Today our topic of discussion is Electrocardiographic Monitoring.
Electrocardiographic Monitoring
Electrocardiographic Monitoring
- An ECG recording machine will usually show your heart rhythm and electrical activity as a graph displayed electronically or printed on paper. For an ambulatory ECG, the ECG machine will store the information about your heart electronically, which can be accessed by a doctor when the test is complete.
- Detect bradycardia and tachycardia. Determine if symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations are due to a heart problem. Know a steady or irregular heart rhythm and electrolyte imbalance. Detect other disorders that affect heart function.
- ECG monitoring is essential during resuscitation. Many defibrillators have the built in ECG monitoring circuit and quick look paddles. Such Units sense, the patients ECG pattern from the defibrillator paddle upon application and display. For continuous monitoring, standard ECG machine or monitoring unit with display screen is used.
- Defibrillation: In ventricular fibrillation a precordial thump is employed by giving a sternum to a height of 8-12 inches. If this reverts, the rhythm to sinus bolus lidocaine is given. If ventricular fibrillation persists proceed to Basic Life Support and defibrillation.
- Electrical defibrillation: Electrical defibrillation involves passing an electrical current through a fibrillating heart allowing for uniform depolarization and organized cardiac electromechanical activity. To use the defibrillator effectively apply conductive jelly to the paddles and apply to the chest to determine rhythm. Select the energy level marked in Joules (100-300). Place the paddles on the chest in appropriate locations, Make sure that personnel are not in contact with patient or the cot. Evaluate the effectiveness and administer epinephrine and sodium bicarbonate device
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