1. Prolonged QT – Ethylene Glycol is commonly found in antifreeze and has an affinity for calcium. Thus, ethylene glycol ingestion may lead to hypocalcemia, which can cause prolonged QT and dysrhythmias. It also causes metabolic acidosis. Seizures and hypophosphatemia would not be present in this type of patient.
2. Hypocalcemia – Remember, a positive Trousseau’s sign is where an inflated blood pressure cuff on the wrist causes flexion and spasm in the wrist, thumb, metacarpal, and interphalangeal joints. When a patient has hypocalcemia, the hand adopts a fixed position when a blood pressure cuff is placed on the arm for at least 3 minutes.
3. Beginning of ventricular diastole – The balloon pump deflates when your heart contracts (ventricular systole) which helps to reduce afterload, and improve cardiac output. Therefore, the balloon pump must inflate when the heart relaxes (ventricular diastole) to increase (augment) diastolic pressure and improve coronary blood flow.