Cardiac Arrest Flashcards
How is cardiac arrest confirmed?
Check patient response
Open airway and check for breathing
Check carotid pulse
What is required for high quality chest compressions?
Hands centre of chest
5-6cm in depth and 2 per second
Allow for recoil
Avoid interruptions
What should happen to chest compressions once the airway is secured?
They should be continuous
What are the main shockable rhythms?
Ventricular fibrillation
Pulseless ventricular tachycardia
What are the main non-shockable rhythms?
Pulseless electrical activity
Asystole
Describe the appearance of ventricular fibrillation on an ECG
Bizarre irregular waveform
No recognisable QRS complexes
Random frequency and amplitude
Why is it important to try and reduce transthoracic impedance?
To reduce the amount of energy used
Give some ECG features of monomorphic VT
Broad complex rhythm
Rapid rate
Constant QRS morphology
What is polymorphic VT more commonly known as?
Torsade de pointes
After how many shocks should adrenaline and amiodarone be given?
Three
Give some features of asystole on ECG
Absent ventricular activity
Atrial activity may persist
What should be given to all patients immediately with a non-shockable rhythm?
Adrenaline 1mg IV
How does atrial flutter appear on an ECG?
Atrial rate = 250-350
Regular QRS complexes
‘Saw tooth’ pattern
How does atrial fibrillation appear on an ECG?
Irregularly irregular QRS
No P waves - atrial rate > 350
DC cardioversion is generally used for patients who are brady/tachycardic
Tachycardic
How does Torsade de Pointes present on an ECG?
Sinusoidal pattern
Rate = 200-250
What drug should be used in place of amiodarone in Torsade de Pointes?
Magnesium sulfate
What is the main feature of first degree heart block on an ECG?
Prolonged PR interval (>0.2s)
How does 2nd degree Mobitz I heart block appear on ECG?
Regularly irregular rate
Increasing PR interval until QRS dropped
How does 2nd degree Mobitz II heart block appear on ECG?
PR interval the same but QRS complex occasionally dropped
How does 3rd degree heart block appear on ECG?
No relationship between P waves and QRS complexes
What ECG leads are affected in an inferior MI?
II
III
aVF
What coronary artery is affected in an inferior MI?
Right coronary artery
What ECG leads are affected in a lateral MI?
I
aVL
V5/6
What coronary artery is affected in a lateral MI?
Left circumflex artery
What ECG leads are affected in an anterior MI?
V1-4
What coronary artery is affected in an anterior MI?
Left anterior descending artery
