Course Breakdown: 1 Hour Self-Paced Course
Credit Awarded: 1 Hours
Credit Type: Advanced
Accredited: CAPCE (F3-Distributive), CE Broker (FL, KY, TN), Pennsylvania Bureau of EMS*, and Virginia Office of EMS(pending)
Enrollment Period: One year or until completed, whichever comes first
Topics: Acute Coronary Syndrome
*PA Bureau of EMS reporting is by Regional Endorsement.
This self-paced course is designed for EMS professionals who want an in-depth examination of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), focusing on its pathophysiology, clinical presentation, electrocardiographic interpretation, and evidence-based management in the prehospital and critical care setting.
- Explores the underlying mechanisms of atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, and thrombosis, understanding how these processes contribute to ischemia and infarction.
- Discussion of angina, myocardial infarction types, and infarction localization.
- Explores how to distinguish between ST-elevation and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
- Covers advanced twelve-lead E-K-G interpretation, including contiguous and reciprocal leads, coronary artery anatomy, dominance, and the relationship between coronary circulation and the conduction system.
- Reviews prehospital treatment priorities—such as oxygen therapy, antiplatelet and anticoagulant use, nitrates, analgesics, and reperfusion strategies—along with considerations for fibrinolysis, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass graft procedures.
- Reviews cardiac biomarkers including creatine kinase-MB, lactic dehydrogenase, myoglobin, and troponin, highlighting their diagnostic value and limitations.
By integrating physiology, diagnostics, and management, this course enhances clinical judgment and promotes confident, evidence-based care for patients experiencing Acute Coronary Syndrome.