KEY POINTS 1. Core temperature (nasopharyngeal or tympanic membrane) should be greater than 36°C before terminating cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). However, the nasopharyngeal temperature should not exceed 37°C, as this will…
KEY POINTS 1. Mechanical circulatory support devices most often are ventricular assist devices, which are indicated for bridging to myocardial recovery or cardiac transplantation or as a permanent assist device…
KEY POINTS 1. Mechanisms of myocardial ischemic injury are multifactorial and include some of the following: Depletion of high-energy phosphates, intracellular acidosis, alterations in intracellular calcium homeostasis, complement activation, generation…
KEY POINTS 1. Chronic pain due to intercostal nerve injury develops in approximately 50% of postthoracotomy patients, and in 5% this pain becomes severe and disabling. 2. Thoracic epidural analgesia…
KEY POINTS 1. On the day of surgery, most cardiovascular medications should be administered orally, with the exceptions of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and (selectively) diuretic agents….
Practice strips 1. Rhythm: _________________________________ Rate: _________________________________ P wave: _________________________________ PR interval: _________________________________ QRS complex: _________________________________ T wave: _________________________________ QT interval: _________________________________ Other: _________________________________ Interpretation: _________________________________ View Answer 1. Rhythm:…
Disorders affecting 12-lead ECGs A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is a key tool in diagnosing and evaluating certain disorders, such as angina, Prinzmetal’s angina, myocardial infarction (MI), pericarditis, left ventricular hypertrophy…
Electrocardiogram analysis After obtaining an electrocardiogram (ECG), you’ll want to read and interpret the findings. Becoming comfortable with ECG analysis will allow you to detect subtle, and sometimes dangerous, changes…
Basic 12-lead electrocardiography The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is a diagnostic test that helps identify pathologic conditions, especially ischemia and acute myocardial infarction (MI). It provides a more complete view of…
Nonpharmacologic treatment Nonpharmacologic treatments for arrhythmias—including pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), and radiofrequency ablation—produce distinctive electrocardiogram (ECG) tracings. By understanding how these devices work, and the ECG changes they produce, you’ll…
