Rural Emergency Medical Services - rems Pretoria Base

Diagnosis and Treatment of Tension Pneumothorax Tension pneumothorax is the progressive build-up of air within the pleural space, usually due to a lung laceration which allows air to escape into the...

TEENAGER KILLED AFTER HIGH SPEED COLLISION ON FATHERS BIKE A young man lost his life in a serious motorcycle accident on Friday. 15 year old Augusto Cesar, was on his way home from work on his father’s bike, when he lost control due to excessive speed, lef…

Creepy Rare Medical Pathology time!
Cotard’s Syndrome : (aka walking dead syndrome) is a very rare mental disorder in which the person feels as though they are literally dead. Often these people walk around believing that they are invisible, cannot be killed because they are already dead, that they have no blood in their body and that their body is rotting somewhere in the ground.

As a paramedic, is is very rare to see Cotard’s Delusion, however, it is important to be aware of it, because some of the apparent su***de attempts that we attend are not su***de attempts at all but persons with Cotard’s Delusion who walk in front of trains, cars, or off cliffs because they literally believe that they are already dead.

These people are not necessarily depressed, but will often inadvertently injure themselves believing that they are already dead and therefore immortal.

Pathophysiology of Cotard’s Delusion
Neurologically Cotard’s delusion is thought to be closely related to Capgras Syndrome as both conditions appear to involve a disconnection between the areas of the brain that recognize faces and emotions. Psychologically, Cotard’s delusion is often related to schizophrenia and an acute psychosis (often causes by certain drug use).

Constant reassurance in a calm and confident tone is important for these patients. Within the hospital system, treatment aims at mood stabilization through antidepressant therapies, antipsychotic medications, and in severe cases, electro-convulsive therapy has been seen to improve the person’s condition.

*```Message from the Ambulance Service
We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory. If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending to us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence this 'ICE' (In Case of Emergency) Campaign. The concept of 'ICE' is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As mobile phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name 'ICE' ( In Case Of Emergency).
The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents there were always mobile phones with patients but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as 'ICE'.
Please forward this. It won't take too many 'forwards' before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 ,ICE MOM , ICE DAD and ICE3 etc.```*
*PASS THIS AROUND to AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AS THIS CAN HELP IN AN EMERGENCY!*

Mva cnr ketchen n littug str taxi collided with Uno…no serious injuries

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