Heart blocks
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
Cardiachigh priorityneeds review
Heart blocks
Also testable as: Atrioventricular block, AV block, First-degree AV block, Second-degree AV block, Third-degree AV block
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Conduction delay or failure can occur from ischemia, age-related conduction disease, medications, electrolyte problems, or post-procedure changes.
- Electrical signals from atria to ventricles slow, intermittently drop, or fail completely, causing bradycardia and poor perfusion.
Medications
No specific medication class was seeded for this card.
Nursing actions
- Assess pulse, blood pressure, mental status, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and perfusion.
- Hold or question rate-slowing medications when bradycardic or symptomatic per parameters.
- Prepare emergency pacing/atropine pathway for symptomatic high-grade block per protocol.
Complications
- Syncope
- Falls
- Shock
- Cardiac arrest
NCLEX cues
- Slow pulse with dizziness or hypotension.
- Dropped QRS complexes or AV dissociation.
- Third-degree block is more dangerous than first-degree block.
Memory hooks
- If the signal does not get through, perfusion can drop.
Labs / Diagnostics
- ECG rhythm strip
- Electrolytes
- Medication review
- Troponin if ischemia suspected
Review notes
- Supplemental wife-requested study card. Use for NCLEX review only and verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy.