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Tachycardia and Bradycardia Algorithms Flashcards

7 cards from real ACLS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Tachycardia and Bradycardia Algorithms flashcards as text

  1. A patient has a third-degree (complete) heart block with a ventricular rate of 35 bpm and BP of 70/40. What is the most appropriate immediate intervention?

    Answer: Atropine 0.5 mg IV and prepare for transcutaneous pacing

    Symptomatic complete heart block requires atropine as a temporizing measure while preparing for transcutaneous pacing.

  2. During treatment of stable monomorphic VT, amiodarone is selected. What is the correct dosing?

    Answer: 150 mg IV over 10 minutes, then 1 mg/min for 6 hours

    For stable monomorphic VT, amiodarone is given as 150 mg IV over 10 minutes followed by a 1 mg/min maintenance infusion.

  3. Which of the following rhythms is most likely to be converted by vagal maneuvers?

    Answer: AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT)

    AVNRT depends on the AV node as part of its reentrant circuit and can be terminated by vagal maneuvers that slow AV conduction.

  4. A patient in unstable tachycardia is being prepared for synchronized cardioversion. The defibrillator is not synchronizing properly. What should the provider do?

    Answer: Proceed with unsynchronized shock at maximum energy

    If synchronization fails and the patient is critically unstable (near pulseless), proceed with an unsynchronized shock to prevent delay in treatment.

  5. Which finding on ECG is most consistent with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) rather than ventricular tachycardia?

    Answer: Narrow QRS complex (< 120 ms)

    A narrow QRS complex (< 120 ms) strongly suggests a supraventricular origin of the tachycardia.

  6. Epinephrine infusion is used for bradycardia at what dose range in ACLS?

    Answer: 1–10 mcg/min

    Epinephrine is infused at 2–10 mcg/min for symptomatic bradycardia as an alternative when atropine is ineffective.

  7. A patient converts from SVT to sinus rhythm after adenosine but develops a brief period of asystole lasting 6 seconds. What is the correct response?

    Answer: Reassure the patient — this is an expected, transient effect of adenosine

    Brief asystole after adenosine is expected due to its transient AV nodal blockade and typically resolves spontaneously within seconds.