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Emergency Medicine & First Aid vocabulary · Emergency Assessment (ABC)

Life-threatening

Meaning in emergency medicine & first aid, with examples

/ˈlaɪf ˌθretənɪŋ/adjectiveCore term

In emergency medicine & first aid, life-threatening means: So serious that it could cause death if it is not treated quickly, such as a blocked airway, heavy bleeding or cardiac arrest.

In Turkish: hayatı tehdit eden, yaşamı tehdit eden, hayati tehlike taşıyan

How it is used

Used to set priorities in assessment and triage: life-threatening problems are found and treated first. Doctors and news reports say an injury is 'not life-threatening' to reassure people. A related phrase is 'life or limb', a threat to life or to an arm or leg.

Example sentences

  1. His injuries are serious but not life-threatening.

  2. Look for life-threatening bleeding before anything else.

Common collocations

  • life-threatening injury
  • life-threatening condition
  • not life-threatening
  • potentially life-threatening
  • emergencyA sudden, serious situation, such as an accident, a fire or a sudden illness, that needs help or action immediately.
  • primary surveyA fast, structured first check of a patient, usually in the ABCDE order, to find and deal with life-threatening problems.
  • urgentNeeding attention soon; in triage and ambulance systems, a level of priority that is serious but usually below an immediate threat to life.
  • triageThe process of quickly sorting patients by how urgently they need treatment, so that the sickest are seen first rather than in order of arrival.

More terms: Emergency Assessment (ABC)

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.