolic disturbances, such as metabolic acidosis (acidification of the blood) and hyperkalaemia (elevated potassium levels), changes in body fluid balance, and effects on many other organ systems. It can be characterised by oliguria or anuria (decrease or cessation of urine production), although nonoliguric ARF may occur. It is a serious disease and treated as a medical emergency. ...more on Wikipedia about "Acute renal failure"
Agonal respiration is an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by shallow, slow (3-4 per minute), irregular inspirations followed by irregular pauses. They may also be characterized as gasping, labored breathing, accompanied by strange vocalizations and myoclonus. Agonal breathing is an extremely serious medical sign requiring immediate medical attention, as the condition generally progresses to complete apnea and heralds death. ...more on Wikipedia about "Agonal respiration"
An air embolism, or more generally gas embolism, is a medical condition caused by gas bubbles in the bloodstream. Small amounts of air often get into the blood circulation accidentally during surgery and other medical procedures, but an air embolism which shows symptoms is relatively rare. Large emboli can be rapidly fatal. ...more on Wikipedia about "Air embolism"
Anaphylaxis is a severe and rapid systemic allergic reaction to a trigger substance, called an allergen. Minute amounts of trigger substances may cause a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. Anaphylaxis may occur after ingestion, inhalation, skin contact or injection of a trigger substance. The most severe type of anaphylaxis - anaphylactic shock - will usually result in death in mere minutes if untreated. ...more on Wikipedia about "Anaphylaxis"
Angioedema ( BE: angiooedema), also known by its eponym Quincke's edema and the older term angioneurotic edema, is the rapid swelling ( edema) of the skin, mucosa and submucosal tissues. Apart from the common form, mediated by allergy, it has been reported as a side effect of some medications, specifically ACE inhibitors. Additionally, there is an inherited form, due to deficiency of the blood protein C1-inhibitor. This form is called hereditary angioedema (HAE) or hereditary angio-neurotic edema (HANE), which is due to C1-esterase inhibitor deficiency. ...more on Wikipedia about "Angioedema"
Aortic dissection is a tear in the wall of the aorta (the largest artery of the body). This tear causes blood to flow between the layers of the wall of the aorta and dissects the layers apart. Aortic dissection is a medical emergency and can quickly lead to death, even with optimal treatment. ...more on Wikipedia about "Aortic dissection"
Appendicitis is a condition characterised by inflammation of the appendix. While mild cases may resolve without treatment, most require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly due to peritonitis and shock. ...more on Wikipedia about "Appendicitis"
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body. In the absence of remedial action it will very rapidly lead to unconsciousness and death. Asphyxia is the same as suffocation. It comes from the Greek roots a-, "without" and sphuxis, "pulse, heartbeat". Anoxia means the pathological state in which tissues do not get (enough of) oxygen. ...more on Wikipedia about "Asphyxia"
In medicine, asystole is a state of no cardiac electrical activity, hence no contractions of the myocardium and no cardiac output or blood flow. Asystole is one of the conditions required for a medical practitioner to certify death. ...more on Wikipedia about "Asystole"
Bacterial meningitis is a condition in which the layers lining the brain (the meninges) have become inflamed as a result of infection with bacteria. ...more on Wikipedia about "Bacterial meningitis"
Bleeding is the loss of blood from the body. Children are put more in danger by bleeding as they have less blood to lose. The average adult human will be in medical danger after 2 liters (2 quarts) and could die of hypovolemic shock if more blood is lost. The complete loss of blood is referred to as exsanguination. ...more on Wikipedia about "Bleeding"
Bowel obstruction is a mechanical blockage of the intestines, preventing the normal transit of the products of digestion. It can occur at any level in the digestive tract, and is a medical emergency. Although many cases are not treated surgically, it is a surgical problem. ...more on Wikipedia about "Bowel obstruction"
In medicine, a burn is a type of injury to the skin caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation (an example of the latter is sunburn). ...more on Wikipedia about "Burn (injury)"
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A cardiac arrest is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the ventricles of the heart to contract effectively during systole. The resulting lack of blood supply results in cell death from oxygen starvation. Cerebral hypoxia, or lack of oxygen supply to the brain, causes victims to lose consciousness and stop breathing. ...more on Wikipedia about "Cardiac arrest"
Cardiac arrhythmia is a group of conditions in which the muscle contraction of the heart is irregular or is faster or slower than normal. Cardiac dysrhythmia is technically more correct, as arrhythmia would imply that there is "no rhythm," but this term is not used frequently. ...more on Wikipedia about "Cardiac arrhythmia"
Cardiac tamponade is a medical emergency condition where liquid accumulates in the pericardium in a relatively short time. The elevated pericardial pressure prevents proper filling of heart cavities. Instead of reducing the filling of both ventricles equally, the septum of the heart will bend into either the left or right ventricle. The end result is low stroke volume and shock. ...more on Wikipedia about "Cardiac tamponade"
Cardiogenic shock results from the inability of the heart to pump blood through the body. It is the most serious consequence of myocardial infarction, but can also result from other cardiac emergencies, such as extrinsic compression ( cardiac tamponade), ventricular arrhythmias, or outflow obstruction (e.g., pulmonary embolism). Prognosis of cardiogenic shock is usually poor since it is associated with extensive myocardial infarction. Mortality rates may be as high as 75%. ...more on Wikipedia about "Cardiogenic shock"
Cardiopulmonary arrest refers to the combination of cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest, each detialed below: ...more on Wikipedia about "Cardiopulmonary arrest"
A cerebral hemorrhage or hemorrhagic stroke is a form of stroke that occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures or bleeds. Hemorrhagic strokes are deadlier than their more common counterpart, ischemic strokes. Like ischemic strokes, hemorrhagic strokes interrupt the brain's blood supply, but in addition, blood irritates brain tissue, disrupting the delicate chemical balance, and, if the bleeding continues, the increased intracranial pressure can crush brain tissue and restrict blood flow into the brain (NINDS 1999). ...more on Wikipedia about "Cerebral hemorrhage"
A chemical burn occurs when living tissue is exposed to an reactive chemical substance such as a strong acid or base. There are six types of irritant and/or corrosive products: acids, bases, oxidizers, solvents, and reducing agents. ...more on Wikipedia about "Chemical burn"
Choking is the obstruction of the flow of air into a person's lungs by a foreign object, commonly food. Choking can become a medical emergency, as choking prevents breathing and will thus starve the brain and other organs of oxygen. ...more on Wikipedia about "Choking"
Clinical depression is state of sadness or melancholia that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individual's social functioning and/or activities of daily living. The diagnosis may be applied when an individual meets a sufficient number of the symptomatic criteria for the depression spectrum as suggested in the DSM-IV-TR or ICD-9/ 10. It is important to note that an individual may suffer from what is termed a "clinical depression" without fully meeting the criteria for a specific diagnosis on the depression spectrum. Clinically, this is referred to as a "depressed mood". This state is typically psycho-social in nature, as opposed to organic (chemical). A strict clinical diagnosis of Depression, and/or its various corollaries, almost invariably maintains the presence of a biological component. ...more on Wikipedia about "Clinical depression"
A cold burn is a kind of burn which arises when the skin is in contact with a low-temperature body. They can be caused by prolonged contact with moderately cold bodies (snow for instance) or brief contact with very cold bodies ( dry ice, liquid nitrogen or liquid helium, for instance). ...more on Wikipedia about "Cold burn"
Cord prolapse is an obstetric emergency during pregnancy or labour that endangers the life of the baby. It is when the umbilical cord presents itself outside of the uterus while the fetus is still inside. It can happen when the water breaks – with the gush of water the cord comes along. Usually, thereafter the fetus will engage and squash the cord, cutting off oxygen supplies and leading to brain damage or stillbirth. Before that happens, the baby must be quickly delivered by caesarean section. In the meantime, an attendant needs to reach into the vagina and push the head up so that it does not suffocate the cord. It is useless to try to push the cord back. ...more on Wikipedia about "Cord prolapse"
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