ACLS Scenarios Flashcards
When is Narcan used in ACLS?
When respiratory distress or cardiac arrest from opioid overdose is suspected
What are 2 ways Narcan can be administered?
What are the doses of each?
intramuscular: 0.4 mg
intranasal: 2 mg
* doses can be repeated after 4 minutes
3 drugs used for bradycardia
- epi
- atropine
- dopamine
What is the disadvantage of transcutaneous pacing?
does not produce as effective capture as trans venous pacing
What is the preferred method of pacing for emergent, unstable bradycardia?
transcutaneous pacing
What is the better pacing option for stable bradycardia?
transvenous pacing
What is the 3 step protocol for stable bradycardia?
- atropine
- monitor and observe
- SAMPLE
What is the 5 step protocol for unstable bradycardia?
- Monitors, IV, Oxygen
- Atropine
- consider transcutaneous pacing, epi, dopamine
* if atropine is ineffective - SAMPLE
- consult or transvenous pacing
Clinically, a HR is considered SVT when:
- the HR is ____
- the QRS complex is _____
- difficult to differentiate between _____ and _____
- > 150 bpm
- normal width
- sinus tach and junctional tach (p waves may or may not be present)
is SVT an emergency?
yes,
ventricular filling time is greatly reduced and this reduces cardiac output
What is paroxysmal SVT?
SVT that begins and ends abruptly (occurs in spasms)
-need to witness the stopping/starting on ECG
What is the BIG difference between SVT and afib/flutter?
AV node is part of the SVT re-entrant circuit, but NOT part of afib/flutter pathway
most types of SVT occur within the _____
AV node
For SVT, recommended therapies will ______ conduction through the _____
slow, AV node
What are 5 treatment options for SVT
- Vagal maneuvers
- carotid massage
- cold stimulus to the face
- valsalva maneuver - Adenosine
- Beta blockers (sotalol)
- Ca2+ channel blockers (cardizem)
- synchronized cardioversion
What is the treatment for afib/flutter?
synchronized cardioversion
What are 2 other drugs that can treat SVT that are not part of the ACLS protocol?
- amiodarone
2. Procainamide
What type of patients should a carotid massage be avoided?
geriatric patients or patients with hx of stroke or high cholesterol
SVT usually refers to a (narrow/wide) tachycardia with a more (regular/irregular) rhythm
narrow
regular
Afib usually manifests as a (narrow/wide) tachycardia with a more (regular/irregular) rhythm
narrow
irregular
atrial flutter can be (regular, irregular, both) rhythm
both
What is the only reason to use AV nodal blockers in Afib/flutter?
to slow down the HR in SVT to better diagnose the arrhythmia (SVT, Afib, Aflutter)
What is the only difference in treatment for stable vs unstable SVT?
in unstable SVT you perform immediate synchronized cardioversion before administration of adenosine
In stable SVT you will try vagal maneuvers first
What is the first thing you should do when you encounter a patient in SVT? (stable or unstable)
monitors, IV, oxygen
What is the dose of adenosine for SVT
1st dose of 6mg
then 2nd dose of 12mg if needed
What is the main difference in treatment for stable vs unstable afib/flutter
in stable afib/flutter you just consider expert consult
in unstable afib/flutter you will do immediate synchronized cardioversion
What is the therapy for ventricular tachyarrhythmias when the patient is pulseless?
defibrillation
What is the therapy for ventricular tachyarrhythmias when the patient has a pulse?
synchronized cardioversion
What are the 4 drugs used to treat ventricular tachyarrhythmias and what are the doses?
- epi (if pt is pulseless)
- Amiodarone
- Procainamide
- Lidocaine
What is the dose of epi for a pulseless ventricular tachyarrhythmia?
1 mg every 3-5 minutes
What is the dose of amiodarone for a patient that is pulseless?
300 mg bolus
what is the dose of amiodarone for a patient that has a pulse?
150 mg over 10 minutes
What is the dose of Procainamide for ventricular tachyarrhythmias?
20-50 mg/ min
What is the dose of lidocaine for ventricular tachyarrhythmias?
100 mg IV
What is the drug used for Torsades de Pointes and what is the dose?
1-2 g Magnesium IV
What is adenosine used for in ventricular tachyarrhythmias?
diagnose what type of arrhythmia it is
If adenosine converts the rhythm, it was likely SVT
If the rhythm doesn’t convert after adenosine, Vtach is more likely
What is the main difference in treatment for Stable Monomorphic Vtach with a pulse VS Unstable Monomorphic Vtach (but not pulseless)?
In stable Monomorphic Vtach, administer antiarrhythmics (150 mg of amiodarone over 10 minutes) and expert consult
in Unstable (with a pulse) Monomorphic Vtach, perform synchronized cardioversion
Course Vfib has (higher/ lower) waves and a (more/less) chance of conversion
higher
more
fine Vfib has (higher/lower) waves and a (more/less) chance of conversion
lower
less
appears after course Vfib
If a patient is in asystole, what are the 3 treatments we can perform?
- CPR
- Epi
- treat any reversible causes
What are the non-shockable pulseless rhythms?
asystole, PEA
What is PEA?
when the patient has no pulse but the ECG is showing an organized electrical rhythm
What are the 2 most common reversible causes of PEA?
- Hypoxia
2. Hypovolemia
What are the 3 shockable pulseless rhythms?
Vfib
Vtach
Torsades de Pointes
can procainamide be used in pulseless rhythms?
no
What is the most common initial rhythm in sudden cardiac arrest?
Vfib