Primary Industries

Key terms and concepts

Term	Definition
Airway	The passageway for air from the mouth and nose to the lungs.
Allergic	Having an adverse reaction to a substance (e.g. bee/wasp sting) that does not normally cause adverse reactions.
Assessment	Determination of a casualty's condition (injuries or illness) by observation, examination and questioning.
Asthma	A condition that constricts the airway, causes congestion and reduces air flow in and out of the lungs.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)	A treatment combining external cardiac compressions and expired air resuscitation to maintain blood and oxygen flow.
Carotid pulse	The blood flow felt when finger pressure is applied to the carotid artery in the neck.
Circulation	The flow of blood around the body.
Concussion	A loss of balance, loss of memory, poor response, nausea and blurred vision associated with head injuries.
DRABC	First aid treatment plan: danger, response, airway, breathing, circulation.
Diabetes	Disease caused by inadequate production of insulin in the pancreas.
Disorientation	Confusion of direction and an inability to function normally.
Expired air resuscitation (EAR)	A treatment for a non-breathing casualty to provide air by breathing into the casualty's airways.
External cardiac compression (ECC)	A treatment for a casualty who has no pulse to pump blood around the body by compressing the heart between the breastbone and spine.
Extremities	The fingers, toes, nose or ear lobes.

Fracture	A break in a bone.
Heat stroke	A condition caused by overheating of the body to a level that endangers life.
Hyperglycaemia	Higher than normal levels of sugar in the blood.
Hypoglycaemia	Lower than normal levels of sugar in the blood.
Hyperthermia	Higher that normal body temperature.
Hypothermia	Lower than normal body temperature.
Immobilise	To stop movement.
Inflammation	Swelling and redness of tissues as they react to infection, irritation or injury.
Insulin	A hormone released by the pancreas to assist cells utilise sugar.
Nausea	A feeling of the need to vomit.
Respiration	Movement of air in and out of the lungs.
Resuscitation	Any effort to artificially restore or provide normal heart and/or lung function.
Shock	A rationing of the blood supply away from non-essential areas of the body due to ineffective circulation of the blood.
Stroke	The sudden stopping of circulation to an area of the brain.
Symptom	What the casualty feels from their injury or illness.
Unconsciousness	A condition in which the casualty is lacking in awareness as in a coma or a deep sleep.
Venom	A poisonous fluid which is produced by certain animals (e.g. snakes, spiders).
Trauma	A serious injury or shock to the body, as from violence or an accident.