| A | B |
|---|
| allergen | something that causes an allergic reaction |
| anaphylaxis | severe or life-threatening allergic reaction in which the blood vessels dilate, causing a drop in blood pressure, and the tissues lining the respiratory system swell, interfering with the airway |
| auto-injector | syringe (pre-loaded with medication) that has a spring-loaded device that pushes the needle through the skin when the tip of the device is pressed firmly against the body |
| epinephrine | hormone produced by the body; as a medication, it constricts blood vessels and dilates respiratory passages and is used to relieve severe allergic reactions |
| hives | red, itchy, possibly raised blotches on the skin that often result from an allergic reaction |
| absorbed poisons | poisons that are taken into the body through unbroken skin |
| activated charcoal | substance that absorbs many poisons and prevents them from being absorbed by the body |
| antidote | substance that will neutralize a poison or its effects |
| delirium tremens | severe reaction that can be part of alcohol withdrawal, characterized by sweating, trembling, anxiety, and hallucinations |
| dilution | thinning down or weakening by mixing with something else |
| downers | depressants, such as barbiturates, that depress the cental nervous system |
| hallucinogens | mind-affecting or mind-altering drugs that act on the central nervous system to produce excitment and distortion of perception |
| ingested poisons | poisons that are swallowed |
| inhaled poisons | poisons that are breathed in |
| narcotics | class of drugs that affect the nervous system and changes many normal body activities, their legal use is for relief of pain |
| poison | any substance that can harm the body by altering cell structure or functions |
| toxin | poisonous substance secreted by bacteria, plants, or animals |
| uppers | stimulants, such as amphetamines, that affect the central nervous system to excite the user |
| volatile chemicals | vaporizing compounds, such as cleaning fluid, that are breathed in by an abuser to produce a "high" |
| withdrawal | state in which a patient's body reacts severely when deprived of an abused substance |
| active rewarming | applicatgion of an external heat source to rewarm the body of a hypothermic patient |
| AGE | abbreviation that stands for arterial gas embolism |
| air embolism | gas bubble in the bloodstream; more accurately called an arterial gas embolism |
| central rewarming | application of heat to the lateral chest, neck, armpits, and groin of a hypothermic patient |
| conduction | direct transfer of heat from one material to another through direct contact |
| convection | carrying away of heat by currents of air or water or other gases or liquids |
| decompression sickness | condition resulting from nitrogen trapped in the body's tissues caused by coming up too quickly from a deep, prolonged dive |
| drowning | death caused by changes in the lungs resulting from immersion in water |
| evaporation | change from liquid to gas; as perspiration on the skin vaporizes, the body experiences a cooling effect |
| hyperthermia | increase in body temperature above normal; life-threatening in its extreme |
| hypothermia | generalized cooling that reduces body temperature below normal; life-threatening in its extreme |
| local cooling | cooling or freezing of particular parts of the body |
| near-drowning | condition of having begun to drown; the patient may be conscious, unconscious with heartbeat and pulse, or with no heartbeat or pulse but still able to be resuscitated |
| passive rewarming | covering a hypothermic patient and taking other steps to prevent further heat loss and help the body rewarm itself |
| radiation | sending out energy, such as heat, in waves into space |
| respiration | breathing, during this process, the body loses heat as warm air is exhaled from the body |
| toxins | substances produced by animals or plants that are poisonous to humans |
| venom | toxin produced by certain animals such as snakes, spiders, and some marine life-forms |
| water chill | chilling caused by conduction of heat from the body when the body or clothing is wet |
| wind chill | chilling caused by convection of heat from the body in the presence of air currents |
| behavioral emergency | when a patient's behavior is not typical for the situation,; when the patient's behavior is unacceptable or intolerable to the patient, his family, or the community; or when the patient may harm himself or others |
| behavior | manner in which a person acts |
| positional asphyxia | death of a person due to a body position that restricts breathing for a prolonged time |
| soft restraint | humane device made of leather used to hold a patient still to prevent the patient from injuring himself or others |
| stress reaction | display of emotions, such as fear, grief, or anger, in response to an accident, serious illness, or death |
| abortion | spontaneous (miscarriage) or induced termination of pregnancy |
| abruptio placentae | condition in which the placenta separates from the uterine wall |
| afterbirth | placenta, umbilical cord, and some tissues from the lining of the uterus that are delivered after the birth of the baby |
| amniotic sac | thin, membranous "bag of water" that surrounds the developing fetus |
| breech presentation | when the buttocks or both legs of a baby deliver first during birth |
