PALS Flashcards
What does EWL stand for?
Estimated weight loss
What does FBAO stand for?
Foreign body airway obstruction
What does LVOT stand for?
Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction
What does PEFR stand for?
Peak expiratory flow rate
What does ROSC stand for?
Return of Spontaneous Circulation
What is a prominent sign of ROSC?
Sudden increase in EtCO2
What does RVOT stand for?
Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction
What should you do when a patient is showing agonal gasps?
Immediately start CPR
Blue discoloration of hands and feel, and around the mouth and lips
Acryocyanosis
Cessation of breathing for 20 seconds
Apnea
When can apnea be considered at less than 20 seconds?
When it is accompanied by bradycardia, cyanosis or pallor
What is central apnea?
No respiratory effort
What is obstructive apnea?
Pt is trying to breathe but ventilation is impeded by an obstructive airway
Most common cause of bradycardia in kids
Apnea and/or hypoxia
Bradycardia in newborns
<80 bpm or <100 bpm
Bradycardia in infants and children
<60 bpm
What does Broselow tape do?
Approximates weight and drug doses
1st 28 days of life
Neonate
1 month to 1 year of age
Infant
1 year to onset of puberty
Child
Puberty or older
Adult
The proportion of time spent performing chest compressions for patients in cardiac arrest
Chest compression fraction: At least 60% and ideally greater than 80% of the resuscitation attempt
Inflammation of the larynx/vocal cords
Croup
What is mild croup?
Barking cough
What is moderate croup?
Stridor and retractions at rest
What is severe croup?
Significant agitation with decreased air entry
Bluish discoloration of the skin resulting from poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood
Cyanosis
When is cyanosis apparent?
When at least 5g/dL of hemoglobin are desaturated
True/false. The more anemic you are, the lower the SpO2 that will be required for cyanosis to be present
True
What should you consider in PALS scenarios when a fever is present?
Administering antibiotics
SpO2 that is considered hypoxemia in PALS
<94% on room air
When should you consider administering supplemental oxygen in PALS?
- If SpO2 is <94% or
2. There are poor signs of perfusion
What can prevent hypoxemia from turning into tissue hypoxia?
An increase in cardiac output
What is permissive hypoxemia?
An SpO2 reading of <94% that may be appropriate or normal in certain circumstances
Examples of permissive hypoxemia
- Pt in high altitude
2. Pt with CHD (tetralogy of Fallot)
Hypoxia due to reduced arterial oxygen saturation
Hypoxemic hypoxia
Normal SaO2, but hypoxia due to decreased hemoglobin concentration, which leads to decreased total oxygen content in the blood (CaO2)
Anemic hypoxia
Normal SaO2 and hemoglobin concentration, but hypoxia due to decreased blood flow to the tissues
Ischemic hypoxia
Normal blood content and oxygen delivery, but hypoxia due to the inability of tissues to take up or utilize the oxygen from the bloodstream
Histotoxic/cytotoxic hypoxia
Cyanide poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning, methemoglobinemia, septic shock/impaired mitochondrial function
Histotoxic/cytotoxic hypoxia
low cardiac output, hypovolemia, severe vasoconstriction, etc
Ischemic hypoxia
Hypoglycemia in neonates
<45 mg/dL
Hypoglycemia in infants/children/adolescents
<60 mg/dL
Signs of hypoglycemia in peds
Poor perfusion, hypotension and tachycardia, sweating, irritability, and/or lethargy
Glucose dose for treating hypoglycemia
0.5-1 g/kg bolus or 2-4 ml/kg of D25W
Treatment for minimal symptoms of hypoglycemia and the child is stable
Oral glucose via juice
Systolic BP for hypotension in neonates
<60
Systolic BP for hypotension in infants
<70
Systolic BP for hypotension in children 1-10 yrs
<70 + (age in years x2)
Systolic BP for hypotension in children >10 yrs
<90
How low can the systolic pressure of a 3 y/o patient go before they are considered hypotensive?
<76
70 + (age x 2)
Patchy discolorations of the skin, caused by areas of vasoconstriction (pallor) mixed with areas of vasodilation (cyanosis or erythema)
Mottling
What can mottling be a sign of?
Imminent death
Pale color due to lack of oxygen in the skin
Pallor
Where is central pallor seen?
In the lips and mucous membrane
Signs of good peripheral perfusion (vasodilation)
- Good pulse (as long as BP is adequate)
- Flushed skin
- Brisk capillary refill (,2 seconds)
- Warm skin
- Awake and alert
Signs of poor/inadequate perfusion
- Weak pulse
- Pale or cyanotic skin color
- Delayed capillary refill and cool extremities (vasoconstriction)
- Decreased responsiveness and/or consciousness
- Metabolic acidosis, elevated lactate and decreased urine output
Purple discolorations caused by small vessel bleeding
Petechiae and purpura
What do petechiae and purpura suggest?
- Low platelet count or a symptoms of disseminated intravascular coagulation
- in PALS, septic shock
What does it mean if a child is refractory to treatment?
They do not improve or respond to a specific therapy
What does fluid refractory hypotension mean?
A child remains hypotensive despite fluid administration
What does hypoxic refractory to supplemental oxygen administration mean?
May need they need a breathing treatment, or may need to be mask ventilated or intubated
What does norepinephrine refractory shock mean?
A child in shock in unresponsive to norepinephrine therapy
Normal capillary refill time
<2 seconds
Prolonged capillary refill time
> 5 seconds
Common causes of prolonged capillary refill time
- Dehydration
- Shock
- Hypothermia
SVT rate for infants
> 220
SVT rate for children
> 180
Normal oxygen consumption for adults
3-4 ml/kg/min
Normal oxygen consumption for infants
6-8 ml/kg/min
Normal SpO2 on room air
> 94%
SpO2 on 100% oxygen that requires intervention
<90%
Normal ScvO2
25-30% below the SaO2 (70-75% if the SaO2 is normal)
Normal urine output for infants and young children
1.5-2 ml/kg/hr
Normal urine output for older children and adolescents
1 ml/kg/hr
What is reduced urine output a sign of?
Poor perfusion
What is quiet tachypnea caused by?
Non-pulmonary issues such as fever, pain, metabolic acidosis, etc
Why are pediatric patients prone to upper airway obstruction?
- They have a large tongue
2. they have a large occiput that causes neck flexion
How can you keep a pediatric patient in the sniff position?
Use a shoulder roll
Is total resistance in the small airways higher or lower?
Lower
Which airways are more prone to turbulent air flow and why?
Larger airways because they have more resistance than the smaller
When the radius of the airway decreases, what happens to resistance for laminar flow?
It increases to the 4th power
When the radius decreases, what happens to resistance in turbulent airflow?
It increases to the 5th power
What does turbulent flow do to airway resistance?
It increases airway resistance and can make it harder to breathe
When is airflow laminar (has lower resistance)?
During normal respiration because the driving pressure of air during normal breathing is low
When can airflow become turbulent?
- Partial airway obstruction (usually upper airway obstruction)
- Labored/agitated breathing/increased respiratory efforts/crying
What effect does low gas density have on laminar flow and resistance?
Lower gas density = higher percentage of laminar flow = lower resistance
Primary inspiratory muscles
- Diaphragm
2. External intercostals
Accessory inspiratory muscles
- Sternocleidomastoid
- Internal intercostals
- Scalene muscles
- Pectoralis major
- Pectoralis minor
Accessory expiratory muscles
- Rectus abdominis
- External oblique
- Internal oblique
- Transversus abdominis
True/false. Labored breathing helps with oxygenation and ventilation
False
Why should you avoid excessive ventilation?
- It causes air trapping
- It increases intrathoracic pressure, impedes venous return, decreases CO, coronary perfusion and cerebral blood flow
- It increases the risk of regurgitation and aspiration in kids without an advanced airway
How can you minimize gastric inflation?
- Ventilating slowly
- Delivering each breath over 1 second, and ventilating only until chest rise is observed
- Considering the use of cricoid pressure
Tracheal tubes recommended for children <8 years old
Uncuffed
Formula for choosing the correct ETT
uncuffed tube = (age/4) +4
cuffed tube = (age/4) + 3
Formula for choosing correct depth (cm) of insertion of ETT
For kids <2 y/o, internal diameter x3
For kids >2 y/o, (age/2) +12
After ___ ventilations, detected CO2 can be presumed to be from the trachea
6
Method of administering drugs through the ETT
- Dilute the drug with 5 ml NS
- Deliver the drug via the ETT while briefly holding compressions
- Follow drug delivery with 5 PPV
Epinephrine dose through ETT
10x the IV dose
Dosing drugs through the ETT (excluding epi)
2-3x IV dose
What does DOPE stand for?
Displacement
Obstruction
Pneumothorax
Equipment failure
When is DOPE used in PALS?
Anytime an intubated patient deteriorates
True/false. Resonant sounds are normal lung sounds with percussion
True
When are hyperresonant sounds observed?
In patients with
- Hyperinflated lung (COPD, acute asthma attack)
- Hyperinflated chest cavity (tension pneumothorax)
What causes wheezing?
Bronchoconstriction
Possible causes of rales
- Fluid in the distal airways
- Atelectasis
- Cardiogenic shocks
Possible causes of rhonchi
Secretions, mucus or blood in the larger airways
Possible causes of stridor
Upper airway obstruction
What does grunting mean?
Possible impending respiratory failure
What causes grunting?
Lung tissue disease such as pneumonia, pulmonary edema, pulmonary contusion, ARDS or pulmonary edema produced by cardiogenic shock
Signs of respiratory distress
- Flared nostrils
- Head bobbing
- Disordered control of breathing
What can cause disordered control of breathing?
- Medication overdose
- Seizure that led to increased ICP
- Other neurological problems
What is disordered control of breathing?
Irregular respiratory rate and/or insufficient respiratory effort which can lead to hypoxemia and hypercarbia
Are substernal and subcostal retractions considered mild/moderate or severe?
Mild/moderate
Are suprasternal or supraclavicular retractions considered mild/moderate or severe?
Severe
What happens with seesaw respirations?
The chest retracts during inspiration and the abdominal expands
During expiration, the chest expands and the abdomen moves inward
What do seesaw respirations usually indicate?
Upper airway obstruction
What are other things seesaw respirations can indicate?
Neuromuscular weakness, lower airway obstruction, lung tissue disease, disordered control of breathing
Diagnosis for retractions + inspiratory snoring/stridor
Upper airway obstruction (croup, foreign body)
Diagnosis for retractions + expiratory wheezing
Lower airway obstruction (asthma, bronchiolitis)
Diagnosis for retractions + grunting or labored respirations
Lung tissue disease or pulmonary edema produced by cardiogenic shock
Diagnosis for severe retractions
May be accompanied by head bobbing or seesaw respirations
Treatment for severe choking in responsive children
Heimlich maneuver or abdominal thrusts
Treatment for severe choking in responsive infant
Place pt prone in one arm and deliver 5 back slaps, flip patient over and deliver 5 downward chest thrusts with 2 fingers
Treatment for severe choking in unresponsive patients
CPR
Type of airway obstruction associated with expiration
Lower (asthma, bronchoconstriction)
Type of airway obstruction associated with inspiration
Upper (soft tissue, croup, swelling, anaphylaxis)
When is suctioning contraindicated?
Upper airway obstructions
What diagnoses do these symptoms fit under: hypoxemia, possible poor chest rise or decreased air movement, possible breathing with accessory muscles, tachycardia (early), bradycardia (late)
- Upper airway obstruction
- Lower airway obstruction
- Lung tissue disease
- Disordered control of breathing
What are the diagnoses for these symptoms?
Signs of labored breathing/respiratory distress (retractions, etc)
- Upper airway obstruction
- Lower airway obstruction
- Lung tissue disease
What are the diagnoses for these symptoms?
Stridor, inspiratory snoring, hoarseness, barking cough, drooling, snoring, gurgling
Upper airway obstruction
What are the diagnoses of these symptoms?
Expiratory wheezing, active expiration?
Lower airway obstruction
What are the diagnoses for these symptoms?
Grunting, crackles (rales), fever
Lung tissue disease
What are the diagnoses for these symptoms?
Normal(or shallow) breath sounds with an abnormal respiratory pattern, possible central apnea (no respiratory effort)
Disordered control of breathing
What makes a likely cardiogenic shock scenario?
Bad lung sounds and hypotension
What makes a likely airway scenario?
Bad lung sounds and normal blood pressure
What is the rate and FiO2 of a high flow nasal cannula?
> 50 L/min can deliver an FiO2 of close to 100%
Low flow oxygen delivery devices
Simple oxygen mask
Nasal cannula
High flow oxygen delivery devices
High flow nasal cannula
Nonrebreathing mask
FiO2 of simple oxygen mask
35-60%
FiO2 of nasal cannula
22-60%
FiO2 of high flow nasal cannula
Up to 95%
FiO2 of nonrebreathing mask
Up to 95%
When are breathing treatments indicated?
For lower airway obstruction
What does heliox do?
Generates less airway resistance than air (higher laminar flow) to make it easier for patients with an upper airway obstruction to breathe
Most prominent example of heliox being used in PALS
croup or other upper airway edema
2 primary advantages to humidified oxygen
- Decreases the chance of coughing
2. Humidity can loosen mucus and provide easier breathing
When is humidified oxygen considered?
In moderate to severe croup and sometimes asthma
When is racemic epi used?
In cases of upper airway obstruction caused by swelling
When are steroids used?
To relieve symptoms of upper airway obstruction/swelling/croup