Help-A-Heart CPR
  • HOME
    • ABOUT US
  • CLASS SCHEDULE & REGISTRATION
    • AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION >
      • CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) CREDIT
      • ACLS PRECOURSE REQUIREMENTS
      • PALS PRECOURSE REQUIREMENTS
    • ASHI CERTIFICATION
    • AMERICAN RED CROSS COURSES
    • SPANISH BLS & CPR/AED/FIRST AID
    • GROUP TRAINING
  • ONLINE CLASSES
    • AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION ONLINE CLASSES
    • AMERICAN RED CROSS ONLINE CLASSES
  • INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
    • AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
    • AMERICAN RED CROSS INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
    • ASHI INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
    • INSTRUCTOR RESOURCES
  • RESOURCES
    • BLOG
    • FAQ'S
    • AED SALES & INSPECTION
    • CANCELLATION & RESCHEDULING
    • PRIVACY POLICY
  • CONTACT

Shockable vs. Non-Shockable Heart Rhythms

3/3/2019

Comments

 
BLS Certification

SHOCKABLE VS. NON-SHOCKABLE HEART RHYTHMS

Many of our students ask the question "What is the difference between a shockable and non-shockable heart rhythm?" A shockable versus nonshockable initial rhythm can be determined by a shock as opposed to a no-shock message from an automated external defibrillator (AED) or by a review of the electronic recording.
The four rhythms are divided into two groups: two that do not require defibrillation (called “nonshockable”) and two that do require defibrillation (“shockable”). The two nonshockable rhythms are pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole and the two shockable rhythms are pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrilation.
The ECG will distinguish asystole from ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia and pulseless electrical activity. The ECG appearance of ventricular asystole looks almost like a straight line with the occasional P-wave. Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) is the absence of a palpable pulse or other signs of circulation despite the presence on the ECG monitor of an observable QRS complex which normally produce a pulse. Ventricular fibrillation (v-fib) is a common cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. In v-fib the heart begins to quivers with no blood being pumped out of the heart. On the monitor, v-fib will look like a irregular and disorganized wavy line. Ventricular fibrillation may be fine or coarse; coarse ventricular fibrillation is more likely to convert after defibrillation than fine v-fib. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is a rhythm that is perfusing poorly with patients may or may not be displaying a pulse. Most patients with this rhythm are unconscious and pulseless and the use of the AED is necessary to “reset” the heart so that the primary pacemaker or the Sinoatrial Node can take over. With shockable heart rhythms, if the patient is being monitored, the rhythm can often be identified before significant deterioration.

Comments
comments powered by Disqus

    BLOG

        Author  

    Dr. Tracy A. Jones is an American Heart Association, ASHI, and American Red Cross Master Program Trainer, Instructor, & AHA Faculty Member located in San Antonio, Texas.

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015

    Categories

    All

www.helpaheartcpr.com
Red Cross Classes
Picture
Help-A-Heart CPR
 
​Help-A-Heart CPR, LLC  |  1518 Blanco Road #102  |  San Antonio, Texas 78212  | (210) 380-5344 | info@helpaheartcpr.com
​Copyright © Help-A-Heart CPR, LLC 2021
PRIVACY POLICY
CPR
HOME
CLASS SCHEDULE & REGISTRATION
ONLINE CLASSES
INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
RESOURCES
CONTACT
​Communities Served
ARKANSAS: Fayetteville, Hot Springs, Little Rock
NEW MEXICO: Albuquerque

TEXAS: Arlington,  Austin,  Bandera, Bastrop, Boerne, Brownsville, Comfort, Converse, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Del Rio, Dripping Springs, El Paso, Floresville, Fredericksburg, Georgetown, Harlingen,  Houston, Junction, Katy, Kerrville, Kingsville, Kingwood,  Laredo, Lubbock, Lufkin, McAllen, Midland, New Braunfels, Odessa, Pleasanton, Round Rock, San Angelo,  San Marcos, Schertz,  Seguin,  Taylor,  Temple, Texarkana, Tyler, Universal City,  Victoria, Waco, The Woodlands
  • HOME
    • ABOUT US
  • CLASS SCHEDULE & REGISTRATION
    • AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION >
      • CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) CREDIT
      • ACLS PRECOURSE REQUIREMENTS
      • PALS PRECOURSE REQUIREMENTS
    • ASHI CERTIFICATION
    • AMERICAN RED CROSS COURSES
    • SPANISH BLS & CPR/AED/FIRST AID
    • GROUP TRAINING
  • ONLINE CLASSES
    • AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION ONLINE CLASSES
    • AMERICAN RED CROSS ONLINE CLASSES
  • INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
    • AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
    • AMERICAN RED CROSS INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
    • ASHI INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
    • INSTRUCTOR RESOURCES
  • RESOURCES
    • BLOG
    • FAQ'S
    • AED SALES & INSPECTION
    • CANCELLATION & RESCHEDULING
    • PRIVACY POLICY
  • CONTACT