PEA/Asystole

Question 1

You start CPR, give 02, and attach the defibrillator, but the patient is unable to be shocked. What do you do?

Answer 1

-Give Epi ASAP while continuing CPR
-give the EPI every 3-5 minutes

Question 2

If the rhythm after two minutes is still not able to be shocked, what do you do?

Answer 2

Continue CPR and try to reverse the cause

Question 3

What are the two main causes of PEA?

Answer 3

-hypoxia/hypovolemia

Question 4

If the patient has a shockable rhythm, what do you do?

Answer 4

Switch to pVT/VF pathway
-will shock, continue CPR, continue giving EPI, consider amiodarone/lidocaine infusion

Question 5

If the patient is still unable to shocked, what do you do?

Answer 5

-Post Cardiac Arrest Care: maintain continuous capnography, maintain 02 between 92%-98%, and ventilate patient at 10/min and adjust for PaC02 of 35-45 mm HG

Question 6

If hypotension is the cause, what infusions could we begin?

Answer 6

a. NE: .1-.5 mcg/kg/min
b. Epi: 2-10 mcg/min
c. dopamine: 5-10 mcg/kg/min