Excerpt
This newly updated and revised edition of
Advanced Medical Life Support offers a practical approach to adult medical emergencies. The authors assume that the students who use this textbook are currently taking or have completed paramedic or other advanced-level training. They are assumed to have a familiarity with anatomy; physiology, and pathophysiology and an overall understanding of the nature of medical emergencies. The purpose of
Advanced Medical Life Support is to offer pragmatic approaches to applying this knowledge to common medical emergencies.
After introductory chapters on assessment, airway management/oxygenation/ventilation, and venous access/medication administration, the text includes chapters on such common medical complaints and presentations as shock, dyspnea, chest pain, altered mental status, acute abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, seizures, syncope, headache, nausea, and vomiting. The goal of each chapter is to present an integrated, practical approach to the care of the patient who has that complaint or presentationthe kind of realistic approach a seasoned veteran would use. Each chapter moves from assessment- and complaint-based initial assessment (identifying and controlling immediate life threats) to field diagnosis and management of immediately treatable underlying diseases.
Several features of the chapters are designed to help with study and review:
- "Possibilities to Probabilities" in Chapter 1 walks students through a reasoning process of patient assessment (new to this edition).
- A case study with an end-of-chapter follow-up presents chapter content in a realistic context.
- Terms, definitions, and key ideas are highlighted in the margins.
- "Clinical Insights" provide special perspectives on assessing and managing the patient (new to this edition).
- Summaries of important information appear in boxes.
- Typical findings associated with various etiologies are summarized in tables.
- A "Treatment Pathway" in algorithm format appears at the end of each complaint-based chapter.
- A "Further Reading" bibliography suggests sources to consult for additional information.
A final "Case Studies" chapter presents eight patients with typical complaints. The cases require students to use critical thinking skills to bring together information from all the prior chapters and apply it to the patient at hand. On the basis of the information given about each patient, the student is challenged at various points during each case to identify and manage life threats, form a field impression of the underlying etiology, and determine appropriate treatment.
Four appendices provide valuable reference information:
- Pharmacology Index
- Electrocardiographic Interpretation (new to this edition)
- Anatomy and Physiology Illustrations
- Normal Laboratory Values
An instructor's course guide and slide program are available to accompany the text.