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Pharmacology Flashcards

7 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 7 Pharmacology flashcards as text

  1. A 7-year-old with known asthma is in severe bronchospasm not responding to albuterol. Which PALS medication is considered next?

    Answer: Magnesium sulfate IV

    IV magnesium sulfate (25–50 mg/kg, max 2 g) is indicated for severe or life-threatening asthma refractory to bronchodilators.

  2. Dobutamine is preferred over dopamine in cardiogenic shock because dobutamine primarily:

    Answer: Increases cardiac contractility with less tachycardia and vasoconstriction

    Dobutamine is a beta-1 agonist that improves cardiac output without the excessive tachycardia or vasoconstriction seen with higher dopamine doses.

  3. A 10-year-old girl receives glucose 0.5–1 g/kg for symptomatic hypoglycemia. What concentration is typically used for IV administration in older children?

    Answer: D25W (25%)

    D25W (25% dextrose) is typically used for older children, while D10W is preferred for neonates and infants to avoid hyperosmolarity.

  4. Which of the following is the correct second dose of adenosine if the first dose fails to convert SVT?

    Answer: 0.2 mg/kg (maximum 12 mg)

    If the first dose of adenosine (0.1 mg/kg) fails, the second dose is doubled to 0.2 mg/kg, with a maximum of 12 mg.

  5. A child receives epinephrine via endotracheal tube (ETT) because no IV/IO access is available. The correct ETT dose compared to IV is:

    Answer: 10 times the IV dose

    ETT epinephrine dose is 10 times the IV dose (0.1 mg/kg) because absorption via the lung is unreliable and IV/IO is strongly preferred.

  6. Vasopressin is occasionally used in pediatric resuscitation as an alternative to epinephrine. Its mechanism is:

    Answer: Non-adrenergic vasoconstriction via V1 receptors

    Vasopressin causes vasoconstriction through V1 receptor activation independent of adrenergic pathways, which may be effective when catecholamines fail.

  7. A child with organophosphate poisoning presents with bradycardia, excessive secretions, and miosis. The antidote targeting muscarinic receptors is:

    Answer: Atropine (with or without pralidoxime)

    Atropine reverses muscarinic effects of organophosphate poisoning (SLUDGE syndrome); pralidoxime reactivates acetylcholinesterase and is given concurrently.