ACLS

Question 1

Check for breathing and pulse no longer than

Answer 1

10 seconds

Question 2

Give respirations every __ seconds

Answer 2

5-6

Question 3

Blood pressure should be a minimum of __ systolic

Answer 3

90

Question 4

What is adenosine used for?

Answer 4

SVT, wide QRS tachycardia if regular and monomorphic (basically just tachycardia) - use if vagal maneuver fails to convert

Question 5

What is special about adenosine administration?

Answer 5

Given IVP quickly (1-3 seconds) followed by 20 mL NS flush

Question 6

What is adenosine dosing?

Answer 6

6 mg first dose, 12 mg second (1-2 min later)

Question 7

What is initial treatment of symptomatic tachycardia?

Answer 7

Synchronized cardioversion, adenosine, or vagal maneuver

Question 8

What is amiodarone dosing for cardiac arrest?

Answer 8

300 mg IVP then 150 mg IVP once 3-5 min later (can also be given as an infusion)

Question 9

What is a nursing consideration for amiodarone administration?

Answer 9

Use a filter

Question 10

What is the first line drug treatment for symptomatic bradycardia?

Answer 10

Atropine

Question 11

What is atropine dosing for symptomatic bradycardia?

Answer 11

0.5 mg IVP, repeat Q3-5 min for max dose of 3 mg

Question 12

If atropine doesn’t work for symptomatic bradycardia, which 2 other drugs can be used?

Answer 12

Dopamine, epinephrine

Question 13

In a cardiac arrest, which rhythms are shockable and which are not?

Answer 13

Shockable: VF/VT, not shockable: PEA, asystole

Question 14

What is epinephrine dosing for cardiac arrest?

Answer 14

1 mg Q3-5 min, flush with IV fluid following each dose

Question 15

What is dopamine used for?

Answer 15

Bradycardia, hypotension

Question 16

What is the dosing and administration considerations for dopamine?

Answer 16

2-20 mcg/kg/min infusion, titrate based on clinical response, taper on/off slowly

Question 17

What is lidocaine used for?

Answer 17

Alternative to amiodarone for VT/VF

Question 18

What is the first line medication for torsades?

Answer 18

Magnesium

Question 19

What is magnesium used for?

Answer 19

Torsades, hypomagnesia, digitalis toxicity

Question 20

What is magnesium dosing for torsades?

Answer 20

Initial dose: 1-2 g IV/IO diluted in 10 mL D5W, infusion dose: 0.5-1 g/hr

Question 21

What is procainamide used for?

Answer 21

Ventricular arrhythmias, supraventricular arrhythmias

Question 22

What is procainamide dosing?

Answer 22

Loading dose 15-17 mg/kg IV - give over AT LEAST 30 min, max 1.5 g

Question 23

What is vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone) used for?

Answer 23

Alternative to epi

Question 24

What is the dosing for vasopressin?

Answer 24

40 units once, replacing the first or second dose of epi

Question 25

What is lidocaine dosing?

Answer 25

1-1.5 mg/kg, then 0.5-0.75 mg/kg again 5-10 min later, max 3 doses or 3 mg/kg

Question 26

What is lidocaine used for?

Answer 26

Alternative to amiodarone in cardiac arrest from VF/VT

Question 27

Atropine only works in what part of the heart

Answer 27

The atria - so not useful for 2nd degree type 2 or 3rd degree heart block

Question 28

What is atropine's mechanism of action?

Answer 28

Blocks the parasympathetic nervous system

Question 29

What class of medications is diltiazem/Cardiazem?

Answer 29

Calcium channel blocker

Question 30

What is Cardiazem used for?

Answer 30

Uncontrolled a fib and flutter, 2nd line after adenosine for SVT

Question 31

What is Cardiazem dosing?

Answer 31

0.25 mg/kg IV over 2 min, then 0.35 mg/kg over 2 min after 15 min, maintenance infusion 5-15 mg/hr titrated for HR