Ch. 4 Cardiac Flashcards
What is cardiac disease?
cardiac disease is a broad term used to describe a range of diseases that affect your heart. Such as:
coronary heart disease
Arrhythmias (heart rhythm problems)
heart infections
congenital heart defects
mostly blocked or narrow blood vessels lead to cardiac chest pain and heart attack
What is Angina?
Angina is chest pain brought on by physical or emotional stress - relieved by rest or medication.
What is myocardial infarction?
basically, a heart attack.
it is damage or death of a heart muscle due to prolonged hypoxia.
Signs and symptoms of myocardial Infarction
- persistent chest pain, crushing tight pressure, vice-like constricting
- pain radiating to arms or jaw
- shortness of breath
4 anxiety and denial - nausea and vomiting
- light headedness, dizzyness
- pale, cool, sweaty skin
- rapid, slow, weak and or irregular heart rate
- history of angina, heart attack or other risk factors.
- chest pain not relieved by rest or medication
what are the variable symptoms of myocardial infarction in the elderly and in women?
- women, older adults and diabetics can have different cardiac presentation.
- fainting, nausea, vomiting, altered mental status, weakness, shortness of breath without chest pain.
treatment principles for myocardial infarction
- reduce anxiety and activity
- place patient in a position of comfort, avoiding having the patient walk
- administer oxygen if available
- support the patient with their personal medications which are commonly
- nitroglycerine .4mg under the tongue (if systolic BP>100 or radial pulse is present) no erectile dysfunction medication has been taken in 48 hours
- aspirin - usual dose of 325mg or 3-4 baby aspirin
evacuation guidelines for cardiac chest pain
- evacuate all patients with cardiac chest pain or symptoms
- rapid evac any patient with new-onset of chest pain that is not clearly musculoskeletal
- rapid evac any patient with chest pain that is not relieved with rest and nitro
