Second Degree Heart Block Pathophysiology????

beth66335, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2008

I am working on yet another care plan since I had the flu thru our last clinical and am now required to do a makeup with an entirely new patient and new surgical procedure.........I am having trouble finding the pathophysiology for Type II Mobitz 2nd degree heart block. I've been to several websites including the AHA and emedicine...the path just isn't there. Any suggestions on good path sites or books that might help me out? Thanks so much

Can you do Patho on Decreased cardiac output? That is what this causes isn't it? I would think this would be easier to find.

flightnurse2b, LPN · Mar 2, 2008

theres a pathophys on this one...http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic234.htm

kel879 · Mar 2, 2008

Thanks for the advice. I tried that as well. It seems to me based on my research today that second degree heart block is a medical condition that is not widely understood at this point. They know what happens, but not really why or how. But I do appreciate the pointers :) :typing

flightnurse2b, LPN · Mar 2, 2008

you are welcome. here is another site i've found http://www.ajpe.org/legacy/pdfs/aj650211.pdf

i like to research the topics you guys post on here too, incase i ever need to do a pathophysiology report on them myself!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2008

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=36

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/second_degree_heart_block

http://www.fpnotebook.com/cv/ekg/atrvntrclrblck.htm

very simply, this is a breakdown in the electrical conduction of the electrical impulse that is generated by the sa node of the heart. you need to understand the normal conduction pathway of an electrical impulse as it makes its way through the heart. the problem in mobitz ii type of second degree heart block is abnormal conduction of the electrical impulse at the av node. the sa node in the atrium is working just fine. however, periodically, the av node doesn't let the impulse through to the ventricles , or blocks the impulse, so there is no corresponding ventricular response (qrs complex) to complete the heartbeat. the best i could find of the pathophysiology of this was that it is due to faulty cell metabolism below the av node with no further explanation (page 1084, pathophysiology: the biologic basis for disease in adults and children, third edition, by kathryn l. mccance and sue e. heuther). the causes of this are potassium levels below 3.5 meq/l, antidysrrhythmics and cyclic antidepressants. mobitz ii blocks can occur in cad, mis, hypoxia, increased preload, valvular surgery, valvular disease and diabetes. it is more serious than mobitz i block because it can progress to type iii block. the treatment for it is a pacemaker if drug therapy does not work.