CH. 17 CARDIOVASCULAR EMERGENCIES Flashcards
a sac or bulge in the wall of the abdominal portion of the aorta, resulting in weakening of that wall; it is considered life threatening if it ruptures
abdominal aorta aneurysm
a term used to describe the shape of the QRS complex in aberrantly conducted beats
aberration
the early phase of cardiac repolarization wherein the heart muscle cannot be stimulated to depolarize
absolute refractory period
a chemical mediator used in both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
acetylcholine (ACh)
term used to describe any group of clinical symptoms consistent with acute myocardial ischemia
acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
a condition present when a period of cardiac ischemia caused by sudden narrowing or complete occlusion of a coronary artery leads to death (necrosis) of myocardial tissue
acute myocardial infarction (AMI)
the hormone produced by the adrenal gland with alpha and beta sympathomimetic properties
adrenaline
the resistance against which the ventricle contracts
afterload
pertaining to the period of dying
agonal
a cardiac dysrhythmia seen just before the heart stops altogether; essentially asystole with occasional QRS complexes that are not associated with cardiac output
agonal rhythm
a sac or bulge resulting from the weakening of the wall of a blood vessel or ventricle
aneurysm
the sudden pain from myocardial ischemia, caused by diminished circulation to the cardiac muscle; the pain is usually substernal and often radiates to the arms, jaw, or abdomen, and usually lasts 3 to 5 minutes and disappears with the rest
angina pectoris
the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle
aorta
the valve between the left ventricle and the aorta; also called the aortic valve
aortic semilunar valve
the lack of a cardiac rhythm; asystole
arrhythmia
the muscular, thick walled blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart
arteries
a small blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood branching into smaller vessels called capillaries
arteriole
a pathologic condition in which the arterial walls become thickened and inelastic
arteriosclerosis
an artificial product; used to refer to noise or interference in an ECG tracing
artifact
the absence of ventricular contractions; a straight line ECG
asystole
an accumulation of fat inside blood vessels resulting in narrowing of the lumen diameter
atherosclerosis
the volume of blood pumped into the ventricles by the atria
atrial kick
a specialized structure located in the AV junction that slows conduction through the AV junction
atrioventricular node
the mitral and tricuspid valves
atrioventricular valves
a parasympathetic blocker that opposes the action of ACh on the heart causing an increase in heart rate
atropine
on an ECG, leads that only contain one true pole; the other is a combination of information from other leads; includes leads aVR, aVL, and aVF
augmented unipolar leads
a smart defibrillator that can analyze the patient’s ECG rhythm and determine whether a defibrillating shock is needed
AED
spontaneous initiation of depolarizing electric impulses by pacemaker sites within the electric conduction system of the heart
automaticity
a subdivision of the nervous system that controls primarily involuntary body functions like the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
autonomic nervous system
the portion of the electric conduction system of the heart located in the upper part pf the inter ventricular septum that conducts the excitation impulse from the atria to the Bundle of His
AV junction
a component of the ECG that looks at the direction of travel for the electricity going through the heart as it depolarizes
axis deviation
the combination of narrowed pulse pressure, muffled heart tones, and jugular vein distension associated with cardiac tamponade
Beck’s triad
early repolarization that is thought to be a normal variant; characterized by ST segment elevation (or J-point elevation), a J or fishhook appearance at the J point, and concave ST-segment morphology
benign early repolarization
blockage of any combination of two of the fascicles or conduction pathways: a right bundle branch block (RBBB) and anterior hemiblock, a RBBB and posterior hemiblock, or an anterior hemiblock and posterior hemiblock
bifascicular block
a dysrhythmia in which every other heartbeat is a premature contraction; can be atrial or ventricular
bigeminy
on an ECG, leads that contain a positive and a negative pole; includes I,II,III
bipolar leads
the pressure exerted by the pulsatile flow of blood against the arterial walls
blood pressure
narrowing of the bronchial tubules
bronchoconstriction
widening of the bronchial tubes
bronchodilation
a genetic disorder involving sodium channels in the heart; characterized by incomplete RBBB and ST segment elevation that aggressively returns to baseline
Brugada syndrome
abnormal whooshing sounds indicating turbulent blood flow within a blood vessel
bruits
a disturbance in electric conduction through the right or left bundle branch from the bundle of His
bundle branch block
the portion of the electric conduction system in the interventricular septum that conducts the depolarizing impulse from the AV junction to the right and left bundle branches
bundle of His
extremely narrow blood vessels composed of a single layer of cells through which oxygen and nutrients pass to the tissues; these form a network between arterioles and venules
capillaries
the period from one cardiac contraction to the next; each cardiac cycle consists of ventricular contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole)
cardiac cycle
amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute, calculated by multiplying the stroke volume with the heart rate
cardiac output
restriction of cardiac contraction, failing cardiac output, and shock, caused by the accumulation of fluid or blood in the pericardium
cardiac tamponade
the sudden and often unexpected cessation of adequate cardiac output
cardiopulmonary arrest
fibrous strands shaped like umbrella stays that attach the free edges of the leaflets, or cusps, of the atrioventricular valves to the papillary muscles
chordae tendinae
the effect on the rate of contraction of the heart
chronotropic effect
one of the two branches of the left main coronary artery
circumflex coronary artery
a severe pain in the calf muscle that is caused by narrowing of the arteries in the calf muscle and leads to a painful limp
claudication
the mesh of arteries and capillaries that supplies blood to a segment of tissue whose original arterial supply has been obstructed
collateral circulation
a pattern in which the QRS complexes are all in the same direction in the precordial leads
concordant precordial pattern
the property that enables cardiac cells to pass an electrical impulse from one cell to another
conductivity
a condition that occurs when the heart is unable to pump powerfully enough or fast enough to empty its chambers; as a result, blood backs up into the systemic circuit, the pulmonary circuit or both
congestive heart failure
leads that view geographically similar areas of the myocardium; useful for localizing areas of ischemia
contiguous leads
the ability to shrink, shorten, or contract
contractility
the blood vessels of the heart that supply blood to its walls
coronary arteries
a pathologic process caused by atherosclerosis that leads to progressive narrowing and eventual obstruction of the coronary arteries
coronary artery disease (CAD)
a large vessel in the posterior part of the coronary sulcus into which the coronary veins empty
coronary sinus
the groove along the exterior surface of the heart that separates the atria from the ventricles
coronary sulcus
two premature ventricular contractions occurring sequentially
couplet
a classification system for aortic dissections that include three categories
DeBakey classification
the use of an unsynchronized direct current (DC) electric shock to terminate ventricular fibrillation
defibrillation
the slurring of the upstroke of the first part of the ORS complex that occurs in the Wolff Parkinson-White sydrome
delta wave
the process of discharging resting cardiac muscle fibers by an electric impulse that causes them to contract
depolarization
the period of ventricular relaxation during which the ventricles passively fill with blood
diastole
the drugs used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and certain atrial dysrhythmias
digitalis preparations
in reference to blood vessels, an aneurysm, or bulge formed by the separation of the layers of an arterial wall
dissection
the effect on the velocity of conduction
dromotropic effect
disturbances in the cardiac rhythm
dysrhythmias
a high pitched heart sound that occurs just after the S1 sound
ejection click
the percentage of blood that leaves the heart each time it contracts
ejection fraction (EF)
in the heart, the specialized cardiac tissue that initiates and conducts electric impulses including the SA node, internodal conduction pathways, AV junction, AV node, bundle of His and the Purkinje network
electrical conduction system
inflammation of the endocardium
endocarditis
the thin membrane lining inside the heart
endocardium
the thin membrane lining outside the heart
epicardium
the property that allows cells to respond to an electrical impulse
excitability
disease or ischemia of either of the anterior and posterior fascicles of the electrical conduction system of the heart; also called hemiblock
fascicular block
the process of dissolving blood clots
fibrinolysis
the therapy that uses medications that act to dissolve blood clots
fibrinolytic therapy
a partial disruption of the conduction of the depolarizing impulse from the atria to the ventricles causing prolongation of the PR interval
first degree heart block
