Wilderness Pharmacology & Medications Flashcards

Acetazolamide (Diamox) is carried by wilderness travelers primarily to prevent and treat:

Answer: Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

Acetazolamide speeds acclimatization by stimulating breathing and reducing bicarbonate levels, lowering the risk and severity of AMS at high altitude.

The standard adult epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) delivers which dose intramuscularly?

Answer: 0.3 mg

The standard adult EpiPen delivers 0.3 mg of epinephrine IM into the lateral thigh, the established dose for treating anaphylaxis.

Ondansetron (Zofran) is most useful in the wilderness for controlling:

Answer: Nausea and vomiting

Ondansetron blocks 5-HT3 receptors to suppress nausea and vomiting, allowing the patient to stay hydrated and take oral medications.

A key contraindication to acetazolamide (Diamox) use is a known allergy to:

Answer: Sulfa drugs

Acetazolamide is a sulfonamide derivative, and patients with sulfa drug allergies risk cross-reactivity and adverse reactions.

When should a second dose of epinephrine be considered after the first injection for anaphylaxis?

Answer: If symptoms persist or return after 5–15 minutes

A second dose is appropriate if symptoms do not improve or recur within 5–15 minutes because anaphylaxis can be biphasic and epinephrine's duration is short.

Ibuprofen should generally be avoided in a wilderness patient who is:

Answer: Moderately dehydrated with poor peripheral perfusion

NSAIDs reduce renal blood flow via prostaglandin inhibition, significantly increasing the risk of acute kidney injury in a volume-depleted patient.

When a patient is unconscious or actively vomiting in the wilderness, the preferred route of medication administration is:

Answer: Intramuscular (IM injection)

Intramuscular injection bypasses the GI tract, ensuring reliable systemic drug delivery when the oral route is unavailable due to altered consciousness or vomiting.