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.
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.