Question about terminology

[EDAC]

Hello new to the site, I just started my EMT-B class today and I have a question about terminology. This is all new to me so sorry if this sounds dumb.
We were given a handout on some of the drugs that can be administered by EMT-B's, on the handout I am confused about the following:
Activated Charcoal:
Indications-
1. Poisoning following emesis
2. Emesis contraindicated
Number 2 confused me a bit, I looked up the definition of contraindicated and am not sure how it relates to number 2. I looked up the definition of contraindication and it says "any symptom or circumstance that makes teratment with drug or device unsafe or inappropriate".
Does it mean don't give after vomiting, or give after vomiting if no other treatment is appropriate.

It is probably very simple, but it is like learning a foreign language to me, many terms thrown around that i am trying to learn.

Thanks for any help.

EDAC

 

[Aidey]

Emesis is throwing up, and contraindicated is exactaly what your book says.

So for number 1 they mean use charcoal in poisoning after the patient has thrown up.
For number 2, it's like you thought. Use charcoal in poisoning where throwing up is inappropriate.

Just as an FYI, inducing vomiting in poisoning has been taken out of most standing orders. Vomiting has been shown to only clear about 30% of the stomach contents tops, plus there are risks of the patient inhaling the stomach contents, or damaging the stomach/esophagus. Plus caustic things will do just as much damage coming up as they did going down, so they are best left alone.

So in the majority of cases, throwing up is going be to inappropriate, so charcoal (or monitoring the patient) will be your first line.

 

[EDAC]

Thank you very much, I was thinking that way, but not certain. They did tell us today that inducing vomiting is no longer a standard of practice.

I am very sure I will have other questions, and I thank you for answering so quickly. I can see it is a lot of information that is going to be given us, so I can see I will have my nose in a book for the next 4 months. I just enrolled in a Medical terminology, and A&P course. Instructor said that they would be a tremoundous amount of help understanding how and why the body works, and I can see how without them you could really struggle as to why you are treating a patient, I would really like not to just go through the motions of assesment and care, but understand why it is necessary and how it could affect the outcome.