Cardiovascular Care - EMS 141
https://courses.vccs.edu/courses/EMS141-CardiovascularCare
Effective: 2019-08-01
Course Description
Focuses on assessment and management of cardiac-related emergencies. Covers basic dysrhythmia recognition and relates it to overall cardiac patient care.
Lecture 2 hours. Total 2 hours per week.
2 credits
The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.
General Course Purpose
The purpose of this course is to teach the student principles of assessment and management of cardiac emergencies and to teach basic EKG recognition.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
Prerequisite: Current Virginia EMT and CPR certification as approved by the Virginia Office of EMS. Corequisite: EMS 142.
Course Objectives
- Apply fundamental knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system.
- Identify the components and steps used in EKG interpretation
- Interpret basic EKG rhythms including variations in sinus, atrial, junctional, ventricular and heart blocks.
- Identify the correct pharmacological intervention for the cardiovascular patient based on patient presentation
- Differentiate various types of cardiovascular disorders
- Apply fundamental knowledge to provide basic and selected advanced emergency care and transportation based on assessment findings for an acutely ill patient complaining of a cardiac related emergency.
Major Topics to be Included
- Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System Review
- Cardiac layers
- Cardiac chambers, valves, and cordae tendineae
- Myocardial blood supply
- Conduction system
- Vascular system
- Physiology of the Cardiovascular System
- Cardiac cycle
- Cardiac output
- Electrophysiology
- Assessment of the cardiovascular system
- Primary survey for cardiovascular assessment
- History and physical/ SAMPLE format specific to the cardiovascular patient
- Secondary survey for cardiovascular assessment
- Electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring
- Electrophysiology and wave forms related to cardiac events
- Leads and electrodes - preparation and placement
- Standardization
- Wave form analysis
- Lead systems and heart surfaces
- 12 lead monitoring
- Identification of Types of Rhythms
- Sinus rhythms
- Atrial rhythms
- Junctional rhythms
- Tachycardic rhythms
- Bradycardic rhythms
- Heart blocks
- Pulseless rhythms
- Management of the patient with an arrhythmia
- Symptomatic and asymptomatic patients
- Non-invasive interventions
- Pharmacological interventions
- Electrotheraphy interventions
- Cardiovascular specific pharmacology
- Gases
- Sympathomimetic
- Anticholinergic
- Antiarrhythmic
- Beta blocker
- Vasopressor
- Calcium channel blocker
- Purine nucleoside
- Platelet aggregate inhibitor
- Alkalinizing agents
- Cardiac glycoside
- Narcotic/ analgesic
- Diuretic
- Nitrate
- Antihypertensive
- Pathophysiological principles to the assessment of a patient with cardiovascular diseases
- Acute coronary syndrome
- Acute myocardial infarction/angina
- Non-traumatic cardiac tamponade
- Hypertensive emergencies
- Cardiogenic shock
- Cardiac arrest
- Vascular disorders
- Aortic aneurism/dissection
- Infectious diseases of the heart
- Cardiac myopathy
- Specific hypertensive emergencies
- Congenital abnormalities and age-related concerns