Cardiac Arrest

Question 1

What drugs are used in a non-shockable cardiac arrest?

Answer 1

Get access
Immediately administer adrenaline 1 in 10,000
Repeat every 3-5 minutes
No Amiodarone if patient remains in a non-shockable rhythm

Question 2

What drugs are used in a shockable cardiac arrest?

Answer 2

Gain IV or IO access
Administered adrenaline after the 3rd shock
Repeat adrenaline every 3-5 minutes or alternate shocks 5th, 7th, 9th etc.
Administer full dose of amiodarone after the 3rd shock
Administer half dose of amiodarone after the 5th shock

Question 3

What is different when children are in cardiac arrest?

Answer 3

Drug dosages
Different sized OPA & iGels
OPA inserted right way up
No puck on children under 8 years old
CPR technique - 1 hand or thumb grip
Pad placement front and back depending on size of child due to electrical conductivity
Catherter mount of airway cascade not extended
No NPA in children under 12
Smaller BVM and only squeezing til chest rise and fall is seen
Providing 5 rescue breaths before beginning CPR
Compression ratio of 15:2
Defibrillator joules change depending on age

Question 4

What is classed as special cardiac arrest circumstances?

Answer 4

Pregnancy - provide left lateral tilt for adequate venous return, higher hand placement for CPR , intubation
Drowning - provide 5 rescue breaths before CPR
Hypothermia

Question 5

Why wouldn’t you shock?

Answer 5

Asystole
PEA
Pulsed VT
Increased GCS
Wet patients until dried

Question 6

Why would you shock?

Answer 6

Pulseless VT
VF

Question 7

End tidal readings?

Answer 7

Intra-arrest
Range of 1-3
Under 2 likely to have a poor prognosis
Improving likely to have ROSC

During ROSC
Range of 4-6