What Type of Heart Related Challenges Would You Face as an EMT?

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The worst thing that can happen to a patient is that their heart stops beating. When that happens, it’s up to emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to get it restarted. However, it’s not as simple as jumpstarting your car. EMTs and paramedics need extensive knowledge on the structure of the heart and what a proper rhythm looks like. When EMTs are taking a pulse, giving CPR, or administering cardiac related drugs, it’s a lot of science in action.

First You Take Their Pulse

One of the most important things an EMT must do is take a person’s pulse, which tells them how the heart is acting. They check the rate and how strongly the heart is pumping blood. A pulse of 60 to 100 beats per minute and strong clear beats means a heart that’s working properly. Problems with the heart are characterized by a too slow or too fast heat rate and/or weak beats. A pulse can be taken on the neck (carotid), armpit (brachial), wrist (radial), and foot (pedal). It’s important that EMTs keep tabs on the patient’s pulse throughout the time the patient is in the squad. Patients in dire health should get their pulse checked at least every 5 minutes. Patients with little to no heart problems should get checked every 7 minutes to make sure nothing has changed.

Then Diagnose the Problem

There is a long list of things that can go wrong with the heart. A Myocardial Infarction, also known as a heart attack, is when blood flow through an artery is blocked off and the blood gets backed up, making it much harder for the heart to beat. Angina is chest pain caused by a lack of oxygen to the muscles that pump the heart and is often a sign of heart disease and can mask as just indigestion. A very common issue is Dysrhythmia, which is when the heart is beating too slow (bradycardia), too fast (tachycardia), or simply off beat simply known as an irregular heartbeat. If Dysrhythmia is too extreme, it can push the heart in cardiac arrest, stopping the heart and potentially causing death.

Finally, You Treat What’s Wrong

There are 3 things that an EMT can do to address issues with the heart: give cardiac medications, electrical defilation, and CPR. Medication and electrical defilation can be used to put a heartbeat back in to an appropriate rhythm. CPR and Electrical defilation, and even certain medications like sodium bicarbonate and adrenalin, can be used to restart a stopped heart. CPR should only be given when no pulse can be observed.

There’s enough science behind the cardiac system to fill several books, but this is merely a short summary of what most EMTs will see on the job in a real world environment. Being an EMT not only takes a lot of heart, it takes knowing a lot about the heart too. This is a career that is just as meaningful socially and spiritually as it is consistent and well paying. It is a career for a hero!