Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of disease-related death in the United States. Though people of widely varying health profiles can develop this disorder, it is more common among people who smoke. First responders in the Deep South and in other regions where smoking is common may regularly encounter patients with COPD. Suctioning these patients demands skill and compassion. Here’s what you need to know about suctioning a patient with COPD.

The more I work with alkaline batteries, the more impressed that I become. Packed in this compact cylinder is a modern miracle.

With the advent of minimally invasive in-office procedures, patients are increasingly choosing sedation instead of general anesthesia. Sedation exists on a continuum, ranging from very mild sedation to deep sedation, but it is generally safer than anesthesia and requires a shorter recovery time. Patients also may require sedation in some emergency medicine scenarios.

Although it’s an issue with year-round importance, April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, drawing attention to the leading cause of vehicle accidents in the United States. 

Anyone in the medical field can attest to an epidemic sweeping our country: opioid overdose. This lethal condition has touched every region of the US and is now a leading cause of death–even greater than a car accident. The White House recently proclaimed it a national health crisis, with good reason. If you're an EMS responder, it is simply a matter of time before you are faced with this situation. 

You are called to the nursing home to treat a “patient choking.” Upon arrival, you are rushed to the room of an elderly man who has suffered three previous strokes, resulting in limited mobility and significant speech impairment. Fortunately, the patient is no longer choking. Swift action on the part of the staff prevented an airway obstruction, and the patient is now resting comfortably. But is he truly out of danger? 

It’s a weekend night, and you're on your way to the home of a married couple. The husband reported that his wife fainted while they were making dinner, adding that he has a dull headache and feels weak. Based on these symptoms, you suspect the husband and wife may have carbon monoxide poisoning, so you’ll have to act quickly, and the patients’ airways may require treatment.

It’s a Sunday evening, and your team is alerted by dispatch that a 73-year-old woman was eating dinner at her son's house when she started having chest pain and difficulty breathing. She's still conscious but is in a good deal of discomfort, and you know that you’ll have to perform a respiratory assessment upon arrival. While riding to the scene, you also start thinking about the special considerations you’ll need to take during the assessment because of the patient’s age.