Stopping the Trauma Triad of Death: What you don’t know might kill them
There are three factors that work together to kill trauma patients and they aren’t the ABCs. First responders, EMTs and paramedics can improve patient outcomes by interrupting the subtle but vicious cycle of hypothermia, acidosis and coagulopathy. This cycle, known as the Trauma Triad of Death, must be stopped before it becomes so obvious and so severe that it results in death. This session examines each leg of the lethal triad, identifying they can be addressed individually as well as how the cycle as a whole can be interrupted before this self-feeding cycle pushes your patient past the point of no return.
Teaching Formats:
-Lecture
-Case studies
-Question and Answer
Learning Objectives: Students will be able to:
- Identify each leg of the trauma triad of death.
- Explain how each leg of the trauma triad reinforces each other in a vicious cycle.
- Utilize the key steps to address each leg of the trauma triad individually as well as interrupt the cycle once it has begun.
