NURS 3730 Exam 3 Questions and
Answers
symptoms of hypocalcemia - ANSWER-Confusion, irritability, Paresthesias around
mouth, muscle spams in hands and feet, hyperreflexia, Chvostek sign, and
Trousseau sign.
causes of hypocalcemia - ANSWER-hypoparathyroidism, malabsorption, alkalosis
Hypocalcemia ECG - ANSWER-
hypercalcemia ECG findings - ANSWER-P wave - disappears
QRS - Shortened QT (stronger, longer contraction), low R wave
T wave - Tall
QT - short QT interval
symptoms of hypercalcemia - ANSWER-muscle weakness, loss of tone, lethargy,
apathy, dysrhythmias
causes of hypercalcemia - ANSWER-hyperparathyroidism, bone metastasis,
prolonged immobility
Hypercalcemia ECG - ANSWER-
Premature atrial complex (PAC) - ANSWER-P wave - may not be visible, can be
hidden in preceding T wave
Conduction - ectopic focus at atrial tissue fires an impulse before next sinus impulse
is due
Rhythm - usually occur early in cycle & usually not have complete compensatory
pause
Premature atrial complex causes - ANSWER-atria irritated from stress, fatigue,
caffeine, drugs (stimulants), alcohol
-Patient feels heart palpitations. Patient states, "My heart skips a beat."
Can result from CHF, ischemia, COPD
Premature atrial complex treatment - ANSWER-avoid stimulants, smoking cessation,
rest/relax
Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) or atrial tachycardia (AT) - ANSWER-Rate -
atrial rate of 100-280 beats/min, average around 170 beat/min (adults)
P wave - cannot be seen, embedded in T wave
QRS - narrow
Conduction 1:1 conduction with rapid rates
Rhythm - regular atrial rhythm, terminated suddenly with or without intervention
, Supraventricular or Atrial Tachycardia Causes - ANSWER-PAC, HTN, HF
Supraventricular or Atrial Tachycardia Treatment - ANSWER--Vagal/Valsalva - hold
breath and bear down like having a BM, blow through a straw, or ice to face
-Cardioversion
--1st, if stable, chemical - IV adenosine (induces asystole, then SA node converts to
NSR)
--2nd, if unstable, - synchronized cardioversion
--Last resort - cardiac ablation
cardiac ablation - ANSWER-radio frequency catheter destroys faulty firing cells
atrial flutter - ANSWER-Rate - atrial 240-320/min
P wave - NONE, usually 'saw tooth' pattern - no atrial contraction
Conduction - AV node trying to regulate ventricular response, conduct at constant
ratio 3:1, 4:1, or may be variable
Rhythm - usually regular but irregular if AV blocked
atrial flutter causes - ANSWER-atrial irritation, HTN, CHF, MI, coronary artery
disease, valvular disease, cocaine
atrial flutter treatment - ANSWER-Ca Channel blockers, beta blockers, amiodarone,
dig, coumadin/warfarin, cardioversion
premature atrial complex - ANSWER-
Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) - ANSWER-
atrial flutter - ANSWER-
atrial fibrillation (Afib) - ANSWER-Rate - atrial rate btw 350-600 bpm, no atrial
contractions (quivers)
P wave - none; wavy baseline is seen instead
Conduction - variable AV conduction; if untreated, ventricular response usually rapid
Rhythm - *irregularly irregular*
AFIB causes - ANSWER-HTN, CHF, coronary artery disease, valvular disease
May be sudden, often chronic
AFIB treatment - ANSWER-Calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, and dig
Cardioversion
AFIB - ANSWER-
VSD - ANSWER-Loud murmur & thrill along L sternal border
PDA - ANSWER-machine like murmur (2nd intercostal space)
bounding pulses, tachycardia (>170)
Answers
symptoms of hypocalcemia - ANSWER-Confusion, irritability, Paresthesias around
mouth, muscle spams in hands and feet, hyperreflexia, Chvostek sign, and
Trousseau sign.
causes of hypocalcemia - ANSWER-hypoparathyroidism, malabsorption, alkalosis
Hypocalcemia ECG - ANSWER-
hypercalcemia ECG findings - ANSWER-P wave - disappears
QRS - Shortened QT (stronger, longer contraction), low R wave
T wave - Tall
QT - short QT interval
symptoms of hypercalcemia - ANSWER-muscle weakness, loss of tone, lethargy,
apathy, dysrhythmias
causes of hypercalcemia - ANSWER-hyperparathyroidism, bone metastasis,
prolonged immobility
Hypercalcemia ECG - ANSWER-
Premature atrial complex (PAC) - ANSWER-P wave - may not be visible, can be
hidden in preceding T wave
Conduction - ectopic focus at atrial tissue fires an impulse before next sinus impulse
is due
Rhythm - usually occur early in cycle & usually not have complete compensatory
pause
Premature atrial complex causes - ANSWER-atria irritated from stress, fatigue,
caffeine, drugs (stimulants), alcohol
-Patient feels heart palpitations. Patient states, "My heart skips a beat."
Can result from CHF, ischemia, COPD
Premature atrial complex treatment - ANSWER-avoid stimulants, smoking cessation,
rest/relax
Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) or atrial tachycardia (AT) - ANSWER-Rate -
atrial rate of 100-280 beats/min, average around 170 beat/min (adults)
P wave - cannot be seen, embedded in T wave
QRS - narrow
Conduction 1:1 conduction with rapid rates
Rhythm - regular atrial rhythm, terminated suddenly with or without intervention
, Supraventricular or Atrial Tachycardia Causes - ANSWER-PAC, HTN, HF
Supraventricular or Atrial Tachycardia Treatment - ANSWER--Vagal/Valsalva - hold
breath and bear down like having a BM, blow through a straw, or ice to face
-Cardioversion
--1st, if stable, chemical - IV adenosine (induces asystole, then SA node converts to
NSR)
--2nd, if unstable, - synchronized cardioversion
--Last resort - cardiac ablation
cardiac ablation - ANSWER-radio frequency catheter destroys faulty firing cells
atrial flutter - ANSWER-Rate - atrial 240-320/min
P wave - NONE, usually 'saw tooth' pattern - no atrial contraction
Conduction - AV node trying to regulate ventricular response, conduct at constant
ratio 3:1, 4:1, or may be variable
Rhythm - usually regular but irregular if AV blocked
atrial flutter causes - ANSWER-atrial irritation, HTN, CHF, MI, coronary artery
disease, valvular disease, cocaine
atrial flutter treatment - ANSWER-Ca Channel blockers, beta blockers, amiodarone,
dig, coumadin/warfarin, cardioversion
premature atrial complex - ANSWER-
Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) - ANSWER-
atrial flutter - ANSWER-
atrial fibrillation (Afib) - ANSWER-Rate - atrial rate btw 350-600 bpm, no atrial
contractions (quivers)
P wave - none; wavy baseline is seen instead
Conduction - variable AV conduction; if untreated, ventricular response usually rapid
Rhythm - *irregularly irregular*
AFIB causes - ANSWER-HTN, CHF, coronary artery disease, valvular disease
May be sudden, often chronic
AFIB treatment - ANSWER-Calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, and dig
Cardioversion
AFIB - ANSWER-
VSD - ANSWER-Loud murmur & thrill along L sternal border
PDA - ANSWER-machine like murmur (2nd intercostal space)
bounding pulses, tachycardia (>170)
