Cardiovascular System Assessment

Question 1

Components of the cardiovascular assessment

Answer 1

general obs
pulse: rate, rhythm, depth, character, volume
Capillary refill time
Blood pressure
3 lead ECG

Question 2

How does a patient look unwell?

Answer 2

Sweating (cardiac failure, pre/post syncope, blood pressure)
Pale (anaemia, drugs, blood loss)
Flushed (fever, hypertension, physical activity)
Warm/Cold
Colour?

Question 3

What creates the blood pressure?

Answer 3

The alternating expansion and recoil of the elastic arteries after ventricular systole creating a wave.

Question 4

Normal, High and Low pulse readings?

Answer 4

Normal: 60-100bpm
High: more than 100bpm
Low: less than 60bpm

Question 5

What can cause bradycardia?

Answer 5

sleep, being athletic, hypothyroidism, beta blockers, hypothermia and arrythmias

Question 6

What can cause tachycardia?

Answer 6

exercise, pain, anxiety, excitement, hyperthyroidism, stimulants and arrythmias

Question 7

Pulse sites

Answer 7

Carotid, brachial, radial, femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial artery, dorsalis pedis artery.

Question 8

Systolic BP

Answer 8

The highest level blood pressure reaches when ventricles contract and blood flows through arteries

Question 8

What does the capillary refill test measure?

Answer 8

the time taken for a distal capillary bed to regain its colour after pressure is applied to cause blanching

Question 8

What is a normal capillary refill time?

Answer 8

2 seconds

Question 9

Diastolic BP

Answer 9

the lowest blood pressure reaches during ventricular diastole

Question 10

Pulse pressure

Answer 10

the difference between the systolic and diastolic number

Question 11

Mean arterial pressure

Answer 11

the average pressure during one cardiac cycle

Question 12

Blood pressure values (normal, high and low)

Answer 12

Normal: 120/80mmHg
High: Systolic is greater than 140mmHg
Low: Systolic is lower than 90mmHg

Question 13

What is the systolic threshold for treatment with IV fluids?

Answer 13

90mmHg

Question 14

Mneumonic to remember the placement of 3 Lead ECGs

Answer 14

Ride Your Green Bike: backwards C
Red: right wrist
Yellow: left wrist
Green: Left ankle
Black: right ankle

Question 15

What does the ECG machine calculate?

Answer 15

The mid point (Wilsons Central Terminus)

Question 16

Where would you hear each valve sound?

Answer 16

Aortic: patients right side of sternum
Pulmonary: patients left side of sternum
Tricuspid: 4th intercostal space along lower left border of the sternum
Mitral: 5th intercostal space along mid clavicular line