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Welcome to Episode 131 of the Nursing Show
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News–
Suppressed Anger Triples Risk for Heart Attack
Nursing Education Program for Career Switchers
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Tip of The Week- Cardiac Related Lab Values
Cardiac enzyme studies measure the level of certain enzymes and proteins in the blood. Normally, the level enzymes looked at in this study are low. In case of injury to the heart muscle, the enzymes and proteins leak out of damaged heart muscle cells, and their levels in the bloodstream rise.
These tests are done to confirm diagnosis of a suspected impending heart attack especially if the patient complains of chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea and abnormal ECG results.
Electrolytes on the other hand not only affect organs related to fluid regulation but also to the heart. Take for instance the Potassium, it affects not only contractility of the skeletal muscles but also the muscles of the heart. Abnormal serum potassium levels can put a patient at risk for arrhythmias.
Professional nurses and nursing students should always keep in mind the importance of these tests especially to patients at increased risk for cardiac arrest or MI and also remember the factors that can affect the test results like medications, recent activity, alcohol use, and other disease processes.
Blood Tests for Heart Attack Detection
Electrolytes, Sodium, Chloride and Bicarbonates
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Other Podcasts from Jamie Davis:
- The MedicCast (for EMTs, Paramedics, EMS field work)
- MedicCast News (Weekly short medical news program)
- MedicCast Live (Monthly live call-in show with a single EMS topic)
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Song this week: Fire Apes with “Hey Kate”
Click here to get Songs from the MedicCast at the iTunes Store.
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This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
