Outdoor Medical Emergency Handbook: First Aid for Travelers, Backpackers and Adventurers

"An essential and important guide for anyone of any skill level planning to spend quality time outdoors."
-- Chicago Tribune

Outdoor Medical Emergency Handbook provides easy-to-follow comprehensive advice on how to prevent, treat and care for illnesses and injuries while away from immediate medical response. Using accurate drawings and a step-by-step format, the authors describe how to effectively assess a situation and what actions to take. The logical design of the book helps readers find the information they need quickly to address the most critical medical emergencies wherever they may occur.

This revised edition incorporates the latest developments in technology and emergency procedures, specifically:

• ALS (Advanced Life Support) and ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) protocols to reflect changes made by international resuscitation authorities over the past five years
• Body area trauma and medical illness emergency protocols
• Drug names to make them internationally applicable
• Technological references to include smartphones and apps
• Recommended kit lists to take account changes in medical practice over the past five years.

Other useful emergency tools in the book are a Pain Relief Ladder to assess and treat pain, the Glasgow Coma Scale and AVPU to assess consciousness, the Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score Chart and a Guide to Commonly Used Drugs.

The Outdoor Medical Emergency Handbook is essential equipment for anyone traveling, whether camping with the family or making a solo assault on the Himalayas.

Spike Briggs, BSc, FRCA, is a specialist in intensive care medicine, an advisor on medical support for ocean yacht races and an instructor of advanced life support.

Campbell Mackenzie, RD, FRCP, was a surgeon commander in the Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve. He is now an instructor and examiner for the Royal Yachting Association First Aid Course.