Chapter 17

Cardiovascular emergencies

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)

A group of symptoms caused by myocardial ischemia; includes angina and myocardial infarction

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI)

A high attack; death of heart muscle following obstruction of blood flow to it.

Angina Pectoris

Transient (short-lived) chest discomfort caused by partial or temporary blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle; also called angina

Anterior

The front surface of the body; the side facing you in the standard anatomic position

Aorta

The main artery, which receives blood from the left ventricle and delivers it to all the other arteries that carry blood to the tissues of the body

Aortic aneurysm

A weakness in the wall of the aorta that makes it susceptible to rupture

Aortic Valve

The one-way vale that lies between the left ventricle and the aorta and keeps blood from flowing back into the left ventricle after the left ventricle ejects its blood into the aorta; one of four heart valves

Artifact

A tracing on an ECG that is the result of interference, such as patient movement, rather than the heart’s electrical activity

Asystole

The complete absence of all heart electrical activity

Atherosclerosis

A disorder in which cholesterol and calcium build up inside the walls of blood vessels, eventually leading to partial or complete blockage of blood flow

Atrium

One of the two upper chambers of the heart

Automaticity

The ability of cardiac muscle cells to contract without stimulation from the nervous system

bradycardia

A slow heart rate, less than 60 beats/min

cardiac arrest

When the heart fails to generate effective and detectable blood flow; pulses are not palpable in cardiac arrest, even if muscular and electrical activity continues in the heart

cardiac output

A measure of the volume of blood circulated by the heart in 1 minute, calculated by multiplying the stroke volume by the heart rate

cariogenic shock

A state in which not enough oxygen is delivered to the tissues of the body, caused by low output of blood from the heart. It can be a severe complications of a large acute myocardial infarction, as well as other conditions

Congestive Heart Failure CHF

A disorder in which the heart loses part of its ability to effectively pump blood, usually as a result of damage to the heart muscle and usually resulting in a backup of fluid into the lungs

Coronary arteries

The blood vessels that carry blood and nutrients to the heart muscles

defibrillate

To shock a fibrillating (chaotically shaking) heart with specialized electric current in an attempt to restore a normal, rhythmic beat

dependent edema

Swelling in the part of the body closet to the ground, caused by collection of fluid in the tissues; a possible sign of congestive heart failure

dilation

widening of a tubular structure such as a coronary artery

dissecting aneurysm

A condition in which the inner layers of an artery, such as the aorta, become separated, allowing blood (at high pressures) to flow between the layers

dysrhythmia

An irregular or abnormal heart rhythm

Hypertensive emergency

An emergency situation created by excessively high blood pressure, which can lead to serious complications such as stroke or aneurysms

infarction

death of a body tissue, usually caused by interruption of its blood supply

inferior

below a body part or nearer to the feet

ischemia

A lack of oxygen that deprives tissues of necessary nutrients, resulting from partial or complete blockage of blood flow; potentially reversible because permanent injury has not yet occured

lumen

the inside diameter of an artery or other hollow structure

myocardium

the heart muscle

occlusion

A blockage, usually of a tubular structure such as a blood vessel

parasympathetic nervous system

The part of the autonomic nervous system that controls vegetative functions such as digestion of food and relaxation

perfusion

the circulation of oxygenated blood within an organ or tissue in adequate amounts to meet the cells’ current needs

posterior

The back surface of the body; the side away from you in the standard anatomic position

ROSC

The return of a pulse and effective blood flow to the body in a patient who previously was in cardiac arrest

stroke volume

The volume of blood ejected with each ventricular contraction

Superior

Above a body part or nearer to the head

Sympathetic nervous system

The part of the autonomic nervous system that controls active functions such as responding to fear

syncope

A fainting spell or transient loss of consciousness

tachycardia

A rapid heart rate, more than 100 beats/minute

thromboembolism

A blood clot that has formed within a blood vessel and is floating within the bloodstream

Ventricle

One of the two lower chambers of the heart

Ventricular fibrillation

disorganized, ineffective quivering of the ventricles, resulting in no blood flow and a state of cardiac arrest

Ventricular tachycardia

A rapid heart rhythm in which the electrical impulses begins in the ventricle (instead of the atria) which may result in inadequate blood flow and eventually deteriorate into cardiac arrest