July 11, 2010

Asthma for EMS and Episode 227

MedicCast Episode 227

The MedicCast is a proud member of the ProMed Podcast Network.

Subscribe with iTunes here!

A podcast for EMT’s, Paramedics, and other medical providers of all kinds.

————————–

Sponsored by the MedicCast Extra,and MedicCast Store

Extra Content for MedicCast Listeners for less than $1 per day (via monthly subscription)

NREMT Study and Prep Tips

All Tips and Meds segments from the MedicCast and Nursing Show as separate downloadable files

Special iTunes Podcast Feed for Members – Get the segments as a podcast

Extra Members-Only content added monthly

Sponsor: Hold your meetings online for just $49 a month Try GoToMeeting free.

GoToMeeting.com/podcast

————————–

EMS News—

911 program could ease ER problems

Sports Safety: Helmets Save Heads

NC EMS Tracks Heat Emergencies

————–

Tip This Week — Reactive Airway Disease

Asthma is a disorder caused by inflammation in the airways (called bronchi) that lead to the lungs. This inflammation causes airways to tighten and narrow, which blocks air from flowing freely into the lungs, making it hard to breathe. Symptoms include wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and cough, particularly at night or after exercise/activity.

Asthma usually has many causes or triggers. The triggers that may result to the occurrence of asthma include respiratory infections, allergens, irritants, weather changes, activities, GERD, upper airway inflammation and emotional factors.

A high percentage of children with asthma also has some type of allergy, the allergy isn’t always the primary cause of asthma. Even if allergies are not primary triggers for asthma they can still make symptoms worse.

The goals of asthma therapy are to prevent chronic and troublesome symptoms, to maintain lung function as close to normal as possible, maintenance of normal physical activity levels, to prevent recurrent asthma attacks and to reduce the need for emergency department visits or hospitalizations, and to provide medicines that give the best results with the fewest side effects.

Medications for asthma include inhaled corticosteroids, and long-acting bronchodilators.

For more information on Asthma and prehospital management for asthma patients, emergency medicine providers and EMS students can follow the links below.

Asthma in Children

Medline Plus on Allergies

Medline Plus on Asthma

Reactive Airway Disease in Pediatrics

—————————-

Contact Me!

Call the Voice Mail Line — (941) 306-3342

email me at podmedic@mac.com

—————————

Song this week: Derek James with “Summer”