EKG Class
When expecting a baby, parents hope their child is born with ten tiny toes, ten little fingers, the perfect little button nose, and a smile made out of gold. Most may not think about the vital development and intricacies of their baby's heart. Once the baby is born, parent’s uncertainties may be laid to rest as technology has provided the world with multiple means of being able to detect the most miniscule of abnormalities. One of which includes the electrocardiogram as this device is able to monitor and record the electrical impulses the heart is generating. With the addition of this device, a doctor can detect abnormal rhythms in the heart. By using machines such as the electrocardiogram, examining heart murmurs, and aortic stenosis, the parent will be able to be informed and prepared for any ailments of the heart a child may develop.
A heart murmur is when the valves of the heart do not close all the way; allowing some blood to flow through the valves when the valves should stop the flow. Doctors are able to hear a swooshing sound with the aid of a stethoscope. (Valvular Heart Disease website) indicates, "the S1 is usually normal or soft. The S2 may be single because the aortic and pulmonic valve components are superimposed or the aortic valve component is absent or soft and the S4 may be audible because of a vigorous atrial contraction." Heart murmurs can be detected in an individual as early as at the time of birth or during early childhood. There are two types of heart murmurs: innocent and abnormal. Innocent murmurs are not caused by an actual problem with the heart or by any other condition, nor does this type require any medication. Sometimes pregnant women will have an innocent heart murmur due to the increas...
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... such as the EKG. Not only can the parent be informed of any ailments, but the doctor can better prepare, and inform the parent of ways to possibly fix the underlying ailment. EKG machines are an excellent advancement of our time and will aid to countless discoveries in the medical field.
References
Maganti, K., Rigolin, V. H., Sarano, M. E., & Bonow, R. O. (2010, May). Valvular Heart Disease: Diagnosis and Management. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2861980/
Staff, H. (2012, July 6). Heart Murmur - Good Health by Seton. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://www.goodhealth.com/health_a_to_z/health_library/health_topics/heart_problems/heart_murmur/
Tidy, C. (2012, June 11). Aortic Stenosis - what are the causes? | Patient.co.uk. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://www.patient.co.uk/health/aortic-stenosis-leaflet
There are several different heart problems that show up as an abnormal EKG reading. For example, a heart block can occur when there is a delay in the signals coming from the SA node, AV node, or the Purkinje fibers. However, clinically the term heart block is used to refer to an AV block. This delays or completely stops communication between the atria and the ventricles. AV block is shown on the EKG as a delayed or prolonged PR interval. The P wave represents the activity in the atria, and the QRS complex represents ventricular activity. This is why the PR interval shows the signal delay from the AV node. There are three degrees of severity, and if the delay is greater than .2 seconds it is classified as first degree. Second degree is classified by several regularly spaced P waves before each QRS complex. Third degree can be shown by P waves that have no spacing relationship to the QRS complex. Another type of blockage is bundle branch block. This is caused by a blockage in the bundle of His, creating a delay in the electrical signals traveling down the bundle branches to reach the ventricles. This results in a slowed heart beat, or brachycardia. On an EKG reading this is shown as a prolonged QRS complex. A normal QRS is about .8-.12 seconds, and anything longer is considered bundle branch block. Another type of abnormal EKG reading is atrial fibrillation, when the atria contracts very quickly. On the EKG this is shown by no clear P waves, only many small fibrillating waves, and no PR interval to measure. This results in a rapid and irregular heartbeat. On the other hand, ventricular fibrillation is much more serious and can cause sudden death if not treated by electrical defibrillation.
In this lab, I took two recordings of my heart using an electrocardiogram. An electrocardiogram, EKG pg. 628 Y and pg. 688 D, is a recording of the heart's electrical impulses, action potentials, going through the heart. The different phases of the EKG are referred to as waves; the P wave, QRS Complex, and the T wave. These waves each signify the different things that are occurring in the heart. For example, the P wave occurs when the sinoatrial (SA) node, aka the pacemaker, fires an action potential. This causes the atria, which is currently full of blood, to depolarize and to contract, aka atrial systole. The signal travels from the SA node to the atrioventricular (AV) node during the P-Q segment of the EKG. The AV node purposefully delays
Ebstein’s Anomaly is a rare congenital condition, present at birth, in which the tricuspid valve is malformed and the valve itself is not in the correct anatomic place (Mayo Clinic Staff). This anomaly affects the right side of the heart – the tricuspid valve is located too deep into the ventricle, causing a smaller and weaker right ventricle. The space above the decreased right ventricle is made up of atrial tissue and this can be referred to as right ventricle dysplasia or an atrialized right ventricle (Reynolds). Typically the tricuspid valve has three freely moving leaflets, but in Ebstein’s anomaly one or two of those leaflets get fused to the heart walls causing regurgitation. Since the heart does not work as efficiently in those who have this anomaly, the heart usually compensates and becomes enlarged. It...
In this figure, SN = sinus node; AVN = AV node; RA = right atrium; LA
The aim of this report is to provide an overview of chronic heart failure, examining signs symptoms and treatment related to the case study, and the anatomy and physiology of the heart will be discussed, and the pathophysiology of chronic heart failure.
“Hypoplastic left heart syndrome accounts for 9% of all critically ill newborns with congenital cardiac disease, causing the largest number of cardiac deaths in the first year of life.(2) ” HLHS is a severe heart defect that is present at birth. HLHS combines different defects that result in an underdeveloped left side of the heart. This syndrome is one of the most challenging and difficult to manage of all of the congenital heart defects. Multiple portions on the left side of the heart are affected including the left ventricle, the mitral and aortic valve, and the ascending aorta. These structures are greatly reduced in size, or completely nonexistent causing the functionality of the left heart to be reduced, or non-functional all together.
"Cardiovascular Disease: Facts, Disease Prevention and Treatment Strategies." Cardiovascular Disease: Facts, Disease Prevention and Treatment Strategies. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
During a physical examination, a specialist may hear a heart murmur which will prompt a referral to a pediatric cardiologist for an analysis. Diagnostic testing will vary by the child’s age, clinical condition, and institutional preferences. Such test may incorporate a chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. A chest X-ray uses unseen X-ray beams to cr...
Results: The average age of the initial diagnosis of the disease was at 17 months old and average age of the definite diagnosis was at 44 months old. The initial diagnosis in 85% of the cases was associated with heart murmur. In 27.5% of the cases, VSD had been associated with other cardiac anomalies. Pulmonary artery hypertension was observed in 16.5% of the cases. Fifty nine surgeries were performed on 40 patients.
This is a type of imaging test that uses sound waves (ultrasound) to produce an image of your heart. There are two types that may be used:
State: The cardiac cycle is composed of five stages which each trigger the relaxation or contraction of the atria or ventricles and direction of blood flow.
Mitral Valve Stenosis is a quiet disease that does not always reveal itself until later stages of the disease process. Symptoms that may present are shortness of breath, fatigue with activity, and progress to more severe symptoms such as swollen extremities and coughing up blood in later stages of the disease. Less common symptoms that can be seen are chest pain, trouble swallowing, throat hoarseness, and skin color changes. During auscultation examination a decrescendo murmur, also known as a diastolic rumble, can be heard during diastole at the apical listening region. An opening snap can be heard after S2; S1 will be loud and distinct, with an accentuation of the murmur beforehand. Testing done to diagnose Mitral valve stenosis include
As diagnosis may take a greater amount of time to develop or emerge, treatment may not be an option. In some cases the child may require a heart transplant. A young boy by the name of Joseph Gonzalez-Sales, age 10, was a child that required a heart transplant due to dilated cardiomyopathy (Kotojarvi 1). Joseph waited about 2 years to receive his procedure and finally underwent surgery to obtain his new and healthy heart on his 11th birthday (Kotojarvi 1). Other children, in not as consequential cases, can receive some form of treatment that may not require a procedure. Treatment may vary from patient to patient and is directed toward their symptoms and diagnosis (“Pediatric Cardiomyopathy” 7). Unfortunately many drug therapies and surgical
(ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) The human heart is made out of 4 chambers: two atria and two ventricle. These muscular organs are designed to plump blood across the body, which serves to normal blood regulation. When congenital heart defect occurs, the severity of the disease varies from relatively small threat such as holes between chamber partition to the more severe malformation such as the complete absence of chambers or valves, which requires immediate surgery. Symptoms of heart deflect includes the shortness of breath and the inability to contribute to extreme exercise. CHD warning symptoms consists of serious physical changes and behavior, the infants have high possibility of experiencing bluish tint in their
Mayo Clinic. (2009, June 15). 1998-2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Retrieved July 8, 2010 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease-prevention/WO00041/NSECTIONGROUP=2