EMT Optional Skills Training Course
Module 7: Cardiac Emergencies
Introduction
Cardiovascular emergecies
Cardiovascular emergencies are among the most critical situations you will encounter in the field. The heart and circulatory system are responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients to every cell in the body — when that system fails, life is immediately threatened. This review module reinforces key concepts in cardiac anatomy and physiology, recognition of common cardiovascular emergencies, and appropriate prehospital interventions.
Module Content
Cardiovascular System
Objectives
Assessment and Treatment
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Objectives
OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this module, you will be able to:
Recognize the patient experiencing ACS-related chest pain
Describe the emergency medical care of the patient with chest pain
Establish the relationship between the patient and circulation
Describe the indications, contraindications, and mechanism of action for nitroglycerine.
Describe the indications, contraindications, and mechanism of action for aspirin
module Topics
MODULE Topics
Cardiovascular System
Assessment & Treatment
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Assessment and treatment of cardiovascular emergencies.
Review of cardiovascular emergencies.
Review of the cardiovascular system.
Cardiovascular System
Cardiovascular system
Understanding the cardiovascular system will help you better understand the pathophysiology of cardiovascular emergencies.
Cardiovascular System
Cardiac Anatomy Review
Drag the anatomy labels to the correct locations on the diagram. Then, check your answers.
Left Ventricle
Inferior Vena Cava
Left Atrium
Right Ventricle
Right Atrium
Aorta
Check Your Answers
Cardiovascular System
Cardiac Electrical Cycle
Hover over each stage of the electical cycle to review how the impulse travels through the heart. Then, select the monitor to review how the electrical impulses correlate to an ECG.
Cardiovascular System
Terms Review
Review each term. You can review a more detailed definition of each term in your workbook.
Circulation of oxygenated blood to the cells in the body.
The amount of blood pumped by the heart in one minute.
The amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle with each heartbeat.
The percentage of blood in the ventricle that is pumped out with each beat.
Perfusion
Cardiac Output (CO)
Stroke Volume (SV)
Ejection Fraction
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Title
Title
Title
Title
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Understanding the early signs of cardiac compromise and acting quickly can mean the difference between life and death. EMS plays a vital role in identifying cardiac emergencies, initiating lifesaving interventions, and ensuring rapid transport to definitive care. Recognizing common types of cardiovascular emergencies can help the patient get the definitive care they need more quickly.
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Types of Cardiovascular Emergencies
Watch the video to review common cardiovascuar emergencies. You can fill in the Cardiovascular Emergencies Differential Diagnosis Organizer in your workbook as you watch.
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Cardiovascular Emergencies
assessment & treatment
assessment & treatment
Patients can experience chest pain from a number of different conditions. Performing a detailed and focused assessment can help narrow down the possible causes of a patient's chest pain.
assessment & treatment
assessment & Treatment
Hover over each icon to review key points of assessing a patient with a cardiovascular chief complaint.
assessment & treatment
Cardiovascular Emergencies
EMT-OS MEdications
medication self-study
review The Nitroglycerine and Aspirin sheets in your workbook
Cardiovascular Meds
Even if you are not able to carry these medications in the field currently, you will use them in your clinicals and are responsible for knowing them. Remember that you are also able to assist with patient home medications in the field so having a good understanding of the medications will allow you to be more confident in assisting if needed.
References
MOdule references
Alexander, M., & Belle, R. (2016). Advanced EMT: A clinical reasoning approach (2nd ed.). Pearson Education. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; Caroline, N. L. (2011). Nancy Caroline’s Emergency Care in the Streets (7th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Limmer, D., O'Keefe, M., & Dickinson, E. T. (2020). Emergency care (14th ed.). Pearson Education. Scanlon, V. C., & Sanders, T. (2015). Essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th ed.). F. A. Davis
MOdule 7 completed!
Aorta
Cardiac Anatomy Review
Left Atrium
Right Atrium
Left Ventricle
Right Ventricle
Inferior Vena Cava
EMT-OS Module 7
Ian Sharp
Created on May 8, 2025
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Transcript
EMT Optional Skills Training Course
Module 7: Cardiac Emergencies
Introduction
Cardiovascular emergecies
Cardiovascular emergencies are among the most critical situations you will encounter in the field. The heart and circulatory system are responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients to every cell in the body — when that system fails, life is immediately threatened. This review module reinforces key concepts in cardiac anatomy and physiology, recognition of common cardiovascular emergencies, and appropriate prehospital interventions.
Module Content
Cardiovascular System
Objectives
Assessment and Treatment
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Objectives
OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this module, you will be able to:
Recognize the patient experiencing ACS-related chest pain
Describe the emergency medical care of the patient with chest pain
Establish the relationship between the patient and circulation
Describe the indications, contraindications, and mechanism of action for nitroglycerine.
Describe the indications, contraindications, and mechanism of action for aspirin
module Topics
MODULE Topics
Cardiovascular System
Assessment & Treatment
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Assessment and treatment of cardiovascular emergencies.
Review of cardiovascular emergencies.
Review of the cardiovascular system.
Cardiovascular System
Cardiovascular system
Understanding the cardiovascular system will help you better understand the pathophysiology of cardiovascular emergencies.
Cardiovascular System
Cardiac Anatomy Review
Drag the anatomy labels to the correct locations on the diagram. Then, check your answers.
Left Ventricle
Inferior Vena Cava
Left Atrium
Right Ventricle
Right Atrium
Aorta
Check Your Answers
Cardiovascular System
Cardiac Electrical Cycle
Hover over each stage of the electical cycle to review how the impulse travels through the heart. Then, select the monitor to review how the electrical impulses correlate to an ECG.
Cardiovascular System
Terms Review
Review each term. You can review a more detailed definition of each term in your workbook.
Circulation of oxygenated blood to the cells in the body.
The amount of blood pumped by the heart in one minute.
The amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle with each heartbeat.
The percentage of blood in the ventricle that is pumped out with each beat.
Perfusion
Cardiac Output (CO)
Stroke Volume (SV)
Ejection Fraction
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Title
Title
Title
Title
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Understanding the early signs of cardiac compromise and acting quickly can mean the difference between life and death. EMS plays a vital role in identifying cardiac emergencies, initiating lifesaving interventions, and ensuring rapid transport to definitive care. Recognizing common types of cardiovascular emergencies can help the patient get the definitive care they need more quickly.
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Types of Cardiovascular Emergencies
Watch the video to review common cardiovascuar emergencies. You can fill in the Cardiovascular Emergencies Differential Diagnosis Organizer in your workbook as you watch.
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Cardiovascular Emergencies
assessment & treatment
assessment & treatment
Patients can experience chest pain from a number of different conditions. Performing a detailed and focused assessment can help narrow down the possible causes of a patient's chest pain.
assessment & treatment
assessment & Treatment
Hover over each icon to review key points of assessing a patient with a cardiovascular chief complaint.
assessment & treatment
Cardiovascular Emergencies
EMT-OS MEdications
medication self-study
review The Nitroglycerine and Aspirin sheets in your workbook
Cardiovascular Meds
Even if you are not able to carry these medications in the field currently, you will use them in your clinicals and are responsible for knowing them. Remember that you are also able to assist with patient home medications in the field so having a good understanding of the medications will allow you to be more confident in assisting if needed.
References
MOdule references
Alexander, M., & Belle, R. (2016). Advanced EMT: A clinical reasoning approach (2nd ed.). Pearson Education. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; Caroline, N. L. (2011). Nancy Caroline’s Emergency Care in the Streets (7th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Limmer, D., O'Keefe, M., & Dickinson, E. T. (2020). Emergency care (14th ed.). Pearson Education. Scanlon, V. C., & Sanders, T. (2015). Essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th ed.). F. A. Davis
MOdule 7 completed!
Aorta
Cardiac Anatomy Review
Left Atrium
Right Atrium
Left Ventricle
Right Ventricle
Inferior Vena Cava