STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.SC CHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY IN MEDICINE SEMESTER - IV, ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 UNIT CONTENT PAGE Nr I FIRST AID 02 II CHEMICALS IN MEDICINE 20 III CAUSES AND TREATMENT OF SOME COMMON DISEASES 35 IV CLINICAL CHEMISTRY 58 Page 1 of 65 STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.SC CHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY IN MEDICINE SEMESTER - IV, ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 UNIT- I FIRST AID Introduction First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person suffering from either a minor or serious illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery. It includes initial intervention in a serious condition prior to professional medical help being available, such as performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while waiting for an ambulance, as well as the complete treatment of minor conditions, such as applying a plaster to a cut. First aid is generally performed by someone with basic medical training. Mental health first aid is an extension of the concept of first aid to cover mental health,while psychological first aid is used as early treatment of people who are at risk for developing PTSD. Conflict First Aid, focused on preservation and recovery of an individual's social or relationship well-being, is being piloted. There are many situations which may require first aid, and many countries have legislation, regulation, or guidance specifies a minimum level of first aid provision in certain circumstances. This can include specific training or equipment to be available in the workplace (such as an automated external defibrillator), the provision of specialist first aid cover at public gatherings, or mandatory first aid training within schools. First aid, however, does not necessarily require any particular equipment or prior knowledge, and can involve improvisation with materials available at the time, often by untrained people. First aid can be performed on nearly all animals, such as first aid for pets, although this article relates to the care of human patients. Early history and warfare Skills of what is known as first aid have been recorded throughout history, especially in relation to warfare, where the care of both traumatic and medical cases is required in particularly large numbers. The bandaging of battle wounds is shown on Classical Greek pottery from c. 500 BC, whilst the parable of the Good Samaritan includes references to binding or dressing wounds. There are numerous references to first aid performed within the Roman army, with a system of first aid supported by surgeons, field ambulances, and hospitals. Roman legions had the specific role of capsarii, who were responsible for first aid such as bandaging, and are the forerunners of the modern combat medic First aid kits A first aid kit consists of a strong, durable bag or transparent plastic box. They are commonly identified with a white cross on a green background. A first aid kit does not have to be bought ready-made. The advantage of ready-made first aid kits is that they have well organized compartments and familiar layouts. Contents There is no universal agreement upon list for the contents of a first aid kit. The UK Health and Safety Executive stress that the contents of workplace first aid kits will vary according to the nature of the work activities. As an example of possible contents of a kit, British Standard "BS 8599 First Aid Kits for the Workplace" Lists the following items: Information leaflet Medium sterile dressings Tweezers Large sterile dressings Bandages Triangular dressing’s Safety pins Adhesive dressings Sterile wet wipes Page 2 of 65 STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.SC CHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY IN MEDICINE SEMESTER - IV, ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 Micro porous tape Nitride gloves Face shield Foil blanket Burn dressings Clothing shears Conforming bandages Finger dressing Antiseptic cream Scissors First Aid for accidents If someone is injured you should: ➢ First check that you and the casualty aren't in any danger, and, if possible, make the situation safe ➢ If necessary, call an ambulance when it's safe to do so carry out basic first aid Assessing a casualty The three priorities when dealing with a casualty are commonly referred to as ABC, which stands for: ➢ Airway ➢ Breathing ➢ Circulation Airway If the casualty appears unresponsive, ask them loudly if they're OK and if they can open their eyes. If they respond, you can leave them in the position they're in until help arrives. While you wait, keep checking their breathing, pulse and level of response: ➢ Are they alert? ➢ Do they respond to your voice? ➢ Do they respond to pain? ➢ Is there no response to any stimulus (are they unconscious)? If there's no response, leave the casualty in the position they're in and open their airway. If this isn't possible in the position they're in, gently lay them on their back and open their airway. To open the airway, place one hand on the casualty’s forehead and gently tilt their head back, lifting the tip of the chin using two fingers. This moves the tongue away from the back of the throat. Don't push on the floor of the mouth, as this will push the tongue upwards and obstruct the airway. If you think the person may have a spinal injury, place your hands on either side of their head and use your fingertips to gently lift the angle of the jaw forward and upwards, without moving the head, to open the airway. Take care not to move the casualty’s neck. However, opening the airway takes priority over a neck injury. This is known as the jaw thrust technique. Breathing To check if a person is still breathing: ➢ look to see if their chest is rising and falling ➢ listen over their mouth and nose for breathing sounds ➢ feel their breath against your cheek for 10 seconds Page 3 of 65 STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.SC CHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY IN MEDICINE SEMESTER - IV, ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 If they're breathing normally, place them in the recovery position so their airway remains clear of obstructions and continue to monitor normal breathing. Gasping or irregular breathing is not normal breathing. Circulation If the casualty isn't breathing normally, then you must start chest compressions immediately. Agonal breathing is common in the first few minutes after a sudden cardiac arrest (when the heart stops beating). Agonal breathing is sudden, irregular gasps of breath. This shouldn't be mistaken for normal breathing and CPR should be given straight away. If someone is unconscious and breathing If a person is unconscious but breathing, and has no other injuries that would stop them being moved, place them in the recovery position until help arrives. Keep them under observation to ensure they continue to breathe normally, and don't obstruct their airway. If someone is unconscious and not breathing If a person isn't breathing normally after an incident, call an ambulance and start CPR straight away. Use hands-only CPR if you aren't trained to perform rescue breaths. Common accidents and emergencies Below, in alphabetical order, are some of the most common injuries that need emergency treatment in the UK and information about how to deal with them: ➢ anaphylaxis (or anaphylactic shock) ➢ bleeding ➢ burns and scalds ➢ choking ➢ drowning ➢ electric shock (domestic) ➢ fractures ➢ heart attack ➢ poisoning ➢ shock ➢ stroke Important rules first aid Shout for help! Don't be afraid to use your lungs and shout for help as soon as you begin first aid measures. Keep shouting for help until you know you've been heard and action has been taken. Professional help can't come soon enough—if it's needed! Assess the situation and scout the territory: If possible, ask the injured person what happened. Can she speak? Can she tell you how serious the accident is? Also, look around and make sure that performing first aid isn't going to be hazardous to your health. Are there any exposed wires near the injured person? Are there toxic fumes or flames? Is the ice hard enough for you to walk on or the water calm enough to jump in? In short, make sure you aren't in any danger before you start first aid. You won't be much help if you get injured, too. Page 4 of 65 STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.SC CHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY IN MEDICINE SEMESTER - IV, ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 Determine if the accident warrants a visit to a hospital or simply a cleansing and a Band-Aid. If the injured person can talk, If the person simply needs stitches, don't call for an ambulance, just make a trip to the emergency room. But if he or she is unconscious, Check, Are the airways clear? Is he or she breathing? What about circulation? Is there a pulse? And, most importantly, it's up to you to decide whether or not to move the injured person. Sometimes this can't be helped. Once you've decided that you can safely walk on the ice or run past the flames, you might have to save the person in jeopardy by pulling or carrying them to safety, away from flames, thin ice, or toxic fumes. Here's a good rule to remember: don't move a person if there isn't a life-or-death reason to do so. You might cause more harm than good. If you are trained and certified in CPR and a person is choking or cannot breathe, begin CPR right away. If you are not trained in CPR, do not attempt to resuscitate. You can break the ribs or puncture the lungs, for example, and if the person is choking, you can actually force the object further down his or her throat! If you don't know CPR, use mouth-to-mouth resuscitation techniques or for choking, use the Heimlich Maneuver.