Arythmias Flashcards
What is respiratory sinus arrhythmia?
Variations in HR synchronous with respiration
Where is respiratory sinus arrhythmia seen more?
Young people/children
What is atrial fibrillaton?
- Irregular atrial rhythm tachycardia
- AV node unable to transmit beats as quickly
- Does so intermittently:
- Irregular ventricular rhythm
What are the 2 main consequences of AF?
- Reduces CO
- Blood stasis in chambers
What is the pulse like in AF?
Irregularily irregular
What is sinoatrial disease?
Malfunction of sinus node
What is sinoatrial disease associated with?
Atrial tachyarrthymias (tachybrady syndrome)
What is sinoatrial disease most common in?
Elderly
What does sinoatrial disease present with?
Long pauses between tacchycardias e.g AFs
What is tachybrady syndrome?
Arrhythmia alternates between slow and fast heart rates
What mineral when raised increases risk of arrhythmias?
Potassium
What effect does hyperkalaemia have on cardiac function? (3)
- Increases cardiac excitation
- Increases cardiac arrhythmias
- Can progress to complete heart block
What are the causes of hyperkalaemia? (5)
- Presampling error: (SST tube not filled before EDTA tube as EDTA kicks K out of blood)
- Post sampling error: haemolysis sample, unseperated sample
- Chronic kidney disease
- Drugs
- Hypopituitarism/hypoaldosteronism
Why is artificial hyperkalaemia dangerous?
Can mask hypokalaemia
What effect does hypokalaemia have on cardiac function? (3)
- Increases gradient across cardiac cell membrane
- Increases action potential
- Reduces cardiac excitability
- Arrythmias e.g AF
