Examples of critical information
Adverse reactions to drugs
The most common types of such reactions occur in connection with various types of antibiotics and inflammatory drugs.
Examples of such reactions include
- breathing difficulties
- swelling in the mouth or throat
- drop in blood pressure
- strong palpitations
- convulsions or confusion
More common adverse reactions, such as mild itching of the skin or nausea do not need to be recorded as critical information.
Other allergies
These could be serious reactions caused by e.g. nuts, shellfish, fenugreek or insect venom. The reactions can be the same as those experienced in connection with adverse drug reactions.
More common allergies such as pollen allergy that leads to itching, running eyes or nose and food intolerances that cause e.g. diarrhoea do not need to be recorded as critical information.
Sometimes extra care must be taken when selecting equipment or procedures for anaesthesia (general anaesthesia). This could be due to a narrow throat or windpipe, making it difficult to insert a tube into the throat or because of a stiff neck making it impossible to bend the patient’s neck backwards.
Such information will be recorded on a yellow “Anaesthesia issues card”, which you might have received at the hospital.
These are conditions or illnesses that can be difficult to detect and that can lead to serious complications or incorrect treatment if overlooked.
Examples of such illnesses or conditions include:
- Addison’s disease
- Adrenal failure
- Haemophilia
- Phenylketonuria
- Brain tumour
- Immunodeficiency
- Malignant hyperthermia
- Splenectomy
- Porphyria
- Aortic aneurysm
Not all chronic diseases need to be recorded under critical information, but there are many other illnesses and conditions that need to be recorded than those included in the examples above. It is therefore important that you make sure to discuss this with your doctor.
Ongoing treatment
Examples include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dialysis, LAR, being in a transplant queue or being subject to a mental health crisis plan.
Implants
If you have received an organ transplant, permanent prostheses or have any other foreign bodies due to surgery, such information must be recorded. Only implants or prostheses that affect treatment choices in emergency situations will be recorded under critical information.
Examples of implants that should be recorded include pacemakers, defibrillators (ICD), medical pumps, implants in the ear and intracranial clips.
Ordinary hip and knee prostheses do not normally need to be recorded.
This means that if, after speaking with your doctor, you have decided that you do not wish to receive life-prolonging treatment if you are dying and unable to communicate your own treatment requests.
Such a request shall cover both emergency situations and predicable conditions or incidents. Such a request shall be valid for a maximum of one year before you need to reconsider.
Your wish will be respected, but it is still important for you to note that the attending physician will be responsible for deciding whether or not to avoid giving any treatment.
You are entitled to refuse to receive blood or blood products if the refusal is strongly based on your beliefs.
If you have a diagnosis that means that you need special treatment, this should be recorded.
This could include agreements for open admission to hospital, a contact person in the event of exacerbation of illness, recommended treatment or other factors associated with your diagnosis.
Infectious diseases may affect the treatment you receive from healthcare professionals, for example the choice of antibiotics and other drugs that could further suppress the immune system.
One example of an infectious disease that must be recorded is MRSA (“Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus”) In order to monitor possible MRSA infection, you will be asked whether you have been to a doctor or hospital outside of the Nordic region during the last six months.