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An acute upper airway obstruction is a blockage of the upper airway, which can be in the trachea, laryngeal (voice box), or pharyngeal (throat) areas.
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Detailed information on airway obstruction and children, including choking, suffocation, and strangulation
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Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide gas is inhaled. CO is a colorless, odorless, highly poisonous gas that is produced by incomplete combustion.
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Poisoning from inhalation of carbon monoxide.
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Detailed information on carbon monoxide poisoning
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Detailed information on carbon monoxide poisoning
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Research suggests that survivors of carbon monoxide poisoning face a higher risk of heart damage that could lead to cardiovascular illness.
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As winter begins, carbon monoxide poisoning from heating elements can be a risk. Four important dos and don'ts.
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Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an unexpected death due to heart problems, which occurs within one hour from the start of any cardiac-related symptoms. SCD is sometimes called cardiac arrest.
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Discusses the causes of sudden cardiac death and tips for how to prevent it.In most cases, death is the expected conclusion to a difficult illness. Sometimes, though, it comes unpredictably and swiftly. Doctors define sudden death as an abrupt, unexpected natural death that ends life less than an hour after final symptoms first develop in a person who does not have a condition that seems rapidly fatal.
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The majority of cardiac attacks occur at home, so being prepared could save a life. Options include learning CPR, owning a defibrillator, and having an emergency plan.
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Detailed information on the most common cardiovascular diseases, including full-page descriptions detailing the most common types of heart disease, related symptoms, diagnostic, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, ICDs, and treatment information
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The chance of a woman having a cardiac episode while exercising is extremely small, especially for active, healthy women who exercise regularly.
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Bystanders using defibrillators on cardiac arrest victims double their chances of survival. A new type of defibrillator provides audio guidance to help bystanders use the device properly.
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Victims of cardiac arrest who received only chest compressions, without interruption for breaths, had a much lower risk of suffering neurological damage as a result of the attack.
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Many instances of "sudden" cardiac arrest are not sudden at all. In the majority of occurrences there is at least one warning sign before the event: chest pain, shortness of breah, nausea, and dizziness are the most common ones.
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A guide to the American Heart Association's new, simplified CPR recommendations. Includes a clip and save illustrated wallet key.
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Choking is a condition caused by inhalation of a foreign object that partially or fully blocks the airway. Choking is a major cause of respiratory emergencies and cardiac arrest in infants and children.
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Choking is when someone can't breathe because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the airway (throat or windpipe).
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This is an extreme medical emergency. Knowing what to do can help save your baby's life.
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Choking sends thousands of infants and toddlers to emergency rooms each year, and food often plays a part.
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Blockage of the throat or windpipe by an object. Choking is a major cause of death for children under three, and is a hazard for older children as well.
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Although people know toys can be dangerous, injuries can still occur.
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One minute you and your child are laughing at the dinner table. The next minute the child is choking. Here's what you should do.
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Choking is the inability to breathe because the trachea is blocked, constricted, or swollen shut. Choking is a medical emergency.
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First Aid: ChokingCall 911 if the victim loses consciousness.Choking occurs when the airway to the lungs becomes blocked, placing the victim's life in danger. Start rescue techniquesright away.1Identify ChokingLook for a hand raised to the throat,...
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Detailed information on choking, choking prevention, and the Heimlick maneuver
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If a person who is choking is still able to speak, their airway does not have a significant obstruction, so the Heimlich maneuver should not be performed.
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General anesthesia is the induction of a balanced state of unconsciousness, accompanied by the absence of pain sensation and the paralysis of skeletal muscle over the entire body. It is induced through the administration of anesthetic drugs and is used during major surgery and other invasive surgical procedures.
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General anesthesia is the induction of a balanced state of unconsciousness, accompanied by the absence of pain sensation and the paralysis of skeletal muscle over the entire body. It is induced through the administration of anesthetic drugs and is used during major and other invasive surgical procedures.
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Types of AnesthesiaYour anesthesiologist is a key member of your surgical team. He or she gives youanesthetics(medications to keep you comfortable) and monitors your condition to keep you safe during surgery.
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General anesthesia is the induction of a state of unconsciousness with the absence of pain sensation over the entire body, through the administration of anesthetic drugs. It is used during certain medical and surgical procedures.
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Although general anesthesia is safer than in the past, you may be given the option of a regional anesthetic, depending on the operation. Some surgeons feel it allows them to better monitor the patient's condition during surgery.
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Details regional and general anesthesia and their role in surgery, encouraging patients to discuss surgical procedure and recovery with their doctor.
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A head injury is any trauma that leads to injury of the scalp, skull, or brain. These injuries can range from a minor bump on the skull to a devastating brain injury. Head injury can be classified as either closed or penetrating. In a closed head injury, the head sustains a blunt force by striking against an object. A concussion is a type of closed head injury that involves the brain. In a penetrating head injury, an object breaks through the skull and enters the brain. (This object is usually moving at a high speed like a windshield or another part of a motor vehicle.)
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Detailed information on head injury, including causes, symptoms, types, diagnosis, and treatment
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Head Trauma (Traumatic Brain Injury)Head trauma can be fatal. The effects from some types of head trauma may not appear right away.
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Detailed information on head injury, including causes, symptoms, types, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on head injury, including causes, symptoms, types, diagnosis, and treatment
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Detailed information on superficial injuries to the face and head
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My 4-month-old was hit in the head. It did not cause a big bruise, but then two hours after the incident he threw up twice. In this case should an infant be watched or taken to the emergency room?
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First Aid: Head InjuriesA strong blow to the head may cause swelling and bleeding inside the skull. The resulting pressure can injure the brain(concussion).If you have any doubts identifying a concussion, have a healthcare provider check the victi...
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Children hit their heads frequently. Most of the time, the injury is minor, usually involving only the scalp, and nothing needs to be done. Sometimes, the injury is more serious, involving the skull and/or brain inside, and medical attention is required.
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Injury to the head may damage the scalp, skull or brain. The most important consequence of head trauma is traumatic brain injury.
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A transient ischemic attack is a "mini-stroke" caused by temporary disturbance of blood supply to an area of the brain, resulting in a sudden, brief decrease in brain function. (It lasts less than 24 hours, usually less than one hour) .
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A ministroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA), is a brief episode of stroke symptoms caused by temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain. Most people suffer TIAs without realizing it.
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What Is a TIA?ATIA (Transient Ischemic Attack)is an early warning that astroke(also called a brain attack) is coming.
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A transient ischemic attack (TIA), also called a ministroke or warning stroke, causes symptoms similar to those of a stroke.
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Carotid Artery Problems: StrokeThe carotid arteries are large blood vessels that carry blood to the brain. When these arteries are healthy, the brain gets all the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function well.
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This report provides current information about stroke prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.
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Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), while seemingly insignificant, often lead to strokes within a short time span. If you experience a TIA or have symptoms that suggest one, take it seriously and seek treatment right away.
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Transient ischemic attacks???or mini-strokes???may be a harbinger of more serious problems and shouldn't be dismissed.
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Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) are transient neurological deficits, such as temporary blindness of one eye (amaurosis fugax), hemiparesis, or aphasia. Most typically, these symptoms last for periods of minutes or even hours, and they may persist for up to twenty-four hours.
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A transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is often described as a mini-stroke. Unlike a stroke , however, the symptoms can disappear within a few minutes.
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A transient ischemic attack (TIA), or " mini-stroke, " is a neurologic episode resembling a stroke but resolving completely within a short period of time. By definition, symptoms of TIA resolve within 24 hours, and symptoms lasting longer than that are termed a stroke.
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I recently went to visit my mother, who is 68 now. While I was there she had an episode where she began to have difficulty talking, like she was drunk or something. She also became clumsy and could not move around very well; it looked like she couldn?t use her left side. This all came on suddenly as we were eating breakfast, but resolved after about 30 minutes. My mother denied anything was wrong, and told me that these episodes have been happening every few days over the last three to four weeks, but they always resolve and that is why she is not seeking help. She has some trouble with her blood pressure being high, but no other health issues. What could these episodes be? What should she do if it happens again -- should she seek immediate help, go see her family doctor, or wait to see if they resolve again?
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A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about proper treatment for a transient ischemic attack (TIA).
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Mini-strokes, or transient ischemic attacks, can be a harbinger of more serious strokes, but is that true for everyone? Researchers have developed a way to predict who is at risk for a more serious stroke.
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A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about why evidence of a transient ischemic attack might not show up on an MRI scan.
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