In this course, you will study ventricular arrhythmias and lethal rhythms. You will learn about Premature Ventricular Contractions, Ventricular Tachycardia, Ventricular Fibrillation, Pulseless Electrical Activity, Agonal Rhythms, and Asystole.
Fatal or potentially fatal arrhythmias
The most dangerous arrhythmia is ventricular fibrillation, in which your ventricles quiver rather than beat steadily in time with your atria. Your ventricles will stop pumping blood to the rest of your body, including your heart muscle.
You will need to be able to recognize the four lethal rhythms. Asystole, Ventricle Tachycardia (VT), Ventricle Fibrillation (VF), and Polymorphic Ventricle Tachycardia (Torsade de pointes).
Two lethal arrhythmias that cause Sudden Cardiac Arrest include ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.
Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) are lethal cardiac arrhythmias, claiming a quarter million lives per year from sudden cardiac death (SCD).
You will learn about Premature Ventricular Contractions, Ventricular Tachycardia, Ventricular Fibrillation, Pulseless Electrical Activity, Agonal Rhythms, and Asystole. You will learn how to detect the warning signs of these rhythms, how to quickly interpret the rhythm, and to prioritize your nursing interventions.
A 2013 study showed that a resting heart rate over 90 bpm triples the risk of premature death as compared to the lowest heart rate category of less than 50 bpm. The resting heart rate for children varies by age.
The most common life-threatening arrhythmia is ventricular fibrillation, which is an erratic, disorganized firing of impulses from the ventricles (the heart's lower chambers). When this occurs, the heart is unable to pump blood and death will occur within minutes, if left untreated.
A premature, or extra, beat is a common, usually harmless type of arrhythmia that typically does not cause symptoms. Most healthy people who experience an occasional extra beat do not need treatment. However, if you have heart disease, a premature heartbeat can lead to a longer-lasting arrhythmia.
The AHA notes that an episode of AFib rarely causes death. However, these episodes can contribute to you experiencing other complications, such as stroke and heart failure, that can lead to death.
Rhythms that are not amenable to shock include pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole.
The two nonshockable rhythms are pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole and the two shockable rhythms are pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrilation.
atrial fibrillation (AF) – this is the most common type, where the heart beats irregularly and faster than normal.
Age positively correlates with an increasing risk of cardiac problems including arrhythmias. Not only the prevalence but also the severity of arrhythmias escalates with age.
Triggers include: Blood sugar levels that are too low or too high. Caffeine, illegal drugs, and medicines that make you more alert or increase your energy. Dehydration.
An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. It means your heart is out of its usual rhythm. It may feel like your heart skipped a beat, added a beat, or is "fluttering." It might feel like it's beating too fast (which doctors call tachycardia) or too slow (called bradycardia).
Of all antiarrhythmic agents, dofetilide and amiodarone have been proven safe in patients with heart failure.
“If you have symptoms of lightheadedness, chest pain, or shortness of breath along with an irregular heart rhythm, then seek help immediately,” says Mitiku. “You may have to be evaluated for the more dangerous arrhythmias or sudden cardiac arrest.”
In the final stages of heart failure, people feel breathless both during activity and at rest. Persistent coughing or wheezing. This may produce white or pink mucus. The cough may be worse at night or when lying down.
Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death, accounting for up to 80% of all cases. Cardiomyopathies and genetic channelopathies account for the remaining causes.
Ventricular fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia and is the most common cause of cardiac arrest. Ventricular fibrillation is a rapid heartbeat in the heart's ventricle, which causes the heart to tremble instead of normally pumping blood.
Go to your local emergency room or call 911 if you have: New, unexplained, and severe chest pain that comes with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or weakness. Fast heart rate (more than 120-150 beats per minute, or a rate noted by your doctor) -- especially if you are short of breath.
If you're sitting down and feeling calm, your heart shouldn't beat more than about 100 times per minute. A heartbeat that's faster than this, also called tachycardia, is a reason to come to the emergency department and get checked out. We often see patients whose hearts are beating 160 beats per minute or more.
A resting heart rate that is too low (less than 50 beats per minute), or one that is 100 or higher, could be a sign of trouble and should prompt a call to your doctor.