Chapter 14 Cardiovascular Emergencies Flashcards
What has been the leading killer in Americans since 1900?
Cardiovascular Disease
What is automaticity?
This allows a cardiac muscle cell to contract spontaneously without a stimulus from a nerve source
Which system is responsible for the “fight or flight” response?
Sympathetic Nervous system
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?
parasympathetic nervous system
What is the heart muscle?
myocardium
Where are peripheral pulses felt?
In the extremities, such as the radial and the posterior tibial
Where are the central pulses felt?
They are felt near the trunk of the body, such as the femoral and carotid pulses
How do you calculate the cardiac output?
Multiplying the heart rate by the volume of blood ejected with each contraction, or the stroke volume
What is the condition of decreased heart flow to the heart?
ISCHEMIA
What is Artherosclerosis?
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
What is the med term for the “blockage of a coronary artery”?
OCCLUSION
What is a THROMBOEMBOLISM?
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
What is the med term for heart attack?
Acute Myocardial Infarction
What is ACS?
Acute coronary syndrome; terms used to describe symptoms caused by myocardial ischemia (chest pain)
What is Angina Pectoris?
this pain describes when the heart tissues are not getting enough oxygen
How is angina pain described?
crushing, squeezing, or “like somebody standing on my chest”
Where is angina pain typically felt?
mid chest or under the sternum BUT it can radiate to the jaw, arms, mid portion of the back, or the epigastrium
Why is it crucial to treat a heart attack quickly?
Once dead, the cells cannot be revived so the faster you treat the heart attack, the more cells you are able to save
What is SYNCOPE?
dumbass taught you this…….FAINTING
What are the 3 differences between an ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION and ANGINA?
- It can occur at any time, even when a person is sleeping
- It does not resolve in minutes but rather 30 minutes to several hours
- It may or may not be relieved by rest or nitroglycerin
What is the number 1 killer of women in the US?
Heart Disease
Describe the general indicators of a patient with AMI
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”
What are the 3 serious consequences of AMI?
Sudden Death
Cardiogenic Shock
CHF
How many patients with an AMI do not reach the hospital alive?
40%
Rapid beating of the heart, 100beats/min or more is known as what?
TACHYCARDIA
Unusually slow beating of the heart, 60 beats/min or less is known as what?
BRADYCARDIA
Rapid heart rhythm, usually a rate of 150-200 beats/min is known as what?
VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA
Disorganized, ineffective quivering of the ventricles causes the patient to become unconscious within seconds…this condition is known as?
VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION
What is ASYSTOLE?
the absence of all heart electrical activity
What kind of shock is more commonly found after the onset of an AMI?
CARDIOGENIC SHOCK; heart lacks enough power to force the proper volume of blood through the circulatory system
What usually happens between the first few hours and the first few days after a heart attack?
CHF Congestive Heart Failure; lungs become congested with fluid once the heart fails to pump the blood effectively
When the right side of the heart is damaged, symptoms of DEPENDENT EDEMA is typically seen. What are the symptoms?
Swelling in the feet and legs
What is a HYPERTENSIVE EMERGENCY?
systolic pressure greater than 160mmHg or rapid rise in systolic pressure.
What is one of the most common signs of a hypertensive emergency?
a sudden severe headache
If you suspect a patient is experiencing a hypertensive emergency…what do you do?
Make him or her comfortable, monitor blood pressure, position patient with head elevated, and transport rapidly to the emergency dept.
What is an AORTIC ANEURYSM?
a weakness in the wall of the aorta; the aorta dilates at the weakened area, which makes it susceptible to rupture
What is a DISSECTING ANEURYSM?
This occurs when the inner layers of the aorta become separated, allowing blood to flow between the layers
What is the primary cause of dissecting aortic aneurysms?
uncontrolled hypertension
What kind of patients do you use an AED on?
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
What are the 5 links in the chain of survival?
- Recognition of early warning signs and immediate activation of EMS
- Early CPR
- Early defibrillation
- Early advanced cardiac life support
- Integrated post arrest care
What should you do if the AED fails while caring for a patient?
Report the problem to the manufacturer and the US FDA
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?
5 cycles (about 2 minutes)
Is it safe to defibrillate in a moving ambulance?
NO
If traveling to the hospital with an unconscious patient, how often should you check the pulse?
@ least every 30 seconds
