BLUNT CARDIAC INJURY

Course overview

A CARDIAC CONTUSION IS A MISNOMER USED TO INDICATE INJURY TO THE HEART AFTER BLUNT CHEST TRAUMA. BECAUSE OF THE TERM'S AMBIGUITY IN DESCRIBING A SPECTRUM OF MYOCARDIAL INJURIES SECONDARY TO BLUNT TRAUMA, "CARDIAC CONTUSION" IS NOW TERMED "BLUNT CARDIAC INJURY". BLUNT CARDIAC INJURIES CAN RANGE FROM CLINICALLY SILENT, TRANSIENT ARRHYTHMIAS TO FATAL CARDIAC RUPTURE. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE ETIOLOGY, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT OF BLUNT CARDIAC INJURY. IT EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF SUCH PATIENTS.