Nursing care of patients requiring cardiac interventions Flashcards
What is coronary heart disease?
A reduction or complete obstruction of blood flow through the coronary arteries due to narrowing from atherosclerosis
How does coronary heart disease present?
Usually presents as chest pain
How is coronary heart disease diagnosed?
• History • Physical assessment • Diagnostic and Imaging Studies – Electrocardiogram (ECG) and/or stress test – Echocardiogram – Angiogram
What is the treatment of coronary heart disease?
• Lifestyle moderation • Pharmacologic therapy • Risk factor management • Surgical management – Angioplasty and stent implantation – Bypass surgery – Implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD)
What can be done for the treatment of lifestyle moderation in people with coronary heart disease?
cessation of smoking
exercise
weight control
cardiac educator
What pharmacological treatments are used for coronary heart disease?
- Antiplatelet Agents
- Antianginal Agents
- Risk factor management
When doing a physical assessment for the heart what do we do?
vital signs
pulses
deformities and or discomfort
auscultation
What is a coronary angiogram?
- A specialised x-ray which looks for disease in the blood vessels
- The catheter tube will be inserted into either the groin (femoral) artery or the upper arm (brachial) artery
- Contrast reveals any blockages or narrowing of blood vessels
What is angioplasty?
a procedure which can follow an angiogram
a deflated balloon can be inflated into the artery to widen narrowing
What is a stent?
happens during an angioplasty
a stent is a small metal mesh pipe placed in the blocked or narrowed blood vessel that expands permanently to keep the area open allowing more blood to flow
How do you prepare the patient for an angiogram?
• Prepare skin and site – bilateral groin shave • Fasting • Allergies – contrast medium • Neurovascular assessment • Educate – Darkened room at times – Cold – Equipment – Hard table – Hot flush with dye – Palpitations – Pain during procedure • Pre-medication
Where can they approach the heart?
Femoral or brachial
What nursing care happens after the procedure?
• Keep the extremity straight and immobilised 6-8 hours (varies between institutions) • Frequent vital signs puncture site observations – 15 minutely first hour • Pressure to puncture site if coughing, laughing • Neurovascular assessment
What are possible complications of angioplasty?
• Bruising to puncture site • Allergic reaction to contrast • Loss of kidney function • dysrhythmias • perforation • CVA, MI – thrombosis – embolism – Aneurysm • Haemorrhage • Infection
What is a bypass graft
often referred to as open heart surgery
• Requires a sternotomy
• Cardiopulmonary Bypass
• Is being done “off pump”