Environmental insults: smoke inhalation, submersion, diving, and high altitude

• Published in: Emergency medicine clinics of North America Vol. 21; no. 2; p. 475
• Main Authors: Kuo, Dick C, Jerrard, David A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-05-2003
• Subjects: Altitude Sickness - complications; Altitude Sickness - physiopathology; Altitude Sickness - prevention & control; Barotrauma - etiology; Barotrauma - physiopathology; Brain Edema - diagnosis; Brain Edema - etiology; Brain Edema - therapy; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - diagnosis; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - physiopathology; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - therapy; Decompression Sickness - diagnosis; Decompression Sickness - physiopathology; Diving - injuries; Drowning - physiopathology; Embolism, Air - etiology; Embolism, Air - physiopathology; Embolism, Air - therapy; Emergency Medical Services - methods; Humans; Immersion - adverse effects; Immersion - physiopathology; Lung Injury; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy - methods; Pneumonia, Aspiration - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Aspiration - drug therapy; Pneumonia, Aspiration - etiology; Pneumonia, Aspiration - microbiology; Pulmonary Edema - diagnosis; Pulmonary Edema - etiology; Pulmonary Edema - therapy; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult - etiology; Smoke Inhalation Injury - diagnosis; Smoke Inhalation Injury - physiopathology; Smoke Inhalation Injury - therapy
• ISSN: 0733-8627
• DOI: 10.1016/S0733-8627(03)00010-5

In the expanding search for recreation, we spend more and more of our time in various environments. Whether the air is thin or compressed or smoke-filled or there is no air at all, emergency physicians continue to meet and treat the various pulmonary emergencies that the environment may create. The authors present the background, diagnosis, and management of a few of the more common pulmonary emergencies that the environment may produce.