Author/Editor		Ambrožič, Jana; Bunc, Matjaž
Title		Electrical and lightning injuries
Translated title		Poškodbe z električnim tokom in strelo
Type		članek
Source		Slov Kardiol
Vol. and No.		Letnik 3, št. 2
Publication year		2006
Volume		str. 120-5
Language		eng
Abstract		Electrical and lightning injuries are among the most common environmental injuries. The heart is an organ that is very vulnerable to electricity. Although many electrical exposures are benign, severe electrical and lightning injury may cause life-threatening cardiac complications such as ventricular fibrillation and asystole. Various cardiac arrhythmias and ECG abnormalities can be detected. Electrical and lightning injury may also present as a crush or thermal injury and cause serious tissue destruction. The mechanisms of electrical and lightning injury are described, along with their cardiac manifestations, and the need for cardiac monitoring, which is often a dilemma in emergency departments, is discussed. AU patients with high-voltage current exposure (more than 1000 V) should be admitted for cardiac and hemodynamic monitoring due to the increased risk of multisystem involvement and cardiac arrhythmias. Cardiac monitoring is warranted if there is a history of cardiac and respiratory arrest, loss of consciousness, when the ECG is abnormal, when the cardiac rhythm is abnormal, or if the patient has a history of cardiac disease or complains of any symptoms (chest pain, palpitations, dyspnea).
Summary		Poškodbe z električnim tokom in strelo sodijo med pogostejše poškodbe zaradi zunanjih dejavnikov. Srce je organ, ki je zelo občutljiv na učinke električnega toka. Čeprav je veliko izpostavitev električnemu toku benignih, lahko pride do življenjsko ogrožajočih srčnih zapletov, kot sta ventrikularna fibrilacija in asistolija. Pogoste so različne motnje srčnega ritma in spremembe v EKG. Poškodbe z električnim tokom in strelo se lahko kažejo kot travmatske in termalne poškodbe s hudo prizadetostjo tkiv in organov. Članek obravnava mehanizme poškodbe z električnim tokom in strelo, učinke na srce in kdaj je potrebna monitorizacija srčnega ritma, kar je pogosta dilema na urgentnih oddelkih. Sprejem zaradi nadzora hemodinamskega stanja in srčnega ritma je potreben pri izpostavitvah toku visoke napetosti (več kot 1000V). Monitorizacija srčnega ritma je indicirana tudi pri poškodovancih, ne glede navrsto toka, pri katerih je prišlo do zastoja srca in dihanja, izgube zavesti, imajo motnje srčnega ritma, patološki EKG, anamnezo srčnega obolenja ali navajajo simptome, kot so bolečina v prsih, palpitacije, dispneja.
Descriptors		ELECTRIC INJURIES LIGHTNING INJURIES ELECTRIC COUNTERSHOCK HEART ARREST ARRHYTHMIA CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION TRIAGE TRAUMA SEVERITY INDICES ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY