Cardiology / EKG
This rapid, chaotic rhythm lacks discernible P waves or QRS complexes and requires immediate unsynchronized defibrillation.
What is Ventricular Fibrillation (V-Fib)?
This competitive narcotic antagonist is administered to reverse respiratory depression induced by opioid overdoses.
What is Naloxone (Narcan)?
When using a capnography monitor, this specific phase of the waveform represents the expiratory plateau where alveolar gas is sampled.
What is Phase III?
This life-threatening endocrine emergency is characterized by a profoundly high blood glucose level, severe dehydration, and a lack of significant ketosis.
What is Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State (HHS)?
(or Hyperosmolar Non-Ketotic Coma / HHNC)
This is the term for a paradoxical movement of a segment of the chest wall caused by three or more ribs broken in two or more places.
What is a Flail Chest?
On a 12-lead EKG, ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF indicates an acute infarction in this anatomical wall of the heart.
What is the Inferior Wall?
This is the standard first-line adult dose and concentration of Epinephrine administered intramuscularly for severe anaphylaxis.
What is 0.3 mg of 1:1,000 (1 mg/mL)?
This visible anatomical landmark marks the internal bifurcation of the trachea into the right and left mainstem bronchi.
What is the carina?
This is a quick medical test used by emergency medical services (EMS) to find patients who are likely to be having a severe type of stroke.
What is the RACE Scale?
Beck's Triad, which indicates cardiac tamponade, consists of muffled heart sounds, hypotension, and this visible vascular sign.
What is Jugular Venous Distention (JVD)?
This unique, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia presents with a "twisting of the points" around the isoelectric line and is treated with Magnesium Sulfate.
What is Torsades de Pointes?
This powerful hormone and medication is indicated as a first-line antidote to treat a toxic overdose of beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers.
What is Glucagon?
This is NOW the preferred anatomical location for performing a needle chest decompression in a patient suffering from a tension pneumothorax.
What is the fifth intercostal space at the anterior axillary line?
This specific neurological condition is defined as a continuous seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes, or consecutive seizures without a return to consciousness between episodes.
What is Status Epilepticus?
This dangerous condition is defined by the onset of grand mal seizures in a pregnant patient who already exhibits preeclampsia.
What is Eclampsia?
This specific EKG feature is characterized by a progressively lengthening PR interval until a QRS complex is completely dropped.
What is Mobitz Type I (Wenckebach) Second-Degree AV Block?
This medication can be given for Reactive Airway Disease, Cardiac Arrest, and Wide Complex Tachycardia to relax bronchial smooth muscles and decrease myocardial cell excitability.
What is Magnesium Sulfate?
Respiratory distress with increasing EtCO2 levels with shark-fin waveform capnography.
What is impending respiratory failure or arrest?
This distinct type of distributive shock presents uniquely with hypotension, bradycardia, and warm, dry skin below the level of a spinal cord injury.
What is Neurogenic Shock?
This classic pediatric assessment tool utilizes three visual and auditory criteria: Appearance, Work of Breathing, and Circulation to Skin.
What is the Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT)?
This landmark is the intrinsic pacemaker of the heart, normally firing at an inherent rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute.
What is the Sinoatrial (SA) Node?
This class of antidysrhythmic medications, which includes Amiodarone, works primarily by blocking potassium channels to prolong action potential duration.
What is Class III?
This clinical calculation, which multiplies tidal volume minus dead space by the respiratory rate, determines the actual volume of gas reaching the gas-exchange areas each minute.
What is Alveolar Ventilation?
This classic group of physical signs—consisting of hypertension, bradycardia, and irregular respirations—signifies dangerously elevated intracranial pressure.
What is Cushing's Triad?
This upper-airway pediatric infection—often caused by the Haemophilus influenzae bacterium—presents with a high fever, severe sore throat, stridor, and a characteristic tripod position with drooling.
What is Epiglottitis?