NUR 405 Cardiovascular
- Atrial Dysrhythmias
- Premature atrial contractions (PAC)
-Atrial flutter (AFL)
- Atrial fibrillation (AF)
- Premature Atrial Contraction (PAC)
- irregular heart rhythm characterized by atrial contractions occurring before the expected time
- Pause at end of abnormal beat called compensatory pause
- Pace maker cells firing from somewhere else within atria
- PAC causes
- Hypoxia,
- cigarette smoking,
- stress,
- MI,
- CAD
- electrolyte imbalances,
- A-fib onset,
- heart failure. 1 / 2
- PAC treatment
1) asymptomatic 2) symptomatic
- NO TREATMENT IF ASYMPTOMATIC- just reassure them that it is usually harmless and
to
*STOP triggers* like smoking, caffeine, ETOH, stress
- IF NEEDED & symptomatic
can start with a *beta blocker* or can give anti-ar- rhythmia to prevent
- Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib)
- An irregular and often very fast heart rate originating from abnormal conduction in the atria
from multiple
- NO P WAVES PRESENT
- considered controlled when AV node controlling HR at <100 bpm
- Afib causes
- age
- / 2