A 19-year-old male is in cardiac arrest after an avalanche, with bystanders performing CPR for 10 minutes. What should you do first?

Get ready for the Paramedic Readiness Exam 5. Study with multiple-choice questions, detailed explanations, and effective strategies. Enhance your exam preparedness today!

Multiple Choice

A 19-year-old male is in cardiac arrest after an avalanche, with bystanders performing CPR for 10 minutes. What should you do first?

When a patient in cardiac arrest has a shockable rhythm, delivering defibrillation as soon as possible is the most effective step to restore a pulse. In this scenario, if the rhythm is ventricular fibrillation or pulseless VT, a shock can quickly terminate the abnormal electrical activity and restart organized electrical activity, which CPR alone cannot accomplish promptly. Using a biphasic defibrillator, 200 joules is a typical initial energy. After the shock, you should immediately resume high-quality CPR and be ready for additional shocks or medications as guided by ACLS. In avalanche victims, hypoxia is a common underlying issue, but if the rhythm is shockable, defibrillation comes first to maximize the chance of a return of spontaneous circulation.

When a patient in cardiac arrest has a shockable rhythm, delivering defibrillation as soon as possible is the most effective step to restore a pulse. In this scenario, if the rhythm is ventricular fibrillation or pulseless VT, a shock can quickly terminate the abnormal electrical activity and restart organized electrical activity, which CPR alone cannot accomplish promptly. Using a biphasic defibrillator, 200 joules is a typical initial energy. After the shock, you should immediately resume high-quality CPR and be ready for additional shocks or medications as guided by ACLS. In avalanche victims, hypoxia is a common underlying issue, but if the rhythm is shockable, defibrillation comes first to maximize the chance of a return of spontaneous circulation.

More practice questions