Electrocardiography And Anaesthetics

EKG is an electrocardiogram, a machine used to check on problems with your electrical activity with your heart. An electrocardiogram machine translates the heart’s electrical pattern into lines that specific professionals can read it. The first EKG was made by Willem Einthoven, a Dutch Java island (now called Indonesia) born citizen. Willem was born the 21st day of May 1860. His father, Jacob Einthoven, was born and educated in Groningen (Netherlands). His father was also

Lack of enough trained staff in conscious sedation available at the time of the procedure

Patient care technicians (PCT’s), formally known as nursing assistants, are the backbone to any nursing department. They create rapport with the patients and family members, as well as the nursing and medical staff. Some of the tasks PCT’s are responsible for include: obtaining and recording vital signs, collecting and labeling specimens, blood glucose specimen, and obtaining electrocardiograms (ECG). All these tasks are important and critical in an emergency. PCT’s designated to work in medical surgical floors may not remember the steps for obtaining a good ECG reading. Like the saying goes: if you don’t use it, you lose it. The most common reason ECG’s are misinterpreted is due to incorrect lead placement. PCT’s in critical settings such

African American male that is seen today for followup post hospital discharge. He is a 48-year-old gentleman with complicated cardiac history as well as neurological history including congestive heart failure. History of strokes 01/2017, possible sick sinus syndrome. He has an implanted pacemaker that was placed in 06/2017, as well as hypertension. He was taken to the Central Hospital on 09/01 with presentation of chest pain, noted to be around his pacemaker site. He identified being in seizure and suddenly felt chest pain with shortness of breath, and was offered nitro, he developed headaches and dyspnea post nitro treatment, of note is that the EKG that was obtained during that process, did not identify any pacemaker spike despite having a

A number of tests would be performed to analyze the extent of damage of the heart. An electrocardiogram would be one of the first tests performed to check the electrical

Cardioversion. During this procedure medicines or an electrical shock are given to make the heart beat normally.

Learning about the potential complications of epidural reinforced my knowledge in being able to choose the right anaesthetic monitoring equipment. Knowing that Spinal and epidural anaesthesia can cause unpredictable and profound arterial hypotension necessitate the use of adequate monitoring like the; Pulse oximetry, ECG and Blood pressure cuff. This knowledge will help me to be able to select appropriate monitoring devices during epidural catheter insertion. Also it goes without saying that an epidural must be performed in a work area that is equipped for airway management and resuscitation.

The heart rate is measured with an electrocardiogram, or ECG. This is a machine that measures the electrical impulses from the patient's heart. This is displayed on a monitor or ECG graph paper. The boxes on the graph paper measure time. Five small boxes are equal to one large box. The large box represents two-tenths of a second.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When this occurs the blood flow stops to the brain and vital organs. Sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack or myocardial infarction. A heart attack is when the blood flow to part of the heart is blocked.

Another problem surgeons faces is the connecting of the circulatory system of the heart. The coordination of atrial and ventricular contractions is necessary for efficient pumping of the blood. Any damage leads to a loss of coordination and diminished heart function. But how do surgeons and doctors come to make sure the circulatory is system is working at its best is by using an electrocardiogram, or ECG. With this procedure, electrodes are placed on key points of the body's surface to monitor the electrical activity of the heart. However, what happens if the low flowing of blood or blockage of the blood comes to happen. Myocardial infarctions, or heart attacks happens, and it its due to the blockage or reduction of blood flow to an area of

Deliberate hypotensive anesthesia was first introduced to clinical practice by Gardner in 1946 who used arteriotomy to reduce arterial blood pressure during removal of a vascular lesion from the base of the skull (Gardner, 1946). Schaberg et al. (1976) was the first surgeon who used this technique in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Controlled hypotension is commonly used technique to limit blood loss during specific surgical procedures on specific areas in which surgical hemostasis may be difficult (hip, spine, and facial bones) (Tobias, 1996), but Samman (2008) concluded that this technique remains controversial in oral and maxillofacial surgery after a systemic review regarding benefits and risks of deliberate hypotension in anesthesia. The technique

Extubation is an important end point of general anaesthesia and also one of the most stressful periods for patients. Unlike intubation which is performed after induction of general anaesthesia and adequate muscle relaxation, extubation (removal of endotracheal tube from the patient’s trachea) is usually carried out at the end of surgery when patients gain their airway control with normal tidal ventilation, and are aware of occurrences. The removal of the endotracheal tube from the patient’s trachea and the residual oral secretions stimulates laryngeal and airway reflexes and subsequently predisposes patients to myriads of discomfort which if not handle well could result in catastrophic postoperative airway problems. With the effects of general anaesthetics wearing off and the patient being discontinued from mechanical ventilation, which already takes a toll on the patient, it is important to ensure smooth extubation so that patient can successfully emerge from anaesthesia without any extubation related complications.

As the lady had a pre-existing heart condition an echocardiogram was performed. An echocardiogram is a non-invasive ultrasound test that shows an image of the inside of the heart (Klein et al 2011). Routine pre anaesthetic assessment and a physical examination were carried out prior to ECT to ensure the treatment was still viable. Informed consent was also obtained.

Recording an electrocardiogram or ECG, is a procedure which is performed daily all over the United Kingdom by thousands of healthcare workers and in particular nurses (Jacobson, 2000). The way in which this procedure is performed varies from geographical location to location and occasionally even more so, between staff on the same ward (Amos, 2000). This reason stated by Amos (2000), formed the basis of my decision to choose this topic.

The electrocardiogram (EKG) is a simple test that measures the heart's electrical activity (Donahue p. 35). The most widely used screening test is the exercise EKG, or stress test.