by Ankit Chadha | Sep 18, 2022
Urea and Electrolytes (U&Es) This blood test is the simplest biochemical measure of assessing renal function. By looking at the plasma concentration of creatinine and urea, this allows you to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to see if the kidneys are... by Ankit Chadha | Sep 18, 2022
Liver Function Tests (LFTs) This refers to a set a blood tests which measures the level of enzymes found in the liver, which indicates functionality. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) AST is found in tissues including liver, heart, muscle, kidney and brain. It gets... by Ankit Chadha | Sep 18, 2022
Cardiac Arrest This is an abrupt loss of heart function which results in having no effective cardiac output. The most common cause of cardiac arrest is ischaemic heart disease. Without an effective cardiac output, this reduces perfusion to critical tissues like the... by Ankit Chadha | Sep 18, 2022
Tachycardia This is defined as a heart rate of > 100 bpm. Whilst it can be normal physiological response to increased demand (e.g., exercise), there are many arrythmias which also give rise to tachycardias. Atrial fibrillation This is a chaotic irregular atrial... by Ankit Chadha | Sep 18, 2022
Interpreting an ECG The ECG graph displays voltage over time. x- axis = time. Length in 25mm/s and shows recording over 10s Each small box is 0.04s, and large box = 0.2s y-axis = voltage, measured in mV Interval = the time taken from start of one wave to end of... by Ankit Chadha | Sep 18, 2022
Bradycardias Bradycardia is defined as a heart rate of fewer than 60 beats per minute. Bradycardia can be normal in some people, but can also lead to haemodynamic compromise, leading to the development of symptoms. Symptoms Hypotension (< 90mmHg) Syncope Heart...
