ECG and BP and Intro/15.1 AQ

1. What does EKG/ECG stand for?

Electrocardiogram

What does an EKG/ECG measure in the heart?

Electrical activity

What is an Electrocardiogram?

tool used to visualize the electricity that flows through the heart

List 2 reasons a doctor might order an EKG/ECG:

1. Diagnose Heart conditions

2. Make sure you are fit for an upcoming surgery

What is a P wave?

__ are atrial depolarisation ( the DEPOLORIZATION OF THE ATRIA)

Healthy individuals - ____ should precede each QRS complex

What is a QRS Complex?

The ___ represents the depolarization of the ventricles

• Three closely related waves on the ECG (Q, R, and S)

What is the Q part of the QRS complex? (Q WAVE)

represents the initial depolarization of the interventricular septum. 

• This is the first negative deflection following the P wave.

What is the R part of the QRS complex? (R WAVE)

The _____ is the largest wave of the QRS complex: represents the main electrical stimulus as it passes through the main portion of the ventricular walls.

What is the S part of the QRS complex? (S WAVE)

The ___ represents the final depolarization of the ventricles.

What is the T wave?

Represents Ventricular repolarization

__ waves represent ventricular repolarisation 

• Small wave after the QRS complex

• Should appear as an _upright_ wave following the QRS complex. 

Why is the QRS complex usually the largest wave?

 It is the largest wave due to it representing depolarization of ventricles, which require a much stronger electrical signal to contract.

What is the normal resting heart rate range for adults?

60-100_ bpm

List 2 characteristics of normal sinus rhythm

1. Each QRS complex is preceded by a normal P wave

2. The PR interval remains constant

3. QRS complexes < 100 ms wide

Why is a regular rhythm important for effective blood flow?

Allows nutrients, oxygen and waste to move effectively and efficiently thought the body (so that every part of the body get a good amount of O2).

What is Sinus Bradycardia?

A condition in which the individual has a heart rate that is less than 60 bpm (for the adult range) or has a resting heart rate that is below a child’s range (if the indivudal is a child)

When might sinus bradycardia be considered normal?

1. normal during sleep 

1. List 2 symptoms that could occur if heart rate becomes too low (Sinus Bradycardia)

1. Fatigue, dizziness, and a lightheaded state 

2. Vagal Stimulation 

What is Sinus Tachycardia?

 When the heart rate “>” (More than) 100 bpm in adults

3 possible causes of sinus tachycardia?

1. Anaemia

2. Pulmonary Embolism

3. Anxiety

Is sinus tachycardia always a medical emergency?

No, because maybe you feel anxious and that makes your heart beat faster than ususal.

What is Atrial Fibrillation?

When the atria begins to contract and produce electrical activity that is disorganized and sporadic

What EKG/ECG feature is missing or irregular in ATRIAL FIBRILATION?

1. P waves and an isoelectric baseline are missing from the EKG/ECG. Irregularities can include irregular rhythm, and the aspect of fibrillatory waves mimicking p waves (often leading to a misdiagnosis)

Why does atrial fibrillation increase the risk of stroke?

1. the heart’s upper chamber quivers instead of beating in a more effective way.

   1. causes blood to pool and form clots that can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. 

Patient Scenario:

A 74-year-old patient experiences fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath.  Their EKG/ECG shows an irregular rhythm with no visible P waves.

1. Which rhythm is most likely present?

2. What is the biggest danger associated with this condition? 

3. Why would an EKG/ECG be critical in diagnosing this patient? 

1. irregular and very rapid rhythm

2. Risk of stoke, heart failure, death

3. To check if the heart goes back to a regular rhythm after giving them electric cardioversion/electric start. 

Why is it important for healthcare workers to understand basic EKG/ECG interpretation?

Helps them understand irregularities in the wave, and simulate treatment interventions based on it.

How does combining EKG/ECG findings with patient symptoms improve patient care?

1. enables rapid and clear diagnosis of acute cardiac conditions, which leads to faster treatment interventions and better patient outcomes overall. 

What is ventricular trachyardia?

serious, fast heart rhythm (\(>100\) beats/min) from ventricles.

Why is ventricular tachycardia considered life-threatening?

It prevents the heart from filling properly, limiting blood flow to the body, and can cause dizziness, fainting, or sudden cardiac arrest. Sustained VT (lasting over 30 seconds) is a medical emergency

• could lead to decreased myocardial perfusion

What emergency intervention may be required for ventricular tachycardia?

Defibrillation and Electrical Cardioversion.

What is Blood pressure?

The force blood exerts on the muscular walls of the blood vessel

What is Systolic blood pressure

1. The blood pressure when the heart contracts to force blood through the arteries (highest value/pressure) 

What is Diastolic blood pressure?

1. The blood pressure (lowest in the arteries) when the heart is between beats and resting 

What is Vascular Resistance?

The friction between the blood vessel walls and the blood, can increase blood pressure

• the resistance that blood must overcome to flow through the circulatory system, primarily determined by the diameter of arterioles and blood viscosity

What is a pulse?

1. From one expansion to contraction (1 cycle of the arteries/heart beat) : makes up the heart rate 

What increases Blood pressure?

Physical exercise, increased heart rate, vasoconstriction, increase in vascular resistance, increase in blood vessel length, increase in the number of red blood cells, increased urination, suddenly going from laying down to standing

What decreases Blood pressure?

Vasodilation and decrease in blood viscosity

What is the device used to measure blood pressure called?

Sphygmomanometer

When taking blood pressure, the first sound heard through the stethoscope corresponds to…

The systolic pressure

The last sound that is heard through the stethoscope corresponds to…

when the pressure reaches diastolic levels/pressure

The various sounds that are heard while taking blood pressure are called…

Korotkoff

Normal adult blood pressure should be below…

__120/80_

What is the respiratory system?

It provides th ebody a way to get O2 and eleiminate CO2

Where does O2 and CO2 Exchange happen?

in the alveoli

What are aveloi (s) ?

(air-filled pocket in the lungs)

• very delicate ; very thin → in order for rapid diffusion between air and blood

Is the cardiovascualr systemn the link between instersitial fluids and exchange surfaces of the lungs?

YES

What are the 5 fuctions of the respiratory system?

1. Provides a large area for gas exchange beween air and circulating blood

2. Moves air to form the gas exchanges of the lungs

3. protects the respiatory surfaces from dehydration, pathogens, and tempurature changes

4. Helps produce sounds : singing, speaking, other communication tactics

5. Helps aid the sens eof smell : olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity

WHat are th emajor anatomical structures of the Resp. system?

1. Nose : nasal cavity + paranasal sinuses

2. Pharynx (throat)

3. Layrnx (voice box)

4. Trachea (windpipe)

5. Bronchi

6. Lungs

What are two strucutres that the lungs have?

1. Bronchioles - air ocnduction passageways

2. Alveoli - gas exchange surfaces

What is the respiratory tract?

passage ways that carries air to and from lung exchange surfaces

What is the respiratory tract split into?

1. Upper - conduction portion

2. Lower - Respiratory portion

What is the Upper - conduction portion of the Respiratory tract?

• Starts at nasal cavitites.. ot the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and finally to the bronchioles

What is the lower respiratory portion of the respiratory tract?

• includes teh mallest/most delicate bronchicoles and alveoli in lungs

What are 3 things the conducting passage ways of the respiratory tact can do?

1. Filter air

2. Warm air

3. Humidify air

** PROTECTS THE ALVEOLI FROM DEBRIS, PATHOGENS, AND ENVROMENTAL EXTREMES

What is the respiratory mucosa?

lives in the conucting portion of the respiratory tract

• makes mucosa (mucous membranes)

• is made of respiratory epithelium : CILIATED columnar epithelium

What is the structure of the CILIATED columnar epithelium? (in the respiatory mucosa(?))

• contains many mucosa cells

• has an underlying areolar layer - “lamina propria”

• has mucos glands (secretes into the epithelial surface)

Exhancge surfaces of the respiratory sytem can be extremely damaged if…

1. Air inhaled has debris/pathogens

   1. This is prevented by the mucous glands (and mucous)

      1. Cilia sweeps mucous/trapped debris/mircoorganisms to the pharynx

      2. ** in the pharynx, the foreign objects can be swallowed/exposed to acids/enzymes of the stomach

What does the mucous do?

• “bathes the exposed surfaces of the respiratory tract from the nasal cavity to the bronchi