Question

(n) Discuss why it is important for Rhesus negative women who get pregnant for Rhesus positive men to have Rhogam 72 hours after their first pregnancy? (10 marks) (b) An ECG report stated that a patient had irregular heart rate and the "P" waves were not always present. (1 mark) (4 marks) What does the ECG record? i. Explain the ECG findings and suggest a trentment.

Answer 1

a).

Similar to the A and B antigens on the red blood cells, we also contain the “Rhesus antigens.” If a person is carrying these antigens, the blood group is said to be Rh+ve (Rhesus positive), and if these antigens are absent, the blood group is Rh-ve (Rhesus negative).

If a Rh-ve women had a Rh+ve baby (Rh+ve from his father), and if the blood cells of fetus enter into the mother, the mother's immune system develop antibodies against the Rh/-ve cells (sensitization to Rh factor), which react with the Rh+ve cells upon second exposure and triggers the agglutination reaction. This condition is known as “erythroblastosis fetalis.”

To prevent this condition, the mother is administered with Rh immune globulin (RhoGAM) shot at 28^th week and 34^th week during pregnancy and immediately after birth.

b).

i).

Electrocardiograph is an instrument used to record the electrical activities of the heart. The graph obtained by the electrocardiograph is called as electrocardiogram (ECG). In this, a needle electrode is used to record the electrical activity of the cardiac muscle.

ii).

The electrical events are denoted with the letters P, Q, R, S and T; these are called electrical waves. The P wave in ECG is associated with atrial depolarization, and the T wave is associated with ventricular repolarization. The absence of P wave indicate atrial fibrillation.

It is treated by using surgical shocks, removing the abnormal tissue by electrical energy, catheter ablation, and the medications that include, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers.