Medical Facts and Protocols
1. Pulmonary artery: ✔️ One of two arteries that carry venous (oxygen-poor) blood from the heart to
the lungs.
2. Preferred type of intubation with emesis and aspiration: ✔️ ETT. LMA or combitube acceptable.
3. Emergency for cricothyrotomy: ✔️ Airway obstruction.
4. Atropine administration: ✔️ Symptomatic bradycardia.
5. Adenosine administration: ✔️ SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia).
6. Amiodarone administration: ✔️ V. Tach (Ventricular Tachycardia).
7. Medications for severe hyperventilation: ✔️ Versed, Valium, or Propofol.
8. PVCs treatment: ✔️ Lidocaine.
9. Epinephrine (Epi) indications: ✔️ V. Fib and asystole.
10. Maximum dose of Epi for cardiovascular disease patients: ✔️ 0.04 mg.
11. Beta blocker indication: ✔️ Hypertension.
12. Fluid bolus of NS and ephedrine: ✔️ Hypotension.
,13. Medications for malignant hypothermia: ✔️ Dantrolene, IV cold saline (not Ringer's).
Airway Management
14. Nasopharyngeal airway: ✔️ Used when the tongue is obstructing the airway. Tube is lubricated and
passed through the nose into the nasal cavity, sitting in the oropharynx behind the tongue. Well
tolerated and can be used on awake patients.
15. Oropharyngeal airway: ✔️ Also placed to position the tongue in a more anterior position. Often
interferes with intraoral procedures. Not tolerated well by awake patients.
16. Laryngeal mask airway (LMA): ✔️ Device that sits over the top of the larynx. Can be placed blindly.
Does not protect against aspiration. Inflated with 30cc to create a seal.
17. Endotracheal intubation: ✔️ The end of the tube passes through the vocal cords and terminates
halfway between the vocal cords and bifurcation of the trachea. Important to listen to both lungs after
placement. May or may not be cuffed.
18. Combitube: ✔️ Generally used for specific emergencies. Both cuffs inflated.
Respiratory and Cardiac Considerations
19. Patients predisposed to bronchospasm: ✔️ Allergies, asthma, COPD, bronchitis.
20. Bronchospasm: ✔️ Generalized contraction of smooth muscles of small bronchi and bronchioles in
the lungs causing restriction of airflow to and from the lungs.
21. Maximum dose of Epi for healthy patients: ✔️ 0.2 mg.
22. Liver functions: ✔️ Protein and lipid synthesis, biotransformation, detoxification, and storage of
Vitamins A, E, D, K, and B12.
, 23. Causes of seizures: ✔️ Liver failure, renal failure, sickle cell disease, brain tumor, meningitis,
previous stroke, and hypo-hyperglycemia.
24. Medications to treat seizures: ✔️ Tegretol, Klonopin, Neurontin, Luminal, Dilantin, Depacon.
25. Main function of kidneys: ✔️ Maintain volume and composition of body fluids. Body's main source
of filtration and excretion of metabolic end products and toxins.
26. Islets of Langerhans: ✔️ Located in the pancreas. Secrete insulin and glucagon. Insulin helps the
body store sugar to keep glucose levels in a steady state.
27. Adrenal glands: ✔️ Secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine. Control electrolyte balance and
carbohydrate metabolism.
28. Thyroid gland: ✔️ Regulates body's basal metabolic rate.
Circulatory System
29. Pterygoid plexus: ✔️ Network of veins corresponding to the 2nd and 3rd parts of the maxillary
artery.
30. Olfactory nerve: ✔️ 1st cranial nerve that controls smell.
31. Optic nerve: ✔️ 2nd cranial nerve that controls sight.
32. Internal jugular vein: ✔️ Drains much of the blood from the head and neck.
33. Purkinje fiber system: ✔️ Causes muscles of the heart to contract. Spreads impulses rapidly along
heart muscle.