Essays on Ventricular

Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most encountered cardiac rhythm disorder in clinical practice. It affects <1% of persons aged <60 years. This prevalence increases to 10% in persons aged >80 years (Amerena, Walters, Mirzaee and Kalman, 2013). Atrial fibrillation is a key differential diagnosis in patients presenting with chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, light-headedness, and syncope (Cruickshank, 2008). This paper will examine the differential diagnosis, pathophysiology, and paramedic implications of atrial fibrillation in relation to the case of a 43-year old male who presents with features and ECG findings of atrial fibrillation. It will first examine ...

Abstract

Heart failure (2.6% prevalent worldwide) is a complex clinical syndrome, resulting from a structural or functional cardiac disorder and impairing ventricular filling or ejection capability. The current case of a 59-year-old male patient admitted on August 18, 2016 due to worsening shortness of breath and bilateral left extremity edema (one week) involved an existing diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2). Physical and clinical profiles indicate a comorbidity between heart failure (HF) and DM2. Laboratory and imaging findings were not indicated, while diagnosis was based on the NYHA Classification guidelines. A review of literature revealed three crucial weaknesses in the diagnosis. ...

Multiple choice questions

Multiple Choice Questions

Increased erythropoietin production Increased heart rate Increased cardiac output Enhancement in oxygen extraction The answer for this question is b. increased heart rate. A reduction in tissue oxygenation as happens in anemia stimulates increased production of erythropoietin through a complex feedback mechanism. Increased production of erythropoietin enhances erythropoiesis in anemia. Increased extraction of oxygen in anemia is a compensatory mechanism that is mediated by an increase in 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate concentrations. Increased cardiac output is the main hemodynamic compensatory mechanism in anemia that aims to increase blood flow to the body organs. An increase in heart rate ...

The device that necessitated the clinical trial by Thoratec Corporation, the sponsor, is the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD). The device is meant to assist the left ventricle of the heart to perform its function of pumping blood to the aorta and onwards to vital organs of the body. The device is prescribed for patients whose hearts are not able to function optimally. The study type employed during the clinical trial of the device was observational, non-randomized, and controlled (St. Jude Medical). It took place in a number of HM II implanting centers. The observational model incorporated prospective and ...

Introduction

The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators to deliver shocks is used as a life-saving approach when treating ventricular fibrillation events and ventricular tachycardia (Miyake et al., 579). The continued use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators to deliver shocks is not based on the knowledge of its effectiveness. Several studies have shown that this approach is associated with some negative effects. For instance, Miyake et al., (579) reported that the efficacy of implantable cardioverter defibrillators is unknown even though it is continually used. Miyake et al., (579) further reports that the use implantable cardioverter defibrillators has been to result inappropriate discharges. ...

Introduction

The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators to deliver shocks is used as a life-saving approach when treating ventricular fibrillation events and ventricular tachycardia (Miyake et al., 579). The continued use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators to deliver shocks is not based on the knowledge of its effectiveness. Several studies have shown that this approach is associated with some negative effects. For instance, Miyake et al., (579) reported that the efficacy of implantable cardioverter defibrillators is unknown even though it is continually used. Miyake et al., (579) further reports that the use implantable cardioverter defibrillators has been to result inappropriate discharges. ...

Ventilator Associated Pneumonia

VENTILATOR ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA Ventilator associated pneumonia can be described as infection of the Lungs developing in a patient who has been kept on ventilator. Ventilators are used to help patients in proper breathing by administering oxygen with the help of a tube which is placed in the mouth nose or through a hole made in front of neck of the patient. Infection may develop due to entry of the germs through the tube and as a result, the germs may gain entry into the lungs of the patient leading to an infection. In order to bring down the rate ...

Introduction

Heart valve surgery is used for the repairing or replacement of valves of the heart that are diseased. The patients receive general anesthesia in this type of surgery whereby the surgeon makes a large surgical incision in the breastbone. The incision is meant to enable the surgeon to reach the aorta and the heart (Kato Paragraph 2). The relevance of stroke to the procedure of open-chest valve surgery is that it is one of the risks associated with cardiac surgery. Other risks include death, failure of the kidneys, cardiac arrest, irregular beats of the heart, and post-pericardiotomy syndrome (Kato ...

Cardiovascular diseases are the illnesses of heart and blood vessels (arteries and veins) (World Health Organization). In fact, there are many different diseases of the cardiovascular system, but I would like to highlight the most common.

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia is a condition in which the frequency, rhythm and sequence of heart contractions are violated. The symptoms occur because of various congenital anomalies, acquired diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as under the influence of vegetative, hormonal or electrolyte disturbances and as a result of the adverse drug action. Violated heartbeat, weakness and fainting are frequent companions of arrhythmia. The diagnosis ...

Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia

Cardiac arrhythmias often require immediate medical care that may include resuscitation (Ray, 2004). The diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias can be challenging particularly in situations whereby the patient is asymptomatic and ECG findings are normal between symptomatic episodes (Cruickshank, 2008). Distinguishing between supraventricular and ventricular tachycardia is also a challenge (Australian Resuscitation Council, 2008). Cardiac arrhythmia should be suspected in patients with a history of syncope, near syncope, palpitations, and/or chest pain (Cruickshank, 2008). This paper will justify why monomophic ventricular tachycardia is the most likely diagnosis of a male patient who collapsed abruptly and has hypotension (BP 63/38), tachycardia ( ...

(Tutor/Professor) (City, State)

Service Management

Executive Summary Service organizations face numerous challenges in an attempt to please their users. Discontentment and un-satisfaction among service users may lead to the organization in question being unpopular. Organization management differs from one organization to the other. Importantly, an organization can learn from another on how to address certain challenges. This report focuses on two service organizations in a similar industry (American Health Organization and American Red Cross), in relation to CRP. Both organizations offer CRP trainings, in addition to helping victims. The approaches the two employ differ. This report seeks to analyze such differences ...

Acute coronary syndrome is an umbrella term for a group of clinical symptoms indicative of acute myocardial ischemia. These conditions include non-ST-segment elevation myocardial ischemia (NSTEMI), unstable angina, and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). These conditions are high-risk manifestations of atherosclerosis in the coronary artery and significant causes of utilization of emergency services and hospitalization (Kumar and Cannon, 2009). STEMI causes 30% of all acute coronary syndromes in Australia (Harper and Lefkovits, 2010). This paper will describe the expected presentation, pathophysiology, ECG findings, pre-hospital management, and initial 24-hour management of STEMI in hospitals settings. These aspects will be described ...

Introduction

Pulmonary edema (PE) is characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the parenchyma and air spaces of the lungs. Most often PE is associated with respiratory failure and impaired gas exchange. Globally, PE is known to be characterized by two major factors, the first is associated with the injury of the lung parenchyma which is termed as non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema. The second is associated with the failure of the left ventricle of the heart to release blood from the pulmonary circulation within the system and is termed as cardiogenic pulmonary edema (Glaus, Schellenberg , and Lang. 2010). The major cause ...

Congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure is by caused by amongst other reasons heart failure occurring due to either or both systolic and diastolic ventricular dysfunction. The use of the term “congestive heart failure” is used to imply that the patient in question is having some form of fluid overload. Congestive heart failure is a major cause of morbidity and mortality accounting for a significant proportion of hospitalizations. Of further note is that its incidence increases with advancing age (Tansley, 2010, p.1396). Although the presenting signs and symptoms of CHF have remained the same over time, great advances have been made in terms of ...