Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

4 Circulation and Shock

Vital Vocabulary cyanosis - a bluish discoloration of the skin resulting from poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood. oxygenation - The amount of oxygen being delivered to tissues. perfusion – The circulation of oxygen rich blood to the tissues of the body and the removal of metabolic waste (CO2). shock – An impairment caused when perfusion and oxygenation are reduced enough to affect the function of end organs.

Summary Some level of shock is usual in many emergencies, and providing first aid for shock should be included in all but the most minor first aid situations. Significant bleeding, internal and external, is an immediate life threat and part of the circulation component of the ABCs. If the patient has obvious life threatening bleeding, then it must be controlled and first aid for shock begun as quickly as possible. For example a 5 year old (2 x 5yr + 10 = 20kg). Circulating blood volume is approximately 80 ml/ kg. Therefore, a 5 year old weighing 20 kg (x) 80ml/ kg has a blood volume of 1.6 litres. Significantly less than an adult. Shock may occur quicker in children because of their smaller size and elderly because of their physiology of aging. For example, a 5 year old child has approximately 1.6 litres of blood (based on their lean body weight calculated as 2(x) Age + 10 = kg weight.

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