Post-Resuscitation Care Flashcards
7 cards from real BLS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Post-Resuscitation Care flashcards as text
Which of the following BEST describes the multimodal approach to neuroprognostication?
Answer: Combining clinical exam, EEG, SSEP, biomarkers, and neuroimaging
No single test is sufficiently reliable; combining clinical findings, electrophysiology, biomarkers, and imaging improves prognostic accuracy.
What is 'post-cardiac arrest shock' primarily characterized by?
Answer: Hypotension with low cardiac output due to myocardial dysfunction
Post-arrest shock involves global myocardial stunning causing low cardiac output and hypotension requiring vasopressor or inotropic support.
A post-arrest patient on mechanical ventilation has a PaO2 of 350 mmHg on 100% FiO2. What action should be taken?
Answer: Wean FiO2 down to achieve SpO2 of 92–98%
Hyperoxia (PaO2 >300 mmHg) is harmful; FiO2 should be weaned to maintain SpO2 92–98%, avoiding excessive oxygen exposure.
Which patient population is MOST likely to benefit from emergent PCI after resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest?
Answer: Patients with STEMI or high suspicion of acute coronary occlusion on ECG
Emergent PCI is most beneficial when STEMI or signs of acute coronary occlusion are present on post-ROSC ECG.
What complication does aggressive hyperventilation cause in post-arrest patients?
Answer: Cerebral vasoconstriction reducing cerebral blood flow
Hyperventilation lowers PaCO2, causing cerebral vasoconstriction and reduced cerebral blood flow, worsening ischemic brain injury.
Which statement about pupillary reflexes in post-cardiac arrest prognostication is correct?
Answer: Bilaterally absent pupillary light reflexes at ≥72 hours, confirmed with quantitative tools, predict poor outcome
Bilaterally absent pupillary light reflexes confirmed at ≥72 hours (ideally with quantitative pupillometry) are a reliable predictor of poor neurological outcome.
Which of the following interventions is specifically recommended to reduce secondary brain injury in the post-resuscitation phase?
Answer: Avoiding fever, hypoxia, hypotension, and hypoglycemia
Preventing secondary insults — fever, hypoxia, hypotension, and glucose abnormalities — is the most evidence-based strategy for reducing secondary brain injury.