Amiodarone Flashcards
When is amiodarone indicated?
X2 answers
Cardiac arrest
Shockable rhythm
(1st dose after 3rd shock)
How much flush do we give after amiodarone ?
20 mls
How much amiodarone do you give as your second dose?
150 mls
Is amiodarone a class ? 1-5
I
II
III
IIII
IIIII
Anti-arrhythmic
How many categories do all types of anti-arrhythmic drugs have ?
5
REMEMBER!!
Each category relates to a specific time of the cardiac action potential
Action potential: is change in voltage across a cell membrane. Beginning at the SA node (specialized nodal cells) which is capable for self-excitation (can independently produce spontaneous electrical impulses)
Once the activation from the SA node begins the charge won’t stop
(think of it like water bring pores down a ramp it won’t stop even if there’s a little bend it’ll carrry on) so the charge won’t stop until it reaches the end of the conduction pathway (purkinje’s)
The time from the start to end is called the what ?
Effective refractory period
When the activation of action potential relates to the hearts repolarisation and depolarisation. What ions are related to this there’s 3
Sodium
Potassium
Calcium
What did Vaughn William do?
Classify anti-arrhythmics (see photo)
Class 1: blocks sodium channels
Class 2: BB blocks beta Receptors ⬇️ HR
Class 3: effects phase 3 of action potential so it effects the “effective refractory period” (so imagine the action potential graph being LONGER) lowering HR!!
So patients in PEA cardiac arrest it will be slowing the HR even more into ASYSTOLE
Class 4: interferes w/ calcium channels effecting BP
Class 5: adenosine- used in narrow complex tachycardia which has a unknown understanding as how it works
Why’s amiodarone not indicated in a cardiac arrest situation when the patients in a Non-shockable rhythm ?
It will effect the effective refractory period which is elongating the action potential to make it even longer which will then cause the patient to go into ASYSTOLE
Amiodarone effects the phase 3 effective refractory period stage which is increasing time between depolarisation and repolarisation