Vagal Maneuvers with Supraventricular Tachycardia Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a common heart abnormality that presents as a fast heart rate. SVT is a generic term applied to any tachycardia originating above the ventricles and which involves atrial tissue or atrioventricular (AV) nodal tissue.4 This heart rhythm disturbance can occur in healthy individuals and may include such symptoms as chest pain, palpitations, […]
Shockable Rhythms: Ventricular Tachycardia, Ventricular Fibrillation, Supraventricular Tachycardia Much of Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is about determining the right medication to use at the appropriate time and deciding when to defibrillate. Along with high-quality CPR, emergency medicines and defibrillation are the only two interventions that are likely to restart the arrested heart. Defibrillation a powerful tool in the hands of the ACLS […]
AEDs – Special Circumstances AEDs were originally developed to speed defibrillation in cases of out of-hospital cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation (VF) or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT) by enabling more rescuers, including laypeople, to defibrillate.3 The process behind successfully using an AED in an emergency is well-known to healthcare providers and laypersons who have taken even the most basic […]
Sudden Cardiac Arrest and the Hs and Ts Sudden cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death can happen in every healthcare setting. Sudden cardiac arrest is a major healthcare problem in the United States that accounts for up to 350,000 deaths per year.27 Irrespective of the cause of cardiac arrest, early recognition and calling for help, including appropriate management of the deteriorating patient, early defibrillation, […]
THROMBINS2 Is the New MONA Cardiovascular disease and its sequalae remain one of the largest health care problems in the United States. Each year there are approximately 620,000 new cases of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and 295,000 recurrent ACS events.7 ACS can be subdivided into three different categories: unstable angina (UA), non ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). […]
Effective Use of Oropharyngeal and Nasopharyngeal Airways The Importance Of Proper Care And Insertion of Airways Whether it’s an oropharyngeal airway or a nasopharyngeal airway, ensuring your knowledge base to know when to employ these adjuncts and the correct procedure for insertion can significantly affect patient outcomes. Oropharyngeal Airway Care The oropharyngeal airway adjunct is a curved plastic tube that medical professionals […]
