EMERGENCY MEDICINE

AND MEDICAL CRISIS

IN DENTAL PRACTICE
STROKE & SYNCOPE
SLO:
 Identify the common sign and symptoms of emergency medicine in dental clinics
 Describe the steps in the assessment of the unconscious and semi-unconscious patient
 Describe the Glasgow Coma Scale
 Describe the ABC of airway management
 Identify and apply the algorithm as per Basic Life Support
 Discuss the principle in management and important investigations
SYNCOPE
 Syncope  sudden brief loss of consciousness due to cerebral ischemia.

 In a young adult it is usually precipitated by a generalized, progressive autonomic discharge

secondary to anxiety, pain, heat, or humidity.

 The initial adrenergic response to a stressor is followed by an overwhelming cholinergic surge

just prior to unconsciousness.

 Syncope in patients over 50 years of age may likely be secondary to cardiovascular disorders
(e.g., dysrhythmia, postural hypotension), hypoglycaemia or cerebrovascular insufficiency.
STROKE /
CEREBROVASCULAR
ACCIDENT
 Cerebrovascular accident or stroke is a syndrome associated with the interruption of
blood supply to a portion of the brain causing neurologic deficit.

 Most commonly, a stroke is secondary to an evolving blood clot associated with

atherosclerosis that progressively blocks a cerebral artery.

 Alternatively, it may be due to an embolus that lodged in a cerebral artery obstructing

blood flow or result from subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage into brain tissue.

 Stroke-like symptoms lasting less than 1 hour are termed transient ischemia attacks
(TIA).
GLASGOW COMA
SCALE
ABCDE
TRIAGE