Medications used include nitrates, opioid agonists, multiple types of antiarrhythmic drugs, adrenergic agonists, anticholinergics, and intravenous fluids to increase intravascular volume in a client in shock Cardiac emergencies can arise from problems within the heart’s electrical system or mechanical system and include AMI, unstable angina, and dysrhythmias.

Both conduction problems and mechanical problems can affect cardiac output and become life-threatening.

shock — decreased tissue perfusion to the point of hypoxia, which causes cells to undergo anaerobic metabolism; if not reversed, will lead to cell and tissue death. angina — discomfort in the front of the chest, neck, shoulders, jaw, or arms that is precipitated by physical exertion and is relieved by rest or sublingual nitrates. nitrate — a classification of drugs that cause vasodilation of blood vessels by imparting nitric oxide, which relaxes smooth muscles. anticholinergic — having the effect of inhibiting the cholinergic receptors, which then inhibits the parasympathetic nervous system.