EMT Chapter 17

Syncope

"Passing out", loss of consciousness or fainting.

Arteriole

Smallest artery, leading to a capillary.

Venule

Smallest vein, leading from a capillary.

Aortic Dissection

Tear in the inner lining of the aorta; pain is commonly described as sharp or tearing, syncope may be the only sign in some patients.

Ventricles

The QRS complex represents depolarization of the:

Asystole

The absence of electrical activity and pumping action in the heart.

Coronary Arteries

The arteries that branch off the base of the aorta and supply the heart with oxygen-rich blood.

Mitral (bicuspid)

The blood in the left atrium is ejected through the _____ valve and into the left ventricle upon contraction of the heart.

Perfusion

The delivery of oxygen and nutrients from the blood, through the thin capillary walls into the cells, and the removal or carbon dioxide and other waste products.

Sinoatrial Node

The electrical impulse that causes the heart to contract is generated in the right atrium at the:

Bachmann's Bundle

The electrical impulses generated by the sinoatrial node travels through the right and left atria by way of the:

P Wave

The first waveform of the ECG.

Blood Pressure

The force exerted during circulation of the blood against the arterial walls.

Cardiac Conduction System

The heart's specialized conductive tissue system that allows it to generate electrical impulses.

Systolic Blood Pressure

The measured force within the blood vessels exerted during the contraction of the heart.

Chest Discomfort/Pain

The most common sign of cardiac compromise. Also the typical feeling or response a patient has from ischemia to the heart.

Atria

The top two champers on each side of the heart.

Vena Cava

The two major veins that cary oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the inferior and superior:

Tricuspid Valve

The valve located between the right atrium and the right ventricle that prevents blood from returning to the right atrium.

Capillary

Tiny blood vessel connecting arterioles to venules; the site of gas and nutrient exchange.

Capillaries

Tiny blood vessels that connect arterioles to venules.

Cardiac Arrest

Unresponsive patient with no respiration and no pulse.

Atherosclerosis

An inflammatory disease that starts with the intimal lining of the blood vessel.

Diagnose

As an EMT, you should not take the time to try to ______ the type or cause of a cardiac emergency.

Angina Pectoris

Chest pain that results when the heart does not get enough oxygen; signs include anxiety, dyspnea, and diarrhea.

Platelets

Component of the blood essential to the formation of blood clots.

Acute Myocardial Infarction

Death of a portion of the heart muscle because of an inadequate supply of oxygenated blood.

Hypoperfusion

Depressed delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the cells resulting from inadequate circulation of blood through the capillaries.

Ventricular Fibrillation

During cardiac arrest, instead of smooth contractions, the heart may display a different type of electrical activity, most commonly the uncoordinated twitchings known as:

Depolarization, Repolarization

Each mechanical contraction of the heart has two distinct components of electrical activity: __________ and ___________.

Internodal Tract

Electrical impulses travel from the sinoatrial node to the atrioventricular node by way of the:

Components of the Cardiovascular System

Heart, blood vessels, blood.

Three Doses

If a patient experiences no relief after one dose of nitroglycerin, another dose may be administered after 3-5 minutes if authorized by medical direction, up to a maximum of:

2, nasal cannula

If the responsive patient with chest discomfort/pain is breathing adequately and has a SpO2 of 92%, you would administer oxygen at _______ liters per minute via a ________.

Cardiac Problems

In cases involving a patient who complains of chest discomfort or chest pain and difficulty breathing, the EMT should initially suspect:

Hypoxia

Low oxygen saturation of the body, not enough oxygen in the blood. The most common result of cardiac arrest in children.

Carotid Artery

Major artery of the neck.

Femoral Artery

Major artery of the thigh.

Brachial Artery

Major artery of the upper arm.

Aorta

Major artery that starts at the left ventricle and carries oxygen rich blood to the body.

Aortic Aneurysm

Occurs when a weakened section of the aortic wall dilates or balloons outward.

Ventricle

One of the two lower chambers of the heart.

Atrium

One of the two upper chambers of the heart.

Medications for Cardiac Patients

Oxygen, nitroglycerin, and aspirin.

Components of Clot Formation

Platelets, thrombin, fibrin.

Contraindication of Nitroglycerin

Recent uses of Viagra (or related substances).

Acute

Refers to sudden onset in the term "acute coronary syndrome".

Diastolic Pressure

Represents the pressure exerted against the arterial walls during relaxation on the left ventricle.

Atrial Systole

When both atria contract.

Pulseless Electrical Activity

When the heart has a rhythm but is so weakened that it fails to pump, or it does not respond to the electrical activity, or there is so much blood loss that there is nothing to pump, the rhythm is called:

Artery

A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart.

Headache

A common side effect of the administration of nitroglycerin.

Nitroglycerin

A commonly prescribed medication for anginal chest pain. Dilates the blood vessels in the heart.

Plaque

A fatty deposit within an artery.

90 mmHg

Because nitroglycerin lowers blood pressure, it must not be given to a patient whose systolic blood pressure is lower than:

Thrombus

Blood components respond to injury by forming a clot, or ______, in an effort to stop bleeding.

Sternum

Breastbone, located in the center of the chest.