EMT- Week 6- Physical Causes of Altered Mental Status

When dealing with a behavioral or psychiatric emergency or suicide,what are some of the physical causes of altered mental status and explain why?  Are patients in this state of mind allowed to refuse medical care or transport? (NO!) Also respond to 2 other students posts.

When dealing with a behavioral or psychiatric emergency or suicide, then it’s important to consider that maybe their state of being is due to a physical cause than just assuming it’s just part of their chronic condition.  Some physical causes of altered mental status include low blood sugar, lack of oxygen, stroke or inadequate blood to the brain, head trauma, mind-altering substances, excessive cold, and excessive heat. If the patient is experiencing low blood sugar, then they may experience frustration, profuse sweating, light headedness, hunger, a rapid pulse, etc. which would make anyone, even if they don’t suffer a psychological problem, to have an irritable behavior and altered mental status. A lack of oxygen may create for an altered status because the lack of O2 can cause the brain cells to start dying off which may increase the risk for confusion, restlessness, and cyanosis may come as a result. Stroke or inadequate blood to the brain may obviously cause confusion and impair a lot of the motor skills needed to sustain an alert and conscious status. Since the blood leaking in a certain part of the brain is leaking, then the muscle is dying creating that part of the brain to be destroyed and incapable of operating/sending messages to the body. Head trauma will cause personality changes such as amnesia, for example. It doesn’t just stop at the brain though, this trauma can disrupt respiratory patterns, blood pressure, and pulse, as well. An overdose or abuse of substances can result in an altered mental status due to the chemical reaction and overload of toxins within the body that puts the body in shock. Temperature control is important. If the patient is overheated then they may become deprived of H20 and suffer heat stroke resulting in confusion, fainting, respiratory distress, etc. If the patient is too cold, then the lack of heat may result in drowsiness, shivering, altered mental status, slow breathing, and slowing heart rate. Patients who are suffering an altered mental status are not able to refuse medical care or transport because they are unable to adequately think for themselves. So, EMTs are required to go under a sort of implied consent due to their inability to think rationally.