An emergency? Mastering this knowledge can save lives at critical moments!

Author: Ying Jusu, Chief Nurse, Peking University People's Hospital

Reviewer: Wang Lixiang, Chief Physician, Third Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

The 10th Chairman of the Science Popularization Branch of the Chinese Medical Association

In daily life and work, sudden medical emergencies always catch people off guard, especially when facing some potentially life-threatening diseases, such as stroke, chest pain, car accident injuries, etc. How to respond quickly and effectively not only affects the patient's chance of survival, but also affects the quality of his or her recovery.

Among patients visiting the emergency department, symptoms such as stroke, chest pain, and acute abdominal pain are particularly common. They often indicate serious health problems and require immediate medical attention.

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Stroke, commonly known as "stroke", has the characteristics of high disability rate, high mortality rate, high recurrence rate and high treatment cost, and has become one of the diseases with the highest mortality rate in adults. When patients have symptoms such as weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, crooked mouth, and choking when swallowing, they should be highly suspected of stroke and sent to the emergency room immediately. The emergency doctor will quickly assess the patient's condition and perform a head CT or MRI examination through the green channel to determine whether it is an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, and formulate a personalized treatment plan accordingly.

Chest pain may be a sign of fatal diseases such as myocardial infarction, pulmonary infarction, aortic dissection, etc. Once chest pain symptoms occur, patients should remain calm, avoid strenuous exercise, and immediately call the emergency number to go to the emergency room. The emergency doctor will ask in detail about the location, nature, duration and accompanying symptoms of the chest pain, and perform electrocardiograms, myocardial enzyme spectra and other tests to quickly diagnose and take appropriate treatment measures. For patients with myocardial infarction, time is myocardium. The sooner the blocked coronary artery is opened, the better the patient's prognosis.

Acute abdominal pain may involve multiple systems such as the gastrointestinal tract, liver and gallbladder, and urinary and reproductive systems, and its causes are complex and diverse. The emergency doctor will carefully inquire about the location, nature, onset time, and medical history of the abdominal pain, and perform necessary physical examinations and auxiliary examinations to clarify the cause of the abdominal pain and develop a corresponding treatment plan. For suspected surgical acute abdomen such as intestinal obstruction and appendicitis, the emergency doctor will promptly consult with the surgeon and arrange surgical treatment if necessary.

When visiting the emergency room, in addition to understanding common symptoms and coping methods, you also need to pay attention to the following points:

First, stay calm and quickly determine the severity of the disease. For suspected fatal diseases such as stroke and myocardial infarction, call the emergency number immediately, and keep the patient's airway open while waiting for rescue to avoid dangerous situations such as choking on vomit. For other non-fatal emergency symptoms, you can choose to drive or take a taxi to the emergency room according to the severity of the disease.

Secondly, bring necessary medical records and medicines. For patients with chronic diseases or long-term medication, they should bring medical records, medicine lists and medicines they are taking, so that emergency doctors can understand the patient's medical history and medication and develop a more reasonable treatment plan. At the same time, for patients who have taken medicine by mistake or are poisoned, they should bring remaining medicines or containers, so that emergency doctors can quickly determine the type of poison and take corresponding detoxification measures.

In addition, family members or accompanying persons should actively cooperate with the emergency doctors, provide accurate patient information, sign necessary informed consent forms, abide by hospital rules and regulations, and maintain quiet and order in the emergency area. During the emergency treatment process, the understanding and cooperation of family members or accompanying persons is crucial to improving treatment efficiency and protecting the patient's life safety.

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Visiting the emergency department is not the end, but the starting point of the patient's recovery journey. After receiving initial treatment in the emergency department, the patient should undergo further examinations and treatment according to the doctor's advice. For patients with serious diseases such as stroke and myocardial infarction, they should have regular follow-up visits after discharge to monitor changes in their condition and adjust treatment plans in a timely manner. At the same time, patients should maintain good living habits and mentality, actively participate in rehabilitation training, and improve their quality of life.

In addition, family members or accompanying personnel should also give patients enough care and support after emergency treatment. They should pay attention to changes in the patient's mental state and provide psychological counseling and encouragement in a timely manner; at the same time, they should assist patients in completing subsequent examinations and treatment arrangements to ensure that patients receive comprehensive and effective rehabilitation services.