Emergency Assessment Protocols: Cardiac Arrhythmias and Causes in the Acute Setting
Learn to assess and treat cardiac emergencies like bradyarrhythmias and tachycardias in detail in this comprehensive guide. Covering causes, interventions, and underlying conditions.
Emergency Assessment Protocols: Cardiac Arrhythmias and Causes in the Acute Setting
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Presentation Transcript
First assessment: the emergency setting. • How ill? • Pain? Cardiac or pulmonary embolic • Level of consciousness • ?Forwards failure: colour, BP, urine output • Backwards failure: colour, breathing, crackles • Establish rhythm • Decide aims of treatment • Consider underlying causes (MI, PE, endocrine, bleeding, sepsis, poisoning….)
Bradyarrhythmias in the acute setting • CHB: • complication of MI • high in the His bundle: rate ~50 -60, with narrow complexes • low: rate ~15-40 with broad complexes • cannon waves • ?heart failure or BP well maintained • Atropine/isoprenaline • Pace
Bradyarrhythmias in the acute setting • New BBB • MI or PE • Normal rate • Bifascicular block (usually RBBB with L axis) as a risk for CHB • Split second sound • Usually no intervention • BFB in MI: consider prophylactic wire
Bradyarrhythmias in the acute setting • Beware: • hyperkalaemia (>7.0mM) hypermagnesaemia (often ARF). • Raised ICP • Hypothermia • Hypothyroidism
SV tachycardias • Atrial flutter • usually organic heart disease • atrial rate 280 to 350 • ventricular rate (usually block) ~150 • DC • Ia (disopyramide), Ic (flecainide, propafenone), III (amiodarone, sotalol) • Anticoagulation not usual
SV tachycardias • Atrial fibrillation • organic HD or thyrotoxicosis; occasionally alcohol • atrial rate >400; ventricular rate variable (120-180) • DC • Ia Ic III. • Anticoagulation usual
SV tachycardias • Junctional • usually no organic HD but often electrocardiographic abnormalities • AV node re-entry or Atrioventricular re-entry • 140-280, narrow complex regular • Vagus • Adenosine (bronchospasm) • Verapamil or -blocker
V tachycardias • VPB • in the setting of MI • early VPB (‘R on T’) • concern about degeneration into VT • VT • rate ~120-220, ill, hypotensive • a/v dissociation with canon waves • I, II or III (I think most people would use lignocaine). • DC
First assessment: the cold setting. • Age • History (presents with palpitation, LOC, pain, dyspnoea) • duration and periodicity • triggers • accompanying features (pain, dyspnoea, LOC, weight loss, sweats) • risk factors • Past history: HBP, MI, PVD, DM, thyroid • Drugs • Smoking • DOES THIS WARRANT EMERGENCY INVESTIGATION?
First assessment: the cold setting • Examination: • cardiovadscular: CCF, PVD, VHD • endocrine: hyper and hypothyroidism (DM) • metabolic: xanthalesmata
Investigation • TFT • Na, K, U, Cr, LFT/MCV • CXR (?tumour) • 12-lead • 24 h tape and cardiac event monitor • Echocardiography
Common syndromes • Sinus node disease • paroxysmal brady/tachy in elderly patient • Pacing • Anticoagulation • Paroxysmal AF • sotalol or amiodarone • ?anticoagulate or aspirin
Common syndromes • Paroxysmal re-entrant SVT • -blocker, IV, • I or III