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The Heart:

Lets start off by saying the heart is complex, its very complex, but there are many ways of simplifying some of these concepts so it is easier for the EMT to understand what cardiologists sometimes struggle with.

We break the heart down into 4 categories: Conduction, Contraction, Condition, Chemistry

Conduction starts with the SA node firing an impulse to contract the atrium and flow the the  AV node.  The AV node holds that charge like building up static electricity then releases it to  contract the ventricles and ends with the purkinje fibers.

Contraction is the squeezing and of the heart.  Both sides of the heart hold near the same amount of blood, its more a question of how fast can the heart fill and how strong is the squeeze.  Where does the blood go when it squeezes.

Condition is if the heart is healthy or if there is something making the heart not conduct or contract correctly.  Is the chemistry off so the heart doesn't like squeezing or ends up spasming.

Chemistry is simple:  In range or out of range.  How do we know?  Labs.  How do we guess?  Conduction, Contraction, Condition are affected...  Chemistry can be altered at any stage.    

The best tools we have are our senses and the monitor.  Remember to always treat your patient and not your monitor.  Unless your monitor is telling you something serious that your patient isn't.  Old Ralph says, "I'm fine, just give me an aspirin and let me get back to farming."  
Your lifepak or Zoll may show massive STEMI involvement.  Ralph needs a cath lab and a cardiologist.

We don't set up an entire online section on heart rhythms and identification, our friends at practical clinical skills have already done that.  We like to make cardiac issues easy for EMTs and show common finds made by Paramedics.  We even like showing and developing a complex cardiac case that challenge even experienced Providers.

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All information scenarios, blog entries, topics and information are HIPPA compliant.  Letters, documents, shareable resources have names, locations and dates removed.  Any likeness to situations or medical emergencies or any likeness to patient conditions are educational material and to not reflect actual calls or patients.  In short all EZ-EMT.org documents are available for use and distribution unless otherwise noted. All images are either used from shared/public/personal resources and/or are cited when appropriate.  

From all of us, 
We have a combined total of thousands of calls from many locations and any likeness is strictly coincidence. We take HIPPA, FISSA and company policies very seriously.
  • Home
  • Meet the Team
  • TRAINING/EDUCATION
  • Resources
  • RSI/DSI
  • Philosophy
  • Hands on Education brought to your agency
  • Sedation/Paralytics Page
  • Contact
  • Ketamine
  • TRAUMA RESUSCITATION
  • Sepsis
  • NARCAN/NARCANT
  • Sedation of da Crazy Page
  • ONLINE EMT COURSE (SEE DETAILS BELOW)
  • New Page
  • OHCA
  • Acronyms and Helpers