Refresh your knowledge on whats what for ACLS, PALS and BLS. Search below to look up definitions and acronyms.
Search Definitions:
ACLS:
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
PALS:
Pediatric Advanced Life Support
BLS:
Basic Life Support
Adenosine:
In the heart adenosine dilates coronary blood vessels improving blood flow, as well as slowing conduction time through the A-V-node.. Chemically 6-amino-90beta-d-ribofuranosyl-9-h-purine.
AED:
Automated External Defibrillator - A portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient and is able to treat them through defibrillation.
Agonal Gasps:
Agonal gasps may happen in the first minutes after sudden cardiac arrest gasps are not considered adequate breathing if a victim is only gasping you must give rescue breaths.
Airway Obstruction:
A blockage of respiration in the airway may be classified as mild or severe.
Amiodarone:
Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic, which relaxes overactive heart muscles and dilates blood vessels improving blood flow.
Antiarrhythmics:
A group of pharmaceuticals that are used to suppress abnormal heart rhythms.
Anticoagulant:
A substance that prevents coagulation (clotting) of the blood.
Antiplatelet Treatment:
Antiplatelet treatment decreases platelet aggregation and inhibits thrombus formation. This is effective where anticoagulants don't produce the desired effect.
Atropine:
Used in the treatment of bradycardia, atropine blocks the action of the vagus nerve, increasing heart rate.
Asystole:
Asystole is the absolute standstill of the heart muscle. This is caused by a lack of electrical activity in the heart muscle, and shows as a flat line on an electrocardiogram (ECG).
Biphasic Shock:
Where current moves from one paddle to the next, then reverses back to the original paddle.Generally considered more effective than monophasic shock.
Capnography:
The monitoring of the concentration or partial pressure of CO2 in respiratory gases.
Cardiac Arrest:
When the heart is unable to maintain blood flow to the carotid artery. Abrupt cessation of heartbeat.
Compression-Ventilation Ratio
The sequence in which the rescuer gives compressions and rescue breaths.
CT Scan:
The Computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to produce a cross-sectional picture.
Defibrillation:
The application of electrical therapy which stops arrhythmia allowing the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm.
Depth of compressions:
The amount of force used when performing chest compressions. (Especially important when performing CPR on small children)
Epinephrine:
Epinephrine (adrenaline)is used to treat cardiac arrest resulting from absent cardiac output by constricting blood vessels to increase blood pressure.
Fibrinolysis:
A process that prevents blood clots from growing by breaking them down. The fibrinolytic checklist is used to determine whether or not a patient is a candidate for fibrinolytic therapy.
Fibrinolytic Checklist:
Fibrinolytic therapy should be considered if the following are present, heart rate over 100 bpm in the presence of a systolic blood pressure less than mm Hg, Presence of signs that might indicate pulmonary edema, cool and clammy skin that indicates shock. Fibrinolytics are not contraindicated if systolic blood pressure is over 180 mm Hg, Diastolic blood pressure is over 110 mm Hg, difference in systolic pressure more than 15 mm Hg between right and left arm, history of structural cns disease, any significant head or face trauma in the previous 90 days, major trauma or surgery or gastrointestinal or genitourinary bleed in the last 6 weeks, history of bleeding or clotting disorders, person is on anticoagulants, CPR has been implemented for more than 10 minutes, patient is pregnant, any serious chronic diseases such as liver kidney disease or advanced cancer.
Hemorrhage:
The escape of blood from a ruptured blood vessel.
Heparin:
An injectable anticoagulant preventing the formation of blood clots without the ability to break down already formed blood clots.
Hydrogen Ion Acidosis:
Increased acidity in the blood and body tissues via increased hydrogen ion concentration.
Hyperkalemia:
Where concentration of potassium ions in the blood are elevated, can cause abnormal heart rhythms.
Hyperventilate:
Abnormally fast or deep breathing. Can cause excess removal of carbon dioxide from the blood stream which causes the body to attempt to metabolize to compensate.
Hypertension:
Elevated blood pressure typically diagnosed by a systolic pressure greater than 140 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure greater than 90 mm Hg.
Hypokalemia:
Where concentration of potassium ions in the blood are low, may cause abnormal heart rhythms.
Hypotension:
A low blood pressure typically diagnosed by a systolic pressure less than 90 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure less than 60 mm Hg.
Hypovolemia:
A state of decreased blood volume (also known as shock).
Hypoxemic:
Where there is an inadequate oxygenation of the blood.
Induced Hypothermia:
An intentional lowering of a patient's body temperature to reduce the risks of ischemic injury following a period of insufficient blood flow.
Infarction:
Occurs when blood stops flowing properly to a part of the heart and damage occurs. Known commonly as a heart attack.
IO:
Intraosseous infusion (IO) is the process of injecting directly into the marrow of a bone.
Ischemia:
The restriction in blood supply to tissues that causes shortage of oxygen and glucose needed for cellular metabolism.
IV:
Intravenous infusion (IV) is the process of injecting a substance directly into a vein.
LBBB:
Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is a condition where activation of the left ventricle is delayed..
Monophasic Shock:
Where current moves from one paddle to the next and does NOT reverse direction. Typically requires more energy than biphasic for similar effects.
MRI:
Magnetic resonance imaging.
NIH:
National Institutes of Health.
NINDS:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
NTSTEMI:
Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
Pacemaker:
Any of several surgically implanted electronic devices used to stimulate or regulate contractions of the heart muscle.
PCI:
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) also known as angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure used to treat narrowed coronary arteries. A cardiologist feeds a deflated balloon from a major artery to the site of the blockage and inflates the balloon to open the artery affected in the heart.
Reperfusion:
A treatment that restores blood flow through blocked arteries. This may include thrombolytic drugs to break up clots, instillation of stents, and bypass of blocked arteries.
Resuscitator:
An apparatus for forcing oxygen or a mixture of oxygen into the lungs.
ST Elevation:
When an ECG shows oscillation of the ST segment abnormally high above the isoelectric line.
STEMI:
ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
Synchronized Cardioversion:
Where an abnormally fast heart rate or abnormal heart rhythm is converted to a normal rhythm using an electrical current at specific moment in the cardiac cycle.
Tamponade, Cardiac:
Where fluid accumulates in the sac around the heart causing pressure on the heart.
Thrombosis:
The formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel that obstructs flow through the circulatory system.
Thyroid Cartilage:
The largest cartilage of the larynx having two broad processes that join anteriorly to form the adams apple.
Transcutaneous Pacing:
A means of temporary pacing the heart via external pads attached to the patient's chest.
Transdermal Medication Patches:
A medicated adhesive pad that is placed on the skin to deliver a time-release dose of medication through the skin into the bloodstream common types are nitro-glycerin nicotine pain medication hormone replacement therapy antihypertensive medication.
Transvenous Pacing:
Where an electrode is placed through a vein into the right atrium and/or right ventricle. The electrode delivers a pacing current directly to the heart.
Troponin:
A complex of three proteins effective in detecting heart disorders (damage to heart muscles).
Vagal Manuevers:
Procedures used to stimulate the vagus nerve to slow the heart rate down. This includes gagging, holding breath, placing face in cold water and coughing.
Vasopressin:
Vasopressin causes blood vessels to constrict which should increase blood pressure.
Vasopressor:
A series of medications that tend to raise blood pressure.