Anatomy & Physiology
This organ pumps blood throughout the body.
What is the heart?
Chest pain or discomfort is the hallmark symptom of this cardiovascular emergency.
What is acute coronary syndrome (ACS)?
This vital sign should be checked in both arms when assessing a possible cardiovascular emergency.
What is blood pressure?
This cardiovascular emergency occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked.
What is a myocardial infarction?
his chamber of the heart pumps oxygenated blood to the body through the aorta.
What is the left ventricle?
Patients experiencing a myocardial infarction often report pain radiating to these two common areas.
What are the jaw and left arm?
This heart rhythm is characterized by an irregularly irregular pulse.
What is atrial fibrillation?
This condition results from the heart's inability to effectively pump blood.
What is congestive heart failure (CHF)?
These vessels supply oxygen-rich blood directly to the heart muscle.
What are the coronary arteries?
Shortness of breath, crackles, and pink frothy sputum are signs of this condition.
What is pulmonary edema?
EMTs should obtain this assessment tool early when evaluating a patient with suspected cardiac chest pain.
What is the OPQRST assessment?
A patient presents with sudden tearing chest pain radiating to the back. This condition should be suspected.
What is an aortic dissection?
This electrical structure is known as the heart's natural pacemaker.
What is the sinoatrial (SA) node?
This symptom occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's demands, leading to poor tissue perfusion.
What is shock?
When assessing chest pain, these three findings are considered common signs of poor perfusion and increased sympathetic response.
What are pale skin, cool skin, and diaphoresis?
A patient has chest pain, hypotension, and clear lung sounds after taking nitroglycerin. This type of myocardial infarction should be suspected.
What is a right ventricular infarction?
This phase of the cardiac cycle occurs when the ventricles contract and eject blood.
What is systole?
Distended neck veins, hypotension, and muffled heart sounds make up this classic triad.
What is Beck's Triad?
A patient complains of chest pain that began while shoveling snow. The pain is relieved by rest and returns when activity resumes. This condition is most likely.
What is stable angina?
A patient presents with chest pain, dyspnea, diaphoresis, hypotension, and jugular venous distention. Lung sounds are clear. This life-threatening diagnosis should be considered.
What is cardiac tamponade?