Cardiac Emergencies Study Guide PDF

1. Our main goal with a chest pain patient is to recognize the **[POSSIBILITY]** of a cardiac emergency, or cardiac compromise, and provide the patient with proper care and transport them to the proper facility. 2. The conduction system a. Understand the electrical impulse pathw...

1. Our main goal with a chest pain patient is to recognize the **[POSSIBILITY]** of a cardiac emergency, or cardiac compromise, and provide the patient with proper care and transport them to the proper facility. 2. The conduction system a. Understand the electrical impulse pathway i. SA ii. AV iii. Bundle of HIS iv. Purkinje fibers b. Understand which dysrhythmias can lead to sudden cardiac arrest 3. Be able to trace a drop of blood through the heart forwards, backwards, and in between 4. Understand the coronary arteries and how they become occluded 5. Pathophysiology, Signs/Symptoms, and Treatment c. Angina d. Acute Myocardial Infarction v. Be able to differential diagnose between them (meaning: tell them apart from one another) vi. Who is susceptible to silent MI's? e. Aortic aneurysm and dissection f. Congestive Heart Failure vii. Left side 1. Lung side, emergency side 2. Leads to crackles/rales, chest pain and difficulty breathing viii. Right side 3. Systemic side 4. Edema of ankles, JVD 6. Medications g. Nitroglycerin and Aspirin (NTG and ASA) ix. Trade and generic names x. Indications xi. Route given 5. NTG -- sublingual 6. ASA -- oral, chewable xii. Contraindications xiii. Side effects xiv. Medication form 7. NTG -- spray, sublingual tablet, paste 8. ASA -- tablet, chewable xv. Actions 9. What does it do to the body and why does that help us with a cardiac patient?