Cardiac Emergencies Flashcards
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
(CPR) actions taken to revive a person by keeping the persons heart and lungs working
Defibrillation
delivery of an electronical shock to stop the fibrillation of heart muscles and restore a normal heart rhythm
Cardiovascular system
the heart and the blood vessels
Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)
Cardiac Compromise
blanket term used to represent any symptoms related to lack of oxygen (ischemia) in the heart muscle.
Signs and symptoms of Acute Coronary Syndrome
wide variety, most can result from problems that have nothing to do with the heart. many patients complain of pain in the center of the chest, others may have only mild chest discomfort or no pain at all. some difficulty breathing, some have sudden onset of sweating, nausea, and vomiting.
Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome
treat patient as though they are having a heart problem
Dyspnea
shortness of breath; labored or difficult breathing
Bradycardia
heart rate is slow, usually below 60 beats per minute
Tachycardia
heart rate fast, above 100 beats per minute
Coronary Artery Disease
when the coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked, blood flow is reduced, reducing amount of oxygen delivered to the heart. result of buildup of fatty deposits on the inner walls of arteries causing narrowing of the inner vessel diameter
Coronary arteries
supplies the heart with oxygenated blood
Thrombus
clot formed of blood and plaque attached to the inner wall of an artery or vein
occlusion
blockage as of an artery by fatty deposits
embolism
blockage of a vessel by a clot or foreign material brought to the site by the blood current
Risk of developing CAD
heredity and age
hypertension, obesity, lack of exercise, elevated blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and cigarette smoking
Signs and Symptoms of CAD
chest pain, cardiac arrest (angina pectoris-chest pain)
Aneurysm
dilation, or ballooning of a weakened section of the wall of an artery
most common sites of aneurysms are the aorta and the brain
Dysrhythmia
a disturbance in heart rate and rhythm
In cardiac arrest…
rhythms that may be present when there is no pulse including ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, pulseless electrical activity, and asystole
Angina Pectoris
pain in the chest, occurring when blood supply to the heart is reduced and a portion of the heart muscle is not receiving enough O2
Acute Myocardial Infarction
condition in which a portion of the myocardium dies as a result of oxygen starvation; often called a heart attack
Sudden Death
cardiac arrest that occurs within 2 hours of the onset symptoms. the patient may have no prior symptoms of coronary artery disease
Congestive Heart Failure
failure of the heart to pump efficiently, leading to excessive blood or fluid in the lungs, body,or both
Signs and Symptoms of CHF
tachycardia
dysnea
normal or elevated blood pressure
cyanosis
Diaphoresis (profuse sweating) or cool and clammy skin
pulmonary edema
anxiety or confusion due to hypoxia
pedal edema
engorged, pulsation neck veins (late sign)
enlarged liver and spleen with abdominal distortion (late sign)
Chain of Survival for Cardiac Arrest
Immediate recognition and activation early CPR Rapid defibrillation effective advanced life support integrated post- cardiac arrest care
Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)
condition in which the heart’s electrical impulses are disorganized, preventing the heart muscle from contracting normally
Ventricular Tachycardia (V-tach)
condition in which the heartbeat is quite rapid; if rapid enough, ventricular tachycardia will not allow the heart’s chambers to fill with enough blood between beats to produce blood flow sufficient to meet the body’s needs
Pulseless electrical activity (PEA)
condition in which the heart’s electrical rhythm remains relatively normal, yet the mechanical pumping activity fails to follow the electrical activity, causing cardiac arrest
asystole
condition in which the heart has ceased generating electrical impulses
