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What else can I help you with?
What effect does atropine have on heart rate?
Ventricular fibrillation, and supraventricular or ventricular tachycardia.
Is atrial fibrillation worse that ventricular fibrillation?
No, ventricular fibrillation is worse than atrial fibrillation. This is because the ventricle is the chamber responsible for the main force pumping the blood out of the heart. If this contraction is not coordinated (like when fibrillation occurs), then the heart will not be able to function and consciousness will be lost within a few seconds. Ventricular fibrillation may result from electric shock, major myocardial infarct or some anaesthetic drugs. Resuscitation is usually possible by applying an electric shock (defibrillation) - which causes all cells to enter the refractory period and gives the sinoatrial node a chance to resume its normal pacemaker activity.
How do you fix cardiac arrhythmia?
If you are referring to atrial fibrillation, there are several medications used to prevent recurrence, or to control the heart rate. If you are referring to ventricular fibrillation, correction and prevention frequently requires the insertion of a defibrillator and possibly a pacemaker. If you are having frequent ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, your heart is very damaged and a defibrillator/pacemaker may be the only way to prevent sudden death.
What can you do or not do with a defibrillator?
A defibrillator is used when the heart goes into an abnormal rhythm called Ventricular Fibrillation. A normal heart will have a certain rhythm. The upper chambers of the heart, known as the Atria. One chamber is called the Atrium. The lower chambers are the ventricles. Each chamber is connected by valves in the heart. The right side of the heart receives oxygen poor blood. It is pumped out to the lungs and oxygen rich blood is pumped out by the left side of the heart. The heart has it's electrical system which keeps it in rhythm. The atrioventricular node is the heart's pacemaker and controls the rhythm of the heart. During a cardiac arrest the lower chambers or the ventricles can begin to quiver. They are unable to pump oxygenated blood into the body. Most importantly they can pump blood to the brain. If this is not corrected quickly a person will die. A defibrillator will deliver a shock of electricity to the heart in order to stop the quivering of the ventricles and stablize the rhythm of the heart. When using a defibrillator you usually start with a lower shock and increase the strength of the shock if it is not working and fibrillation is not correcting itself. Basically it restarts the heart to return it to a normal sinus rhythm. A defibrillator cannot bring someone back to life if the heart has completely stopped for a period of time. Sometimes a defibrillator doesn't work because there is too much damage to the ventricles. An inferior wall M.I. is a heart attack that occurs at the back of the heart and usually destroys the ventricle. A defibrillator cannot correct this. Defibrillators can also be used if someone is experiencing Atrial Fibrillation. Generally the process is the same but the patient may be conscious. Atrial Fibrillation is not as serious as Ventricular Fibrillation but if it is not corrected the patient can develop blood clots or other complications.
What is pharmacologic management of ventricular fibrillation?
Patients who experience ventricular fibrillation (which is disorganized electrical activity occuring within the lower chambers of the heart) are resuscitated via defibrillation. Defibrillation consists of an electric shock usually delivered via conductive pads or paddles. It essentially resets all the cells of the heart in hopes that when electrical activity resumes, it will be organized and able to pump blood. Untreated, all ventricular fibrillation is fatal, and patients who are at known risk for experiencing this arrythmia can be provided with an implanted cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD. This is a device which is placed under the skin of the upper torso and connected to the heart with a wire. It contains a computer which will monitor the patient's heart at all times and deliver a shock if recognizes ventricular fibrillation or a related rhythm called ventricular tachycardia. There are also certain drugs, such as amiodarone and lidocaine, which can be given to a patient at known risk for ventricular fibrillation in order to make it less likely. These drugs usually work by making the cell membranes of the cells of the heart more electrically stable. Many of the same drugs can also be given if defibrillation is initially unsuccessful in order to help make it more effective. It should be noted that there is a very short window of time to treat ventricular fibrillation (permenant brain damage begins to occur approximately 4-6 minutes after the onset of the arrythmia), and the prognosis for these patients is generally very poor if they are not defibrillated immediately and transferred to a critical care setting.
What is the most frequent initial rhythm witnessed in sudden cardiac arrest?
The most common abnormal heart rhythm preceding cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation. In this dysrhythmia, the ventricular walls contract randomly and rapidly, and do not effectively pump blood.
What is the medical term meaning abnormal heart rhythm that causes the ventricles to quiver?
Atrial fibrillation is the medical term meaning the irregular, uncoordinated, ineffective twitching contraction of the walls of the atria. A related condition is ventricular fibrillation, which occurs in the lower chambers of the heart.
Is AEDs used for atrial fibrillation or ventricular fibrilation?
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are primarily used for ventricular fibrillation, a life-threatening heart rhythm that requires immediate defibrillation to restore a normal heartbeat. They are not effective for atrial fibrillation, which is a less critical condition that typically does not lead to sudden cardiac arrest. AEDs analyze the heart's rhythm and deliver a shock only when necessary, specifically targeting conditions like ventricular fibrillation.
For which cardiac rhythm and other problems is CPR required?
The two most common heart rhythms that require CPR is ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular tachycardia is an extremely rapid cardiac rhythm and ventricular fibrillation is an abnormal cardiac rhythm. For an adult, if the person is unconscious and not breathing, CPR is required. There are numerous reasons an adult would be unconscious and not breathing; all require CPR.
Can you defibrillate a patient experiencing ventricular fibrillation (V fib)?
Yes, a patient experiencing ventricular fibrillation (V fib) can be defibrillated to restore a normal heart rhythm. Defibrillation involves delivering an electrical shock to the heart to help it regain a regular heartbeat.
How can ventricular fibrillation be prevented?
A healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of heart diseases which lead to ventricular fibrillation is the best prevention.
What effect does atropine have on heart rate?
Ventricular fibrillation, and supraventricular or ventricular tachycardia.
What is the reason for SCD?
Sudden cardiac death is usually caused by ventricular fibrillation (the lower chamber of the heart quivers instead of pumping in an organized rhythm).
When the cardiac rhythm is ventricular fibrillation the muscle cells are still contracting but there is?
When the cardiac rhythm is ventricular fibrillation, the muscle cells are contracting in a chaotic and uncoordinated manner, leading to ineffective pumping of blood. This results in the heart being unable to maintain a proper rhythm, causing a critical loss of blood flow to vital organs. Consequently, it can lead to cardiac arrest if not treated promptly.
Does an aed monitor a patients heart rhythm?
Yes, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) monitors a patient's heart rhythm to determine if a shock is necessary. It analyzes the heart's electrical activity and can identify life-threatening arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia. If a shockable rhythm is detected, the AED will prompt the user to deliver a shock. If the rhythm is not shockable, it will guide the user in providing CPR instead.
Identification of Ventricular fibrillation?
Ventricular fibrillation is the most serious cardiac arrhythmia and it means simultaneous haphazard electrical activity of the Heart and it occurs in death. If the patient has collapsed with no pulse and the monitor shows a flat wave, then its Ventricular fibrillation.
What dysrhythmia does amiodarone treat?
Amiodarone is primarily used to treat ventricular dysrhythmias, particularly ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). It is also effective in managing atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, especially in patients with heart failure or structural heart disease. The drug works by prolonging the action potential and refractory period in cardiac tissues, helping to restore normal rhythm.
