Emergency Management
This medication is administered to a patient experiencing chest pain from an MI to reduce clot formation
What is Aspirin
*along with its anti-inflammatory and pain reducing qualities, it is also an antiplatelet medication, meaning it keeps the blood thin and prevents clots from forming. Can be taken daily as well for preventative measures (81 mg)
a BNP greater than 100 may be an indication of what?
Heart Failure
This cardiac medication is often used to treat bradycardia by increasing heart rate and is commonly administered in emergency settings.
What is atropine?
what does the P wave represent on an EKG?
the P wave represents atrial depolarization, which triggers atrial contraction
what position should a patient be placed in if they are experiencing SOB d/t HF?
The patient should be placed in High-Fowler's to improve breathing
This medication class is often administered to improve contractility in patients with cardiogenic shock.
What are inotropes? (dobutamine, dopamine)
*inotropes help the heart pump better, improving adequate perfusion to vital organs
This cardiac biomarker is released into the bloodstream after myocardial injury and is considered the gold standard for diagnosing a heart attack.
What is troponin?
Which medication class is commonly prescribed to treat arrhythmias and help slow HR in patients with a-fib?
Beta-Blockers
A patient presents with a wide QRS complex and a HR of 180 bpm. The nurse understands that the patient is in what irregular rhythm?
Ventricular tachycardia
This cardiovascular assessment finding, characterized by swelling in the lower extremities, is commonly associated with heart failure or venous insufficiency.
What is peripheral edema?
This medication is commonly used in hypertensive emergencies to lower blood pressure quickly by causing vasodilation.
What is Nitroglycerin
This test measures the electrical activity of the heart and is commonly used to diagnose arrhythmias, ischemia, and myocardial infarction.
What is an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)?
What is the role of diuretics in managing heart failure?
Diuretics help reduce fluid retention and swelling by promoting urine output, thus relieving HF symptoms like edema and SOB
This EKG finding is characterized by a prolonged PR interval, greater than 300 milliseconds, and can indicate a type of heart block.
What is first-degree heart block?
A patient is admitted to the med surg floor following a total hip arthroplasty. After receiving a dose of Heparin the patient began showing signs of excessive nose bleeds, formation of petechiae, and blood in urine and stool. Using your amazing assessment skills, the RN knows what has potentially occurred and what is the antidote?
Heparin overdose - administer protamine sulfate as prescribed.
This test measures the time it takes for blood to clot and is often used to monitor patients on anticoagulant therapy, particularly those taking warfarin.
What is the prothrombin time (PT) or international normalized ratio (INR)?
This anticoagulant is commonly used to prevent clot formation in patients with atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism and requires monitoring of INR levels.
What is warfarin?
This EKG rhythm is characterized by rapid, irregular waves with no identifiable P waves or QRS complexes, often associated with a high risk of stroke.
What is atrial fibrillation?
For a patient with hypertension, these non-pharmacological interventions can help reduce blood pressure over time and are considered modifiable lifestyle changes.
What is patient education for encouraging weight loss, DASH diet, reducing salt intake, lowering alcohol consumption, smoking cessation, and promoting physical activity.
*DASH diet: fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, low saturated fats, low total fat
*sodium restriction less than 2 g/day
This medication, used to treat heart failure and atrial fibrillation, increases the force of myocardial contraction and requires monitoring for toxicity, with symptoms like nausea, vision changes, and arrhythmias.
What is digoxin?
This life-threatening arrhythmia appears as a rapid, chaotic electrical activity with no discernible QRS complexes, P waves, or T waves, and requires immediate defibrillation.
What is ventricular fibrillation?