Medical emergency

From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.

A medical emergency is an injury or illness that poses an immediate threat to a person's health or life. It needs immediate help from a doctor or hospital. The doctor's training in emergency medicine includes ways to react to medical emergencies, and the resuscitation of patients.

Contents

[edit] What to do

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[edit] If you do not know how to do first aid

  • Do not put yourself, or anyone else in danger.
  • Try to see where the danger comes from (arises) . The emergency services may ask.
  • If you cannot get rid of (eliminate) the thing where the danger comes from, make it well visible.
  • Call for medical assistance,as quickly as possible. The number for emergencies is given below. Calls to emergency services are free of charge. Phone booths allow such calls at any time, even without credit.

[edit] If you know how to do first aid

  1. Look that there is no danger to those helping.
  2. Try to see what happened. You will need to tell that to emergency services.
  3. Give assistance to any injured people. Those who cry loudest need the least help.
    • Help in those ways you can. Do not put yourself in danger.
    • Do not be afraid to do something, because you fear it is wrong. Unless you do harm on purpose, you can not be held responsible for possible damage you do.
  4. Call for medical assistance. The number for emergencies is given below. Calls to emergency services are free of charge. Phone booths allow such calls at any time, even without credit.
  5. Ask any person to help (or to call emergency services). They must help you in any way they can. Not to help in a medical emergency situation is a crime in many countries.

[edit] Statistics

Most emergencies are quite unspectacular. They will happen close to home and not to complete strangers.

  • 53% happen at home (or when doing a hobby)
  • 15% happen at school
  • 6% are traffic accidents

Of all emergencies:

  • 49% are illnesses (a stroke, problems with the heart)
  • 10% are intoxications (alcohol, other drugs, mushrooms,..)
  • 12% are accidents (traffic accidents, accidents in the house)
  • 17% are muiscellanea (finding someone without residence frozen in the park)
  • 15% are false alarms.
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