| 1. | Mechanisms of the Cardiovascular System | |
| Overview | ||
| Basic Heart Anatomy | ||
| The Cardiac Cycle | ||
| Cardiac Output | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 2. | Regulation of Cardiac and Vascular Function | |
| Overview | ||
| Central Nervous System Regulation of the Cardiovascular System | ||
| Vasomotor Control | ||
| Baroreceptors | ||
| Chemoreceptors | ||
| Humoral Control | ||
| Electrolytes | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 3. | Cardiac Electrophysiology | |
| Overview | ||
| Cardiac Cells | ||
| The Action Potential | ||
| The Action Potential in Non-Pacemaker Cells | ||
| The Cardiac Conduction System | ||
| The Electrocardiogram | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 4. | The Coronary Circulation | |
| Overview | ||
| The Coronary Circulation | ||
| The Left Main Coronary Artery | ||
| The LAD Artery | ||
| The LCX or CX Artery | ||
| The Right Coronary Artery | ||
| Collateral Circulation | ||
| Microvascular Circulation | ||
| Coronary Venous Circulation | ||
| 5. | Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease | |
| Overview | ||
| Classification of Risk Factors for CVD | ||
| Biomedical Risk Factors | ||
| Behavioural Risk Factors | ||
| Psychosocial Risk Factors | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 6. | Populations at Risk | |
| Overview | ||
| Risk Factors for CVD | ||
| Clarifying Risk | ||
| Populations at Increased Risk | ||
| Targeting Treatment | ||
| Using What We Know | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 7. | Evidence-Based Practice | |
| Overview | ||
| The Need for Change | ||
| Evidence-Based Practice | ||
| Barriers to the Evidence | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 8. | Ethics of Research in Acute Cardiac Care | |
| Overview | ||
| Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Trials | ||
| Informed Consent for Trial Participation | ||
| What is an Ethical Dilemma? | ||
| Genetic Research | ||
| Considering an Offer for the Unit to Participate in a Clinical Trial | ||
| Ethical Issues in Marketing and Pricing of New Pharmaceutical Agents | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 9. | Cardiovascular Assessment | |
| Overview | ||
| Health History | ||
| Physical Examination | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 10. | Electrocardiogram Interpretation | |
| Overview | ||
| Normal Sequence of Depolarisation and Depolarisation | ||
| Theoretical Basis of Electrocardiography | ||
| Determining the Cardiac Axis | ||
| Determination of Heart Rate and Electrocardiographic Intervals | ||
| Chamber Enlargement | ||
| Bundle Branch Block | ||
| ECG Changes Related to Myocardial Ischaemia and Infarction | ||
| Obtaining a 12-Lead ECG | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 11. | Cardiac Monitoring | |
| Overview | ||
| ECG Monitoring Systems and Lead Formats | ||
| Indications for Arrhythmia Monitoring | ||
| Nursing Considerations in the Care of the Patient with ECG Monitoring | ||
| 12. | Laboratory Tests | |
| Overview | ||
| Generic Laboratory Tests | ||
| Electrolytes | ||
| Renal Function | ||
| Glucose Measurement | ||
| Lipid Profiles | ||
| Complete Blood Examination | ||
| Clotting Screen | ||
| Biochemical Markers | ||
| Marks of Myocardial Necrosis | ||
| Cardiac Natriuretic Peptides | ||
| C-Reactive Protein | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 13. | Diagnostic Procedures | |
| Overview | ||
| Chest X-Ray | ||
| Cardiac Catheterisation (Angiogram) | ||
| Echocardiography | ||
| Stress Testing | ||
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging | ||
| Computerised Tomography | ||
| Electrophysiology Studies | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 14. | Sudden Cardiac Death | |
| Overview | ||
| Definitions | ||
| Burden of Disease and Risk Factors for SCD | ||
| Sudden Death in the Young (Including Athletes) | ||
| Structural Abnormalities | ||
| Cardiomyopathies and SCD | ||
| Genetic Syndromes and SCD | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 15. | Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest and Automated External Defibrillator | |
| Overview | ||
| Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest | ||
| Hazards to the Victim and Rescuer | ||
| Recognition of Cardiac Arrest and BLS | ||
| Automated External Defibrillation | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 16. | Ethical Issues in Resuscitation | |
| Overview | ||
| Guiding Ethical Principles in Resuscitation | ||
| Futility | ||
| Rights of the Individual Versus the Needs of Society | ||
| Patient Perceptions of Resuscitation | ||
| Introducing the DNR Conversation | ||
| Witnessed Resuscitation | ||
| Withdrawal of Treatment | ||
| Organ Donation | ||
| Training and Research with the Newly Dead | ||
| 17. | Pathogenesis of Acute Coronary Syndromes | |
| Overview | ||
| Acute Coronary Syndrome | ||
| Atherosclerosis | ||
| Endothelial Dysfunction | ||
| Plaque Disruption | ||
| Inflammation | ||
| Thrombosis | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 18. | Presentations of Acute Coronary Syndromes | |
| Overview | ||
| Angina Pectoris | ||
| Stable Angina | ||
| The Acute Coronary Syndromes | ||
| Global Trends in ACS Patients | ||
| The 12-lead Electrocardiogram in ACS | ||
| Cardiac Markers in ACS | ||
| Clinical Assessment and Risk Stratification in ACS | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 19. | Risk Stratification in Acute Coronary Syndromes | |
| Overview | ||
| Introduction | ||
| Risk Stratification | ||
| Risk Stratification Guidelines | ||
| Risk Scores | ||
| Chest Pain Units | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 20. | Reducing Time to Treatment | |
| Overview | ||
| Benefits of Early Reperfusion | ||
| Identifying and Addressing Delays | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 21. | Reperfusion Strategies | |
| Overview | ||
| Pathogenesis of STEMI | ||
| Principles of Reperfusion Strategies | ||
| Options for Reperfusion | ||
| Strategies for Reducing Treatment Time Delays | ||
| Detecting and Managing Failed Reperfusion | ||
| Preventing and Detecting Re-Occlusion | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 22. | Adjunct Pharmacological Agents in Acute Coronary Syndromes | |
| Overview | ||
| Anti-Ischaemic Therapies | ||
| Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Therapy | ||
| Inhibitors of the Rennin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System | ||
| Statins | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 23. | Arrhythmias | |
| Overview | ||
| Basic Electrophysiology | ||
| Mechanisms of Errhythmia Generations | ||
| Cardiac Monitoring | ||
| Rhythm Interpretation | ||
| Determining the Rhythm | ||
| Tachyarrhythmias | ||
| Asystole | ||
| Treatment of Arrhythmias | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 24. | In-Hospital Resuscitation | |
| Overview | ||
| Introduction | ||
| Prevention: Systems for Identifying Patients at Risk of Cardiac Arrest | ||
| Early Recognition and Management of Critically Ill Patients | ||
| In-hospital Resuscitation | ||
| Working Within your Scope of Practice | ||
| Audit and Data CVollection | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 25. | Acute Heart Failure | |
| Overview | ||
| Introduction | ||
| Establishing the Diagnosis | ||
| Management Specifics | ||
| Refractory AHF | ||
| Dignity, Communication and Preventing Complications: “Back to Basics” | ||
| Managing Chronic Heart Failure Better to Reduce the Need for Re-Hospitalization | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 26. | Convalescence | |
| Overview | ||
| Introduction | ||
| Assessment and Identification of Patient Needs | ||
| High-Risk Groups | ||
| Promoting Self-Management in the Convalescent Phase | ||
| Particular Concerns of Spouses and Family Members | ||
| Accommodating Convalescence and Discharge Planning Following an Acute Cardiac Event | ||
| Models of Intervention to Facilitate Convalescents and Secondary Prevention | ||
| Nursing Strategies to Promote Convalescents | ||
| Palliative Care | ||
| Conclusion | ||
| 27. | Discharge Planning and Secondary Prevention | |
| Overview | ||
| Discharge Planning | ||
| Secondary Prevention | ||
| Provision of Secondary Prevention | ||
| Components of Secondary Prevention | ||
| Cardio-Protective Drug Therapy | ||
| Challenges in Secondary Prevention | ||
| Conclusion | ||