Emergency Medications For Cardiorespiratory Arrest

Question 1

The tech should check the emergency medication box/cart

Answer 1

• at least monthly to ensure that all drugs are present, and are in adequate supply and have not expired
• restock after each emergency use
• be familiar with the contents, drug names, know the location of drugs within the box, their proper names, and pharmacology

Question 2

Medications used in the radiology department for conscious sedation consist primarily of?

Answer 2

• barbiturate (anti-anxiety agent)
• benzodiazepine (anti-anxiety agent)
• opiate analgesic classes of drugs

Question 3

Barbiturates

Answer 3

• decrease cortical brain activity

- capable of producing all levels of anesthesia, from conscious sedation to complete anesthesia

Question 4

Benzodiazepines

Answer 4

-have propensity to be used for conscious sedation because they cause selective CNS depression, muscle relaxation, anti anxiety, anticonvulsant and sedative-hypnotic activates

Question 5

Opiate analgesic medications

Answer 5

-stimulate the CNS opioid receptors to decrease pain perception

Question 6

Epinephrine (adrenaline)

Answer 6

-lifesaving therapeutic agent available to cardiac arrest victims
-pharmaceutical equivalent of adrenaline, produced by the adrenal gland
-in cardiac arrest, epinephrine is primarily given in doses sufficient to stimulate the alpha-1 receptors so that arterioles (small blood vessels) can constrict which results in an increase in blood pressure
-when combined with chest compressions, epinephrine is used to cause a return of spontaneous circulation
Indications:
-epinephrine is indicated as first-line treatment for cardiorespiratory arrest and is used as such in ventricular fibrillation
-other uses include treatment of anaphylactic reactions and acute bronchospasm

Question 7

Dopamine (Intropin)

Answer 7

-leads to arteriolar vasodilation with increased blood flow to the respective organs
-at moderate doses, dopamine will cause an increase in contractility and force of contraction which effectively increases cardiac output in patients in shock or with congestive heart failure
Indications:
-dopamine is indicated for treating hypotension secondary to congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction and trauma
-used to increase urine output in patients with renal failure

Question 8

Atropine

Answer 8

-an antimuscarinic agent frequently used in patients frequencing cardiac arrest
-its used in the setting of cardiac arrest when a patient exhibits bradycardia
-when the heart rate falls to 40 beats/min or less, the emergency medical team will use atropine to competitively block the muscarcinic receptors in the myocardium
Indications:
-atropine is used with significant bradycardia and first degree atrioventricular block and ventricular systole (flat line)

Question 9

Lidocaine (Xylocaine)

Answer 9

-one of the most frequently used anti-arrhythmic drugs for patient experiencing cardiac arrest
Indications:
-treating ventricular dysthymias in heart attack or during a cardiac arrest
-after cardiac arrest, it is primarily used to treat ventricular tachycardia and can be used to treat ventricular fibrillation when direct-current electrical shock (defibrillation) has failed

Question 10

Sodium bicarbonate

Answer 10

-strong alkalizing agent. Its use for treating cardiac arrest has been carefully scrutinized, but it is still frequently used in select patients
Indications:
-used for treating severe metabolic or respiratory acidosis

Question 11

Acetaminophen (brand name is Tylenol)

Answer 11

-relieves headaches and lowers fever but is NOT an anti-inflammatory so it wont help with sprains or arthritis

Question 12

Aspirin (acetylsalic acid) brand name is Bayer/Bufferin

Answer 12

• developed over 100 years ago
• used to treat heart disease by being an anticoagulant. Therefore, individuals on blood thinners should not take aspirin
• known to cause upper G.I problems

Question 13

Opiate analgesics

Answer 13

• stimulate the CNS opioid receptors to decrease pain perception
• when used in combination with anti anxiety medications, the opiates allow for decreased pain and anxiety

Question 14

Narcotics

Answer 14

• the narcotics class of analgesic is generally highly controlled by the local and federal enforcement agencies to prevent misappropriation into the community
• these medications have addictive characteristics

Question 15

Agents used for conscious sedation

Answer 15

• conscious sedation is frequently required to decrease patient anxiety and pain associated with medical procedures
• the administration of these medicinal agents improves the outcome of the procedure
• all patients should be monitored closely with a heart monitor and pulse oximetry and the machines used for the procedure will need to be compatible for such monitoring