Over the last decade, monumental advances in the medical field have taken place, resulting in prompt recognition and management of many diseases. Despite this, meningococcal disease remains one of the leading causes of death in children and young people worldwide (Dowson, 2014). With its rapid onset and serious nature, meningococcal septicaemia affects up to 0.95% of the western world’s population each year making it essential for health professionals to understand the pathophysiology, recognition and treatment of this deadly disease in the prehospital setting.
This essay will be divided into two parts: the first will examine the prehospital management of an unconscious patient presenting with advanced meningococcal septicaemia; the second will analyse the use of different pharmacological agents and intravenous fluids in a patient with this disease.
Pathophysiology and management
Meningococcal comes in two …show more content…
This series of events leads to intravascular thrombosis, where micro clots form in the smaller blood vessels, causing further inadequate perfusion and worsening of ischaemia. These clots form widespread purpura fulminans, best described as the tiny blood spots and discoloration of the skin in patients infected with the meningococcal bacteria (Heyderman, 1993). As these micro clots form, clotting factors become exhausted leading to thrombocytopenia. With a reduced amount of platelets and clotting factors in the blood, the body recognises it has overcompensated and begins to break down the already formed clots. Disseminating intravascular coagulation results, where widespread bleeding occurs internally and externally, effectively worsening hypotension, decreasing perfusion, and contributing to multiple organ failure (Manchanda, Gupta, & Bhalla,
This essay will be divided into two parts: the first will examine the prehospital management of an unconscious patient presenting with advanced meningococcal septicaemia; the second will analyse the use of different pharmacological agents and intravenous fluids in a patient with this disease.
Pathophysiology and management
Meningococcal comes in two …show more content…
This series of events leads to intravascular thrombosis, where micro clots form in the smaller blood vessels, causing further inadequate perfusion and worsening of ischaemia. These clots form widespread purpura fulminans, best described as the tiny blood spots and discoloration of the skin in patients infected with the meningococcal bacteria (Heyderman, 1993). As these micro clots form, clotting factors become exhausted leading to thrombocytopenia. With a reduced amount of platelets and clotting factors in the blood, the body recognises it has overcompensated and begins to break down the already formed clots. Disseminating intravascular coagulation results, where widespread bleeding occurs internally and externally, effectively worsening hypotension, decreasing perfusion, and contributing to multiple organ failure (Manchanda, Gupta, & Bhalla,