Mod 4 Cardiac Emergencies Flashcards
Acute Coronary Syndrome
-Sometimes known as cardiac compromise.
-A blanket term
that refers to anytime the heart is not getting enough oxygen.
Tachycardia
-A pulse rate faster than 100 beats per minute.
Bradycardia
-A pulse rate slower than 60 beats per minute.
Hypotensive
-Systolic blood pressure less than 90
Hypertensive
-Systolic blood pressure greater than 140 or diastolic blood pressure greater than 90.
Acute coronary syndrome signs and symptoms
- Pain, Pressure, or discomfort in the chest or upper abdomen (Epigastrium)
- Difficulty breathing
- Palpitations
- Onset of nausea, vomiting, or sweating
- Anxiety (feeling of impending doom)
- Weakness
- Abnormal pulse
- Abnormal blood pressure
When to give a repeat dose of nitroglycerin
- Patient experiences no or partial relief
- Systolic pressure remains greater than 90 to 100.
- Medical direction requires additional dosage.
When to give a patient asprin
- Has no history of asthma
- Not already taking medications that prevent clotting of the blood.
- No contraindications to asprin.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
- When coronary arteries become narrowed or blocked.
- Build up of fatty on artery inner walls.
- There are things that can be done to prevent CAD.
- Change in diet, stop smoking, weight loss to lower blood pressure.
Myocardiam
Heart muscles
Aneurysm
- The dilation, or ballooning, of a weakened section of the wall of an artery
- Artery can burst causing rapid life threatening internal bleeding.
- Common sites are in the aorta and brain.
Occlusion
-Blockage, as an artery, by fatty deposits.
Thrombus
-A clot formed of blood and plaque attached to inner artery or vein wall.
Embolism
-Blockage of a vessel by a clot or foreign material brought by blood current.
Dysrhythmia
- A disturbance in the heart rate and rhythm.
- An electrical malfunction of the heart can result in dysrhythmia.
Angina Pectoris
- Pain in chest when blood to heart is reduced and portion of heart muscle is not receiving enough oxygen.
- Advised to take Nitroglycerin.
Acute mycardial infarction (AMI)
- The myocardium dies as a result of oxygen starvation.
- Often called a heart attack.
Sudden death
- A cardiac arrest that occurs within 2 hours of onset of symptoms.
- May have no prior symptoms.
Congestive heart failure (CHF)
- Failure of heart to pump efficiently leading to build up of fluids or blood in the lungs, body, or both.
- Causes edema (swelling)
- Caused by diseased heart valves, hypertension.
Pedal Edema
-Accumulation of fluid in the feet or ankles.
Chain of survival
- Immediate recognition
- Early CPR
- Rapid defibrillation
- Effective advanced life support
- Integrated post cardiac arrest care
Types of AED
- Semi automatic. The more common type. Prompts user to press a button to administer a shock through pads.
- Fully automatic. Does not advise a shock and sends a shock automatically once enough energy has been accumulated.
Ventricular fibrillation (VF)
- Hearts electrical impulses disorganized preventing heart muscles from contracting normally.
- Shockable rhythm
Ventricular tachycardia (V-tach)
- Heart beat is rapid. Does not allow hearts chambers to refill with enough blood between beats.
- Shockable rhythm.
Pulseless electrical activity (PEA)
- Electrical rhythm is normal but yet mechanical pumping activity fails to follow electrical activity.
- Non-Shockable rhythm
Asystole
- A condition in which the heart has ceased generating electrical impulses.
- Commonly known as flatline
- Non-shockable rhythm
AED cardiac arrest treatment sequence for shock indicated (SI)
- Deliver 1 shock if indicated
- If patient does not wake up do 2 mins or 5 cycles of CPR.
- Press analyze button
- Deliver shock if indicated
- After 3 shocks prepare for transport.
AED cardiac arrest treatment sequence for no shock indicated (NSI)
- Do 2 mins or 5 cycles of CPR
- Press analyze button
- No shock indicated
- Perform 2 mins or 5 cycles of CPR
When to transport patient
- You have administered three shocks
- You have received 3 consecutive NSI messages separated by 2 mins of CPR
- Patient regains pulse
Do not defibrillate
- If anyone is touching patient
- If patient is wearing nitro patch
- If patient is lying under water (Dry patient)
- If patient is touching metal
The only contraindication to using defib pads
-If pads wont fit on patient without touching each other.
Implants and surgeries
- Cardiac pacemaker
- Implanted defibrillator
- Ventricular assist device
- Cardiac bypass surgery
