Pediatric Arrhythmia Recognition Flashcards
6 cards from real PALS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Pediatric Arrhythmia Recognition flashcards as text
Which ECG finding is characteristic of ventricular fibrillation (VF) in a child?
Answer: Chaotic, irregular waveforms with no identifiable P waves or QRS complexes
VF is characterized by chaotic, disorganized electrical activity with no discernible P waves or QRS complexes on ECG.
A child presents with a heart rate of 280 bpm, narrow QRS, and no discernible P waves. Which arrhythmia is most likely?
Answer: Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
SVT typically presents with rates >220 bpm in infants or >180 bpm in children, narrow QRS complexes, and absent or retrograde P waves.
Which rhythm is most commonly associated with pulseless cardiac arrest in children?
Answer: Asystole or pulseless electrical activity (PEA)
Asystole and PEA are the most common arrest rhythms in children, unlike adults where VF is more common.
On ECG, a child has a regular rhythm at 40 bpm with P waves that bear no relationship to QRS complexes. What is this rhythm?
Answer: Third-degree (complete) AV block
Complete AV block shows no association between P waves and QRS complexes, with the atria and ventricles beating independently.
A child in cardiac arrest has a rhythm showing organized electrical activity on the monitor but no pulse. What rhythm is this?
Answer: Pulseless electrical activity (PEA)
PEA is defined as organized electrical activity on the cardiac monitor without a detectable pulse.
Which arrhythmia in a child with a pulse is treated with adenosine as the first-line pharmacologic therapy?
Answer: Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
Adenosine is the first-line drug for stable SVT in children because it temporarily blocks AV nodal conduction to terminate the reentrant circuit.