PULSUS ALTERNANS

Course overview

PULSUS ALTERNANS IS AN ARTERIAL PULSE WITH ALTERNATING STRONG AND WEAK BEATS. IT IS FOUND IN THE SETTING OF SEVERE VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION AND OTHER FORMS OF CARDIAC PATHOLOGY. THE TREATMENT AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR PULSUS ALTERNANS VARY DEPENDING UPON THE UNDERLYING CAUSATIVE ETIOLOGY, THOUGH ITS PRESENCE GENERALLY SUGGESTS A POOR PROGNOSTIC OUTLOOK. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF PULSUS ALTERNANS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.