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 temperature range defines fever that should be actively prevented in comatose post-arrest patients?
Answer: Above 37.5°C
Fever is defined as ≥37.5°C in post-arrest guidelines, and active prevention is recommended to protect neurological outcomes.
Which finding on EEG is associated with poor neurological prognosis after cardiac arrest?
Answer: Burst suppression with identical bursts
Burst suppression with identical (stereotyped) bursts is a malignant EEG pattern predictive of poor neurological outcome.
A post-arrest patient's CT scan of the head shows loss of gray-white matter differentiation. What does this indicate?
Answer: Diffuse anoxic brain injury
Loss of gray-white matter differentiation on CT indicates diffuse cerebral edema from anoxic brain injury, a poor prognostic sign.
What is the primary goal of targeted temperature management (TTM) when implemented after cardiac arrest?
Answer: Provide neuroprotection by reducing cerebral metabolic demand
TTM reduces cerebral oxygen demand and inflammatory injury, providing neuroprotection during the vulnerable post-arrest period.
Why is hyperoxia harmful in the post-resuscitation period?
Answer: It worsens reperfusion injury through free radical production
Excess oxygen after ROSC generates reactive oxygen species that exacerbate reperfusion injury in ischemic tissues, particularly the brain.
Which laboratory value, if markedly elevated 48–72 hours post-arrest, suggests severe neurological injury?
Answer: Neuron-specific enolase (NSE)
Markedly elevated NSE at 48–72 hours after cardiac arrest correlates with severe neurological injury and poor neurological prognosis.
A patient is resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation with no clear reversible cause identified in the field. What should be considered after stabilization?
Answer: Evaluation for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement
Survivors of VF arrest without a clearly reversible cause are at high risk for recurrence and are candidates for ICD implantation.