👤 By the CinnaEMS Content Team🕐 Updated 2026-09-27🏷️ Patient Treatment & Transport🔖 Free to read, print, and share
Also known as: anaphylaxis · hypoglycemia · stroke · seizure · sepsis · overdose · heat stroke
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Use this quick-reference guide to recognise, treat and hand over Medical Emergencies at a Glance on the NREMT and on the call. Keep it handy during review and on exam day!
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📒 The 1-minute cheat sheet
📌 Allergy / Airway
Two systems → epinephrine
Quiet drowsy asthmatic → failing
📌 Sugar
Low: fast, cool, clammy
High: slow, warm, dry, fruity breath
📌 Neuro / Sepsis
Face · arm · speech + last known well
Infection + confusion + RR 22+ + SBP ≤100
📌 Tox / Heat
Opioid → ventilate first
CO → everyone out
Hot + altered → cool now
📚 Medical Emergencies at a Glance — full study notes
The cheat sheet above is your quick recall card. These notes go deeper — what it is, what to do first, what changes the plan, and what to hand over.
Most medical questions test one recognition step and the first action that follows it. The patterns below separate the conditions that look alike and name what must not be delayed.
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Key points
Understand these first
Anaphylaxis involves two systems — skin plus airway or perfusion — and needs epinephrine.
Low sugar is fast, cool and clammy; high sugar is slow, warm, dry and thirsty.
Stroke: face, arm, speech — and the time last known well.
Sepsis screen: infection with new confusion, a respiratory rate of 22 or more, systolic 100 or less.
Opioid overdose: ventilate first; naloxone may wear off before the opioid does.
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Treatment priorities
What to do, in order
Carbon monoxide: get everyone out; pulse oximetry can read falsely normal.
Heat stroke (hot and altered): cool rapidly on scene.
Status epilepticus: seizure of 5 minutes or back-to-back without waking.
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Red flags — report now
Escalate immediately
A quiet chest in a drowsy asthmatic
Symptoms returning after epinephrine
New confusion assumed to be dementia
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Patient teaching
What patients must know
Nitroglycerin is withheld with low blood pressure or an erectile dysfunction drug in 24–48 h.
❓ Medical Emergencies at a Glance: NREMT FAQs
What are the priority actions for Medical Emergencies at a Glance in the field?
Carbon monoxide: get everyone out; pulse oximetry can read falsely normal. Heat stroke (hot and altered): cool rapidly on scene. Status epilepticus: seizure of 5 minutes or back-to-back without waking.
What findings in Medical Emergencies at a Glance change your plan or your transport decision?
A quiet chest in a drowsy asthmatic. Symptoms returning after epinephrine. New confusion assumed to be dementia.
What do I need to know about Medical Emergencies at a Glance for the NREMT?
Anaphylaxis involves two systems — skin plus airway or perfusion — and needs epinephrine. Low sugar is fast, cool and clammy; high sugar is slow, warm, dry and thirsty. Stroke: face, arm, speech — and the time last known well. Sepsis screen: infection with new confusion, a respiratory rate of 22 or more, systolic 100 or less.
What should the crew communicate or document for Medical Emergencies at a Glance?
Nitroglycerin is withheld with low blood pressure or an erectile dysfunction drug in 24–48 h.
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Quick Tip
Anaphylaxis involves two systems — skin plus airway or perfusion — and needs epinephrine.