Cardiac
Cardiac (6)
Did you know. It seems many don't. There are two types of paediatric defib pads available which have different age and weight indications.
ZOLL PEDI PADZ are for patients that are 15kg (approximately 4 years) or less.
ZOLL PEDI PADZ II are for patients weighing less than 25kg. (0-8 years)
Published in
Cardiac
Monday, 13 November 2006 10:54
Systolic Blood Pressure Predicts Mortality In Heart Failure Patients
Written by Administrator
Systolic blood pressure, a readily available vital sign taken at hospital
admission, has been found to be a key factor in predicting mortality risk and
revealing important disease characteristics for heart failure patients,
according to a team of academic researchers.
Published in
Cardiac
Pericarditis is usually a complication of viral infections caused by adenovirus and coxsackie virus. Less frequently, it can be caused by the polio, influenza or rubella viruses. Infections with bacteria can lead to bacterial pericarditis (also called purulent pericarditis). Some fungal infections can also produce pericarditis.
In addition, pericarditis can be associated with systemic diseases such as autoimmune disorders, rheumatic fever, tuberculosis, cancer, leukemia, kidney failure, HIV infections, AIDS and hypothyroidism. Heart disorders which can cause pericarditis include heart attack (see post-MI pericarditis) and myocarditis. Radiation therapy to the chest and medications that suppress the immune system can also sometimes induce this condition.
Pericarditis can also result from injury (including surgery) or trauma to the chest, esophagus or heart.
Quite often, the cause of pericarditis remains unknown; this disorder is called idiopathic pericarditis.
Pericarditis most often affects men ages 20 to 50, usually following respiratory infections. It can also occur in children, where it is most commonly caused by adenovirus or coxsackie virus.
In addition, pericarditis can be associated with systemic diseases such as autoimmune disorders, rheumatic fever, tuberculosis, cancer, leukemia, kidney failure, HIV infections, AIDS and hypothyroidism. Heart disorders which can cause pericarditis include heart attack (see post-MI pericarditis) and myocarditis. Radiation therapy to the chest and medications that suppress the immune system can also sometimes induce this condition.
Pericarditis can also result from injury (including surgery) or trauma to the chest, esophagus or heart.
Quite often, the cause of pericarditis remains unknown; this disorder is called idiopathic pericarditis.
Pericarditis most often affects men ages 20 to 50, usually following respiratory infections. It can also occur in children, where it is most commonly caused by adenovirus or coxsackie virus.
Published in
Cardiac
Left Ventricular Failure
LVF occurs when the left ventricle is unable to pump all the blood that is delivered to it by the right ventricle at a satisfactory rate. This diminishes the amount of oxygenated blood circulating around the body supplying the brain and heart itself. This inability to pump adequately Is due to damage of the heart muscle caused by myocardial infarct or atherosclerosis.
Blood backs up from the left ventricle into the left atrium causing distension and gorging of the pulmonary veins. This back-pressure causes fluid from the blood to be forced through the walls of the alveoli resulting in fluid in the lung called oedema.
The right ventricle which usually pumps blood through the lungs will experience problems due to this build up of fluid and pressure in the alveoli, and will inevitably go into failure itself. This combination of left and right ventricular failure is called complete congestive heart failure (CCF)
Signs & Symptoms
Difficult breathing
Nosiy wheezy breathing
Tachycardia
Distended neck veins
Blood stained sputum
Lowered level of consciousness
Orthopneoea
Sweating
LVF occurs when the left ventricle is unable to pump all the blood that is delivered to it by the right ventricle at a satisfactory rate. This diminishes the amount of oxygenated blood circulating around the body supplying the brain and heart itself. This inability to pump adequately Is due to damage of the heart muscle caused by myocardial infarct or atherosclerosis.
Blood backs up from the left ventricle into the left atrium causing distension and gorging of the pulmonary veins. This back-pressure causes fluid from the blood to be forced through the walls of the alveoli resulting in fluid in the lung called oedema.
The right ventricle which usually pumps blood through the lungs will experience problems due to this build up of fluid and pressure in the alveoli, and will inevitably go into failure itself. This combination of left and right ventricular failure is called complete congestive heart failure (CCF)
Signs & Symptoms
Difficult breathing
Nosiy wheezy breathing
Tachycardia
Distended neck veins
Blood stained sputum
Lowered level of consciousness
Orthopneoea
Sweating
Published in
Cardiac
Myocardial Infarct
When the atherosclerosis reaches the stage when no blood can pass through the lumen of the blood vessels, the tissues usually supplied by that vessel will die. This area of dead tissue is called the INFARCT. When this process happens within the heart muscle it is called a MYOCARDIAL INFARCT. The layman’s term for this is called a “Heart Attack”
The signs and symptoms of both angina and an MI – myocardial infarct are very similar. The only difference under normal circumstances being that the pain of angina will be relieved by medication (except unstable angina).
Signs & Symptoms
Gripping Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Radiating pain down arms (usually left arm)
Pins and needles in hands and fingers
Nausea
Weakness
Sweating
Orthopnea
Feeling unwell
Yellowish – pale grey complexion
When the atherosclerosis reaches the stage when no blood can pass through the lumen of the blood vessels, the tissues usually supplied by that vessel will die. This area of dead tissue is called the INFARCT. When this process happens within the heart muscle it is called a MYOCARDIAL INFARCT. The layman’s term for this is called a “Heart Attack”
The signs and symptoms of both angina and an MI – myocardial infarct are very similar. The only difference under normal circumstances being that the pain of angina will be relieved by medication (except unstable angina).
Signs & Symptoms
Gripping Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Radiating pain down arms (usually left arm)
Pins and needles in hands and fingers
Nausea
Weakness
Sweating
Orthopnea
Feeling unwell
Yellowish – pale grey complexion
Published in
Cardiac
Angina Petoris
Angina Pectoris is a condition where the patient suffers from severe to moderate CENTRAL CHEST PAIN due to inadequate oxygen supply to the heart muscle. The patient also suffers a feeling of suffocation that is sometimes accompanied by shortness of breath. Angina usually occurs in middle to late life and can be brought on by any number of different factors
Exertion
Anxiety
Stress
Lack of Exercise
Hypertension
High cholesterol
Over eating
Family history
It is not uncommon for the patient to recover quite quickly from an attack, once the have rested for a short time, or maybe taken their medication. This usually consists of small white tablets put under the tongue, or a spray. Whichever method of administration the drug of choice I usually GTN – Glyceryl trinitrate.
Some patients however, may experience the pain of angina for absolutely no reason and may even be woken from sleep as a result. This type of angina is called UNSTABLE and will seldom go away with ordinary medication. This type of condition is a dire emergency and immediate hospitalisation must be sought. There is a very high risk of this condition deteriorating into a myocardial infarction and you must be ready to resuscitate if necessary.
The inadequate supply of oxygen to the heart muscle, the myocardium, is caused through a progressive narrowing of the blood vessels that supply it. This is called atherosclerosis. The progressive narrowing is caused by lesions formed by a fatty substance establishing itself on the walls of the blood vessels supplying the heart. As these lesions grow they trap mineral salts and begin to harden. As they do so, the lumen (the hole though the middle) of the vessel gets smaller and smaller until such time as the bore is so small that blood can no longer pass through. Atherosclerosis can easily be likened to the furring up of water pipes
Source: Paramedic Theory “fourth Edition”
Angina Pectoris is a condition where the patient suffers from severe to moderate CENTRAL CHEST PAIN due to inadequate oxygen supply to the heart muscle. The patient also suffers a feeling of suffocation that is sometimes accompanied by shortness of breath. Angina usually occurs in middle to late life and can be brought on by any number of different factors
Exertion
Anxiety
Stress
Lack of Exercise
Hypertension
High cholesterol
Over eating
Family history
It is not uncommon for the patient to recover quite quickly from an attack, once the have rested for a short time, or maybe taken their medication. This usually consists of small white tablets put under the tongue, or a spray. Whichever method of administration the drug of choice I usually GTN – Glyceryl trinitrate.
Some patients however, may experience the pain of angina for absolutely no reason and may even be woken from sleep as a result. This type of angina is called UNSTABLE and will seldom go away with ordinary medication. This type of condition is a dire emergency and immediate hospitalisation must be sought. There is a very high risk of this condition deteriorating into a myocardial infarction and you must be ready to resuscitate if necessary.
The inadequate supply of oxygen to the heart muscle, the myocardium, is caused through a progressive narrowing of the blood vessels that supply it. This is called atherosclerosis. The progressive narrowing is caused by lesions formed by a fatty substance establishing itself on the walls of the blood vessels supplying the heart. As these lesions grow they trap mineral salts and begin to harden. As they do so, the lumen (the hole though the middle) of the vessel gets smaller and smaller until such time as the bore is so small that blood can no longer pass through. Atherosclerosis can easily be likened to the furring up of water pipes
Source: Paramedic Theory “fourth Edition”
Published in
Cardiac
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