Arrhythmias Flashcards
What is Sinus Arrhythmia / Who is it common in / EKG Findings / Treatment?
HR ↑ w/ inspiration and ↓ w/ expiration / Children & Elderly / None - harmless
EKG Findings in Sinus Arrhythmia:
Regular, slight variance in R-R length corresponding to inhalation/exhalation
What is Sinus Bradycardia / Who is it common in / Treatment for severe/chronic Sinus Bradycardia
HR < 60 / Regular rhythm, slow rate / Physically fit pts and elderly pts with heart dz / Pacemaker
HR under 45 suggests ____________?
SA node pathology
What is Sinus Tachycardia? / Onset& Offset are gradual vs. abrupt? / EKG / Treatment?
HR > 100 / Gradual / Normal sinus, fast rate / Beta Blockers, Flecainide, radiofrequency modification of SA node
What frequently causes sinus tachycardia?
A non-cardiac condition–fever, exercise, emotions, anemia, dehydration, thyroid disorder, shock, drug SE, alcohol w/d
What is PSVT caused by / Onset & Offset are gradual vs. abrupt / EKG / Non-pharm Treatment? / Pharm tx
Reentrant circuit / Abrupt / Regular rhythm, fast rate, p often hidden / Techniques to ↑ vagal tone (valsalva, carotid massage) / Ca Channel blockers, IV Adenosine
Who does PSVT usually occur to / Symptoms associated with PSVT?
Young adults w/o structural heart damage / Syncope = RARE, palpitations occur
Etiology of Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome? / classic EKG finding? / Treatment
Abnormal pathway (Kent Bundles) connect A & V, bypassing AV Node / Delta wave / None of asymptomatic. Catheter ablation, Ca Channel Blockers, IV Adenosine
Symptoms of WPW:
Rapid HR, palpitations, syncope
What is A-Fib / Who is it common in / EKG findings / Major risk associated with A-Fib
Irregular contractions of atria / elderly patients (9% of people >80) / Irregularly irregular rhythm / Blood clot from blood pooling in atria –> stroke
Symptoms associated with A-Fib / A-fib begins ________ and becomes _______ / Treatment
Tachycardia, palpitations (acute), fatigue (chronic) / acute, chronic / Electrical cardioversion if unstalbe, otherwise Beta blocker, Ca Channel blocker AND anticoagulant
What causes PACs / often occurs in ________ / Usually __________ and ___________ / can be early sign of ____________ / Treatment
Regions of atria depolarizes before SA node –> early atrial contraction / healthy hearts / isolated interruption, asymptomatic / A-Fib / Rarely indicated but exercise will stop PACs
Describe the etiology of A-Flutter / Commonly associated with:
Reentrant circuit causes atrial rates of 250-350; every 2nd, 3rd, or 4th impulse is transmitted through the AV node / COPD, structural heart dz
Classic EKG for A-flutter / S&S / A-flutter tx
Saw tooth atrial activity / Palpitations (acute), Fatigue (chronic) / Catheter ablation, electrical cardioversion and ANTICOAGULANT
Complications of A-Flutter (2):
Rater harder to control than A-fib, CLOTTING/stroke
What cause PVCs / What will patients complain of / EKG finding / what to exclude:
Purkinje fibers initiate heartbeat instead of SA node / “My heart skipped a beat” / Wide QRS not preceded by P-wave / electrolyte imbalance
PVCs often occur in healthy hearts, however, they can lead to / tx:
V-fib, V-tachy / exercise usually stops, also beta blockers or ablation
What is V-tach / EKG finding / BPM / what should you r/o
3 or more consecutive PVCs / Wide QRS complex, regular, fast, no p-waves visible / 160-240 / electrolyte imbalance
V-tach can become / Acute / Chronic V-tach treatment
V-fib / Acute: IV bolus of amiodarone, Chronic: implantable defibrillator
V-fib is / EKG shows / Treatment:
Most common causative rhythm of sudden cardiac death / erratic ventricular activity not substantial enough to pump blood / CPR, Defibrillation
What defines long QT Syndrome / primary symptom / what can it cause / treatment
QT interval btw .5 & .7 sec / recurrent syncope / sudden death / Beta Blockers, defibrillation
How is Long QT Syndrome Acquired? / what condition is often associated with it?
Congenital (or due to drug SE) / Deafness
YES Syncope / NO Syncope:
WPW, V-Tach, Long QT Syndrome / PSVT
Deadly Arrhythmias:
Long QT, V-Fib, (V-Tach can turn to V-fib)
