Interventions associated with amiodarone therapy in Aterial Essay

Interventions associated with amiodarone therapy in Aterial fibrilation in a cardiac paitent - Essay Example In addition, the patient has ectopics. Importantly, an ECG done on the patient indicates arterial fibrillation. A day after his surgery, Mr. Patel’s blood pressure is found to be unstable. The other features identified with the patient one day after the operation are Good CO, Good CI, is normal ABG, 4.3 potassium, on inotropic support, sedated, ventilated , PICCO inserted . The 4.3 potassium was replaced with 20mmol of KCL. Lab results indicated magnesium levels of 0.98, which was replaced with 10mmol of magnesium. After carrying out TOE, it was revealed that the patient had heart muscle edematous. Hence, Cardioversion was forgone. Consequently, a 300mg loading dose of Amiodarone was started on the patient, followed by a 900mg maintenance dosage. The patient was back to SR the following day. This case study highlights the importance and effectiveness of using Amiodarone as medication against Mr. Patel’s arterial fibrillation, outlining and emphasizing the NICE guideline s observed during Mr. Patel’s treatment and management. In addition, the use of the NICE-recommended nursing observation, strategies and intervention practices on Mr. Patel are outlined. In the United Kingdom, it is reported that atrial fibrillation (AF), one of the most common class of arrhythmia managed in clinical practice, affects about 5% of the population aged 65 years and above. The condition is found in both genders with men reporting higher prevalence. As in the case of Mr. Patel, the disease is characterised by lack of synchronisation of rhythm between the ventricles and atria, thus disturbing his regular rhythm of the heart. AF is general regarded as an electrical energy disruption that causes the upper chambers of the heart to vibrate at an approximate rate of between 300 and 600 times a minute (NCC-CC, 2006). Although the overall mortality rate for atrial fibrillation has recently risen to the hitherto unseen levels of up to 90%, many doctors and nurses continue to disregard the potential of modifying the cardiovascular risk factors associated with this disease to reverse the situation (NCC-CC, 2006). As a matter of fact, it has been established that nurses have a great potential to positively contribute to the detection, prevention and management of this progressively common condition (Flegel, 1995). It has also been noted that people aged above 65 years old such as Mr. Patel, are the most affected by this condition. Interestingly, this age group account for huge portion of people under nursing care (NCC-CC, 2005). The role of nurses in Mr. Patel’s case is quite clear since his condition, and the fact that he is aged require that he is placed under intensive treatment and nursing care. For instance, that Mr. Patel just has just undergone surgical procedures and has his cardiac and metabolic systems’’ stability impaired makes his case rather care-intensive. Since most of AF’s signs and symptoms are asymptotic, it is recommended that nurses suspect the disease in patients with irregular pulses (Flegel, 1995). It is not enough to merely suspect the disease in such patients; nurses should do more by informing physicians and recommending referral to an electrocardiogram. The objectives of nursing observations and activities on Mr. Patel, after his surgery includes the following: to alleviate the signs and symptoms of AF and to prevent other related complications he might contract. Among the procedures that are likely to be applied should be suffer these complications