Guest Lecture Flashcards
(8 cards)
Patients on an LVAD typically have ____ pulse rate
No pulse rate because the machine provides continuous flow of blood
A drop in LVAD pump flow may indicate what?
Pump failure
What should you do if LVAD pump power continually increases overtime
Speak with team because an increase of 10 watts could mean a thrombus
What should you do if LVAD pump speed changes.
Speak with team because this could be an abnormal condition like a suction event
What should you monitor for patients on an LVAD
Risk of bleeding, infections,
Check INR (coagulation)
Check RBC count
WBC count and LDH
What is the prognosis for survival 1 year after a heart transplant
Less than 50%
Post op heart transplant patients need to worry about what?
Avoiding infection
Sternal precautions
Slower response to activity
Patients who have a heart transplant have a denervated heart at first, this means that…
Higher resting BPM
Slower to respond to activity
NO angina w/ hypoxia
Problems with orthostatic hypotension
