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Sinus rhythm, the natural beating of the heart begins in the sinoatrial (or sinus) node and is located in the wall of the right atrium. Occasional premature ventricular complexes are abnormal heartbeats that disrupt the regular rhythm of the heart. The irregular heartbeats begin in one of the ventricles in the lower part of the heart.
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Which heart rhythm often converts to ventricular fibrillation?
Ventricular Tachycardia
The purpose of defibrillation is to?
It is to "restart" the heart's electrical conductivity and electrical rhythym. It, in general, sends out an electrical impulse to the heart to kickstart it.
What is the difference between formal and informal rhythm in arts?
formal and informal rhythm
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 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.
