Cardiac Compromise Flashcards
defined as a severe, accelerated hypotension episode with a systolic pressure greater then 160 & a diastolic pressure greater than 94
hypertensive emergency
Two types of hypertensive patients:
- primary
- secondary
characterized by a hypertensive state in which no specific cause for the hypertension has been identified (idiopathic)
Primary hypertension
Occur when a pt. is hypertensive from some underlying disease process
Secondary hypertension
Occurs when the heart is not pumping effectively or at all, no pulses can be felt.
cardiac arrest
medication that is a vasodilator, relax the muscles of the blood vessel walls
nitroglycerin
Nitroglycerin may not be given to a pt. with a systolic BP lower than
90
Do not give nitroglycerin to a pt. with heart rates ____
100 (tachycardia)
If the pt. has taken Tadalafil (Cialis), Vardenafil (Levitra), or sildenafil (Viagra) within the last
48 hours
the most commonly prescribed dose for a nitroglycerin tablet is
0.3mg or 0.4mg
total dose for nitroglycerin is
3 tablets or sprays (Gwinnett uses tablets)
if the pt. has already taken the 3 nitroglycerin tablets prior to our arrival, we can administer 1 more if:
if their blood pressure and heart rate are within the normal limits. (systolic >90 or does not fall more than 30 below the baseline systolic, HR remains above 50 and below 100)
an unresponsive pt. with no ventilations & no pulse, immediately initiate CPR beginning with:
begin with chest compressions for about 2 minutes (which equates to 5 cycles of 30:2 for a lone rescuer)
OPQRST
Onset- what were you doing? Provocation- what makes it worse? Quality- Describe pain? Dull? Crushing? Radiation- Does the pain travel? Severity- 1-10 scale of pain? Time- When did discomfort start?
If pt. has no pulse & not breathing quickly assess carotid pulse in adults & children & brachial for an infant for no more than
10 seconds
