Consequences of AMI pt. 1 Flashcards
What are the three serious consequences of AMi?
- Sudden death
- Cardiogenic shock
- Congestive heart failure
None
What usually causes sudden death in AMi?
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart fails to generate effective blood flow.
What is ventricular fibrillation (VF)?
An abnormality of heart rhythm (dysrhythmia)characterized by erratic twitching of the heart
VF results in no effective blood flow.
What may follow an AMi within the first hour?
A variety of lethal and nonlethal dysrhythmias
These dysrhythmias can include premature ventricular contractions, tachycardia, bradycardia, and others.
What are premature ventricular contractions?
Extra beats in the damaged ventricle
These can be harmless and are common among both healthy and sick individuals.
Define tachycardia.
Rapid beating of the heart, 100 beats/min or more
Tachycardia can occur following an AMi.
Define bradycardia.
Unusually slow beating of the heart, 60 beats/min or less
Bradycardia is another potential dysrhythmia following AMi.
What is ventricular tachycardia?
Rapid heart rhythm, usually at a rate of 150 to 200 beats/min
It starts in the ventricle and may lead to inadequate blood flow.
What may happen to the patient during ventricular tachycardia?
- Blood pressure may fall
- Pulse may be lost
- Patient may feel weak or lightheaded
- Chest pain may worsen or new chest pain may develop
These symptoms indicate a serious condition that requires immediate attention.
What is ventricular fibrillation?
Disorganized, ineffective quivering of the ventricles
This condition requires defibrillation to restore normal rhythm.
What is the purpose of defibrillation?
To shock the heart with an electric current to restore a normal rhythmic beat
It aims to stop chaotic contractions of myocardial cells.
When is defibrillation most likely to be successful?
If delivered within the first few minutes of sudden death
Quick response is critical for survival.
What should be done if a defibrillator is not immediately available?
Initiate CPR until the defibrillator arrives
Starting CPR immediately can improve chances of survival.
How much do the chances of survival diminish for each minute until defibrillation?
Approximately 7% to 10% each minute
This highlights the urgency of prompt defibrillation.
What can uncorrected unstable VT or VF eventually lead to?
Asystole, the absence of all heart electrical activity
Asystole typically occurs without CPR within minutes.
What does asystole usually reflect?
Absence of all heart electrical activity
A long period of ischemia
Nearly all patients found in asystole will die without intervention.
Even though you can’t feel a pulse in a patient with cardiac arrest, the heart will still be ____
Twitching
When the heart is twitching erratically, it is
using up energy without pumping any blood
