Chapter 14 Cardiovascular Emergencies

Question 1

What has been the leading killer in Americans since 1900?

Answer 1

Cardiovascular Disease

Question 2

What is automaticity?

Answer 2

This allows a cardiac muscle cell to contract spontaneously without a stimulus from a nerve source

Question 3

Which system is responsible for the “fight or flight” response?

Answer 3

Sympathetic Nervous system

Question 4

Which system is responsible for slowing the heart and respiratory rates, constricting blood vessels in the muscles, and dilating blood vessels in the digestive system?

Answer 4

parasympathetic nervous system

Question 5

What is the heart muscle?

Answer 5

myocardium

Question 6

Where are peripheral pulses felt?

Answer 6

In the extremities, such as the radial and the posterior tibial

Question 7

Where are the central pulses felt?

Answer 7

They are felt near the trunk of the body, such as the femoral and carotid pulses

Question 8

How do you calculate the cardiac output?

Answer 8

Multiplying the heart rate by the volume of blood ejected with each contraction, or the stroke volume

Question 9

What is the condition of decreased heart flow to the heart?

Answer 9

ISCHEMIA

Question 10

What is Artherosclerosis?

Answer 10

A disorder in which calcium and cholesterol build up and form a plaque inside the walls of blood vessels, obstructing flow and interfering with their ability to dilate or contract

Question 11

What is the med term for the “blockage of a coronary artery”?

Answer 11

OCCLUSION

Question 12

What is a THROMBOEMBOLISM?

Answer 12

This is a blood clot that is floating through blood vessels until it reaches an area too narrow for it to pass, causing it to stop and block the blood flow at that point

Question 13

What is the med term for heart attack?

Answer 13

Acute Myocardial Infarction

Question 14

What is ACS?

Answer 14

Acute coronary syndrome; terms used to describe symptoms caused by myocardial ischemia (chest pain)

Question 15

What is Angina Pectoris?

Answer 15

this pain describes when the heart tissues are not getting enough oxygen

Question 16

How is angina pain described?

Answer 16

crushing, squeezing, or “like somebody standing on my chest”

Question 17

Where is angina pain typically felt?

Answer 17

mid chest or under the sternum BUT it can radiate to the jaw, arms, mid portion of the back, or the epigastrium

Question 18

Why is it crucial to treat a heart attack quickly?

Answer 18

Once dead, the cells cannot be revived so the faster you treat the heart attack, the more cells you are able to save

Question 19

What is SYNCOPE?

Answer 19

dumbass taught you this…….FAINTING

Question 20

What are the 3 differences between an ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION and ANGINA?

Answer 20

1. It can occur at any time, even when a person is sleeping
2. It does not resolve in minutes but rather 30 minutes to several hours
3. It may or may not be relieved by rest or nitroglycerin

Question 21

What is the number 1 killer of women in the US?

Answer 21

Heart Disease

Question 22

Describe the general indicators of a patient with AMI

Answer 22

Nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, pale skin or bluish tint of skin; possible arrhythmias; low blood pressure; PAY ATTN when a patient tells you “I think I am going to die”

Question 23

What are the 3 serious consequences of AMI?

Answer 23

Sudden Death
Cardiogenic Shock
CHF

Question 24

How many patients with an AMI do not reach the hospital alive?

Answer 24

40%

Question 25

Rapid beating of the heart, 100beats/min or more is known as what?

Answer 25

TACHYCARDIA

Question 26

Unusually slow beating of the heart, 60 beats/min or less is known as what?

Answer 26

BRADYCARDIA

Question 27

Rapid heart rhythm, usually a rate of 150-200 beats/min is known as what?

Answer 27

VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA

Question 28

Disorganized, ineffective quivering of the ventricles causes the patient to become unconscious within seconds...this condition is known as?

Answer 28

VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION

Question 29

What is ASYSTOLE?

Answer 29

the absence of all heart electrical activity

Question 30

What kind of shock is more commonly found after the onset of an AMI?

Answer 30

CARDIOGENIC SHOCK; heart lacks enough power to force the proper volume of blood through the circulatory system

Question 31

What usually happens between the first few hours and the first few days after a heart attack?

Answer 31

CHF Congestive Heart Failure; lungs become congested with fluid once the heart fails to pump the blood effectively

Question 32

When the right side of the heart is damaged, symptoms of DEPENDENT EDEMA is typically seen. What are the symptoms?

Answer 32

Swelling in the feet and legs

Question 33

What is a HYPERTENSIVE EMERGENCY?

Answer 33

systolic pressure greater than 160mmHg or rapid rise in systolic pressure.

Question 34

What is one of the most common signs of a hypertensive emergency?

Answer 34

a sudden severe headache

Question 35

If you suspect a patient is experiencing a hypertensive emergency...what do you do?

Answer 35

Make him or her comfortable, monitor blood pressure, position patient with head elevated, and transport rapidly to the emergency dept.

Question 36

What is an AORTIC ANEURYSM?

Answer 36

a weakness in the wall of the aorta; the aorta dilates at the weakened area, which makes it susceptible to rupture

Question 37

What is a DISSECTING ANEURYSM?

Answer 37

This occurs when the inner layers of the aorta become separated, allowing blood to flow between the layers

Question 38

What is the primary cause of dissecting aortic aneurysms?

Answer 38

uncontrolled hypertension

Question 39

What kind of patients do you use an AED on?

Answer 39

ONLY the DEAD ONES!!! jk. only to pulseless, unresponsive patients because moving patients may confuse the AED into confusing the electrical signals from the heart and the arms and chest muscles

Question 40

What are the 5 links in the chain of survival?

Answer 40

1. Recognition of early warning signs and immediate activation of EMS 2. Early CPR 3. Early defibrillation 4. Early advanced cardiac life support 5. Integrated post arrest care

Question 41

What should you do if the AED fails while caring for a patient?

Answer 41

Report the problem to the manufacturer and the US FDA

Question 42

IF you did NOT witness the patient's cardiac arrest, and the call to arrival interval was greater than 5 minutes, how many cycles of CPR should be performed before applying an AED?

Answer 42

5 cycles (about 2 minutes)

Question 43

Is it safe to defibrillate in a moving ambulance?

Answer 43

NO

Question 44

If traveling to the hospital with an unconscious patient, how often should you check the pulse?

Answer 44

@ least every 30 seconds