ACLS Bradycardia 5

Question 1

A 70-year-old patient on digoxin presents with bradycardia and nausea. Digoxin toxicity is suspected. Which intervention is MOST specific to this cause?

Accepted Answer

Digoxin-specific antibody fragments (Digibind)

Answer

Digoxin-specific antibody fragments (Digibind/DigiFab) are the definitive antidote for life-threatening digoxin toxicity.

Question 2

A patient with a permanent pacemaker is found to have a heart rate of 35 bpm. The ECG shows no pacing spikes. What is the most likely problem?

Accepted Answer

Battery depletion or pacemaker failure

Answer

Absence of pacing spikes in a pacemaker-dependent patient with extreme bradycardia suggests battery depletion or device failure.

Question 3

Which of the following calcium channel blockers is most commonly associated with causing bradycardia and AV block?

Accepted Answer

Verapamil

Answer

Verapamil (a non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker) significantly slows AV conduction and can cause bradycardia and heart block.

Question 4

After giving atropine for symptomatic bradycardia with no improvement, the provider initiates dopamine at 5 mcg/kg/min. The patient's heart rate rises to 72 bpm and BP improves. What should be done next?

Accepted Answer

Arrange for expert consultation and possible transvenous pacing

Answer

A patient stabilized on a dopamine infusion still requires expert consultation to determine the need for transvenous pacing or other definitive treatment.

Question 5

A patient presents with complete heart block. On the ECG, the ventricular escape rate is 25 bpm and QRS complexes are wide. Which statement is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

This rhythm indicates an infranodal block and requires pacing

Answer

A slow wide-complex escape rhythm in complete heart block indicates infranodal block, which does not respond to atropine and requires pacing.

ACLS Practice Test

ACLS Practice Test

ACLS Bradycardia 5