Chapter 18 ACS and causes of cardiac conditions Flashcards
cardiac compromise or (ACS)
a blanket term that refers to anytime the heart may not be getting enough oxygen.
acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
when a coronary artery can become blocked
a one way valve may stop working
specialized tissue that carries electrical impulses maybe malfunctioning
treatment of most heart condition symptoms are______?
treated as if they are having a heart problem
chest pain
is the most common symptom of a heart attack
- crushing
- squezzing
- dull
- heavy
radiation of pressure, pain or discomfort during cardiac distress
radiates along arms down to upper abdomen up to the jaw radiation to the left arm more than right (both is possible)
dyspnea
sometimes the only complaint of patients experiencing cardiac compromise.
-sometimes patients can’t think of anything other than the difficulty breathing unless asked about it.
ACS patients are often______?
anxious shown through several forms
- feeling of impending doom
- irritability
- short temper
- nauseous
- pain or discomfort in upper abdomen
- loosing consciousness due to lack of blood or oxygenated blood
percentage of patients that do not have typical chest discomfort
between 1/4 and 1/3
coronary artery disease
a condition that blocks or narrows an artery
CAD
is the buildup of fatty deposits on the inner walls of arteries
plaque build up over time hardens the walls of the artery making it stiff and non permeable.
as well as making it more susceptible to forming clotts
creating thrombus and embolisms
thrombus
a clot formed of blood and plaque attached to the inner wall of artery or vein
if it keeps growing a thrombus can grow to a blockage
embolism
a clot that is brought to an area by the blood flow
occlusion
cutting off flow
blockage caused by fatty deposits
risk factors of CAD (changeable by life style and diet)
- hypertension
- obesity
- lack of excercise
- elevated blood levels
- cholesterol
- triglycerides and cigarette smoking
risk factors of CAD non changeable
heredity
age
conditions related to CAD
- Angina pectoris
- acute myocardial infarction
- congestive heart failure
aneurysm
the dilation or ballooning of a weakened section of the wall of an artery
most common sites of aneurysm
- aorta
- brain
when a brain aneurism occurs
a severe form of stroke occurs
electrical malfunction of the heart
charged with the order to keep rhythm and order to the hearts firing order.
organized electrical charges make the heart work. when these electrical impulses are out of line dysrhythmia can occur
dysrhythmia
- an irregular or absent heart rhythm
- bradycardia (beats lower than 60 per min)
- tachycardia (above 100)
- ventricular fibrillation
- ventricular tachycardia
- pulesless electrical activity
- asystole
mechanical malfunctions of the heart
often seen with myocardial infarction, or heart attack.
-when mechanical pump failure occurs, the lack of oxygen causes tissue death of an area of the heart.
angina pectoris
(literally means pain in the chest)
coronary arteries are narrowed
-caused when the heart is deprived of oxygen
acute mayocardial infarction (AMI)
a condition where a portion of the myocardium (heart muscle) dies from O2 starvation
AMI cases per year
1 Million + cases of AMI per year
hundreds of thousands of deaths annually
-many of these are sudden deaths ( deaths that occur within 2 hours of symptom onset)
fibrinolytics
used to bust clots that may be blocking a coronary artery
-must be administered early
balloon catheterization
angioplasty
a catheter that is inserted into arteries and inflated to let blood pass through a blockage
beta blocker
slows the heart rate and makes it beat less strongly
congestive heart failure (CHF)
failure of the heart to pump efficiently, leading to excessive blood or fluids in the lungs, body, or both
-called congestive because fluids congest or clog the organs.
signs of CHF
- tachycardia
- dyspnea
- normal
- cyanosis
- diaphoresis
- pulmonary edema
- anxiety
- pedal edema
- engorged pulsating neck vein (late sign)
- enlarged liver and spleen with abdominal distention
diuretic
a pill (water pill) that helps remove fluid from the circulatory system.
