Convulsions, Appendicitis,

Severe Drunkenness,
Shock, Heart Attack, &
Stroke
Convulsion

a sudden, violent, irregular movement of a limb or of

the body, caused by involuntary contraction of muscles
and associated especially with brain disorders such as
epilepsy, the presence of certain toxins or other agents
in the blood, or fever in children.

Synonym: fit, seizure, paroxysm, spasm, attack

Symptom

When a person is having a convulsion, they may

experience several different symptoms. These may
include: a brief blackout, confusion, drooling, loss of
bowel/bladder control, sudden shaking of entire body,
uncontrollable muscle spasms, temporary cessation of
breathing, and many more.
Causes

Convulsions are often caused by some sort of electrical

activity mishap in the brain. Oftentimes, the cause is not
able to be pinpointed. Convulsions can be caused by
chemicals in the blood, as well as infections
like meningitis or encephalitis. A very common cause of
convulsions is fevers.
 First Aid

When a seizure occurs, the main goal is to protect the person from injury. Try to
prevent a fall. Lay the person on the ground in a safe area. Clear the area of furniture
or other sharp objects.
Cushion the person's head.
Loosen tight clothing, especially around the person's neck.
Turn the person on his or her side. If vomiting occurs, this helps make sure that the
vomit is not inhaled into the lungs.
Look for a medical I.D. bracelet with seizure instructions.
Stay with the person until he or she recovers, or until you have professional medical
help. Meanwhile, monitor the person's vital signs (pulse, rate of breathing).
Prevention

People with epilepsy should always take any prescribed

medication and wear a medical alert tag.
Keep fevers under control, especially in children.
Appendicitis

Appendicitis is swelling
(inflammation) of the
appendix. The appendix
is a small pouch attached
to the large
intestine.
Causes

Appendicitis is a very common cause of emergency

surgery. The problem most often occurs when the
appendix becomes blocked by feces, a foreign object,
or rarely, a tumor.
 Symptoms

The symptoms of appendicitis can vary. It can be hard to diagnose appendicitis in

young children, the elderly, and women of childbearing age.
The first symptom is often pain around the belly button. Pain may be minor at first, but
becomes more sharp and severe. You may also have a loss of appetite, nausea,
vomiting, and a low fever.
The pain tends to move into the right lower part of your belly. The pain tends to focus
at a spot directly above the appendix called McBurney's point. This most often occurs
12 to 24 hours after the illness starts.
If your appendix breaks open (ruptures), you may have less pain for a short time and
you may feel better. However, the pain soon gets worse and you will feel sicker.
Symptoms

Your pain may be worse when you walk, cough, or make

sudden movements. Later symptoms include:
Chills and shaking
Hard stools
Diarrhea
Fever
Nausea and vomiting
Treatment

Most of the time, a surgeon will remove your appendix as soon

as you are diagnosed.
If a CT scan shows that you have an abscess, you may be
treated with antibiotics first. You will have your appendix
removed after the infection and swelling have gone away.
The tests used to diagnose appendicitis are not perfect. As a
result, the operation may show that your appendix is normal. In
that case, the surgeon will remove your appendix and explore
the rest of your abdomen for other causes of your pain.
Severe Drunkenness

Also called Alcohol Intoxication, is a physiological state (that

may also include psychological alterations of consciousness)
induced by the ingestion of ethanol (alcohol).
Alcohol intoxication is the result of alcohol entering
the bloodstream faster than it can be metabolized by
the liver, which breaks down the ethanol into non-
intoxicating byproducts. Some effects of alcohol intoxication
(such as euphoria and lowered social inhibitions) are central
to alcohol's desirability as a beverage and its history as one
of the world's most widespread recreational drugs.
Symptoms of alcohol intoxication

euphoria
flushed skin
decreased social inhibition
muscle coordination (ataxia)
decision-making ability (potentially leading to violent or erratic
behavior)
nausea or vomiting from alcohol's disruptive effect
Causes

Sufficiently high levels of blood-borne alcohol will

cause coma and death from the depressive effects of
alcohol upon the central nervous system.
Prevention

Here are Ten Tips for Prevention--Youth:

Dont Be Afraid to Say No
Connect With Your Friends and Avoid Negative Peer Pressure
Make Connections With Your Parents or Other Adults
Enjoy Life and Do What You Love
Follow the Family Rules About Alcohol and Drugs
Get Educated About Alcohol and Drugs
Be a Role Model and Set a Positive Example
Plan Ahead
Speak Out/Speak Up/Take Control
Get help!
Shock

Shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when

the body is not getting enough blood flow. This can
damage multiple organs. Shock requires immediate
medical treatment and can get worse very rapidly.
Causes

Shock can be caused by any condition that reduces

blood flow, including:
Heart problems (such as heart attack or heart failure)
Low blood volume (as with
heavy bleeding or dehydration)
Changes in blood vessels (as with infection or severe
allergic reactions)
Certain medications that significantly reduce heart
function or blood pressure
Causes

Shock is often associated with heavy external or internal

bleeding from a serious injury. Spinal injuries can also
cause shock.
Toxic shock syndrome is an example of a type of shock
from an infection.
 Anxiety or agitation/restlessness
Bluish lips and fingernails

Symptoms Chest pain

Confusion
A person in shock has
extremely low blood
Dizziness, lightheadedness, or faintness
pressure. Depending Pale, cool, clammy skin
on the specific cause
and type of shock, Low or no urine output
symptoms will include Profuse sweating, moist skin
one or more of the
following: Rapid but weak pulse
Shallow breathing
Unconsciousness
First Aid

Call 911 for immediate medical help.

Check the person's airway, breathing, and circulation. If necessary,
begin rescue breathing and CPR.
Even if the person is able to breathe on his or her own, continue to
check rate of breathing at least every 5 minutes until help arrives.
If the person is conscious and does NOT have an injury to the head,
leg, neck, or spine, place the person in the shock position. Lay the
person on the back and elevate the legs about 12 inches. Do NOT
elevate the head. If raising the legs will cause pain or potential
harm, leave the person lying flat.
Give appropriate first aid for any wounds, injuries, or illnesses.
Keep the person warm and comfortable. Loosen tight clothing.
First Aid

IF THE PERSON VOMITS OR DROOLS

Turn the head to one side so he or she will not choke. Do this as
long as there is no suspicion of spinal injury.
If a spinal injury is suspected, "log roll" him or her instead. Keep the
person's head, neck, and back in line, and roll him or her as a unit.
DO NOT
Do NOT give the person anything by mouth, including anything to
eat or drink.
Do NOT move the person with a known or suspected spinal injury.
Do NOT wait for milder shock symptoms to worsen before calling for
emergency medical help.
Prevention

Learn ways to prevent heart disease, falls,

injuries, dehydration, and other causes of shock. If you
have a known allergy (for example, to insect bites or
stings), carry an epinephrine pen. Your doctor will teach
you how and when to use it.
Once someone is already in shock, the sooner shock is
treated, the less damage there may be to the person's
vital organs (such as the kidney, liver, and brain). Early
first aid and emergency medical help can save a life.
Heart Attack

Most heart attacks are caused by a

blood clot that blocks one of the
coronary arteries. The coronary
arteries bring blood and oxygen to
the heart. If the blood flow is blocked,
the heart is starved of oxygen and
heart cells die.
The medical term for this is
myocardial infarction.
Causes

A substance called plaque can build up in the walls of your coronary

arteries. This plaque is made up of cholesterol and other cells.
A heart attack may occur when:
A tear in the plaque occurs. This triggers blood platelets and other
substances to form a blood a clot at the site that blocks blood from
flowing to the heart. This is the most common cause of heart
attack.
A slow build-up of plaque may narrow one of the coronary arteries
so that it is almost blocked.
The cause of heart attack is not always known.
Symptoms

A heart attack is a medical emergency. If you have symptoms of a

heart attack, call 911 or your local emergency number right away.
DO NOT try to drive yourself to the hospital.
DO NOT WAIT. You are at greatest risk of sudden death in the early
hours of a heart attack.
Chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack.
You may feel the pain in only one part of your body OR
Pain may move from your chest to your arms, shoulder, neck, teeth,
jaw, belly area, or back
 Treatment

IMMEDIATE TREATMENT
You will be hooked up to a heart monitor, so the health care team can look at how
your heart is beating.
You will receive oxygen so that your heart doesn't have to work as hard.
An intravenous line (IV) will be placed into one of your veins. Medicines and fluids pass
through this IV.
You may get nitroglycerin and morphine to help reduce chest pain.
You may receive aspirin, unless it would not be safe for you. In that case, you will be
given another medicine that prevents blood clots.
Dangerous abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias) may be treated with medicine or
electric shocks.
Stroke

A stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain

stops. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack."
If blood flow is cut off for longer than a few seconds, the
brain cannot get nutrients and oxygen. Brain cells can
die, causing lasting damage.
Causes

There are two major types of stroke:

Ischemic stroke
Hemorrhagic stroke
Causes

Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies

blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot. This may
happen in two ways:
A clot may form in an artery that is already very narrow.
This is called athrombotic stroke .
A clot may break off from another place in the blood
vessels of the brain, or from some other part of the
body, and travel up to the brain. This is called cerebral
embolism, or an embolic stroke .
Causes

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in part

of the brain becomes weak and bursts open. This causes
blood to leak into the brain. Some people have defects in
the blood vessels of the brain that make this more likely.
These defects may include:
Aneurysm
Arteriovenous malformation (AVM)
Symptoms

A headache may occur if the stroke is caused by

bleeding in the brain. The headache:
Starts suddenly and may be severe
May be worse when you are lying flat
Wakes you up from sleep
Gets worse when you change positions or when you
bend, strain, or cough
Symptoms

Other symptoms depend on how severe the stroke is and what part of the brain
is affected. Symptoms may include:
Change in alertness (including sleepiness, unconsciousness, and coma)
Changes in hearing
Changes in taste
Changes that affect touch and the ability to feel pain, pressure, or different
temperatures
Clumsiness
Confusion or loss of memory
Difficulty swallowing
Difficulty writing or reading
Treatment

A stroke is a medical emergency. Quick treatment is

needed. Call 911 or your local emergency number or
seek urgent medical care at the first signs of a stroke.
People who are having stroke symptoms need to get to
a hospital as quickly as possible.