Post-Cardiac Arrest Care 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 Post-Cardiac Arrest Care flashcards as text
A 5-year-old resuscitated from VF arrest is now post-ROSC. Which underlying condition should be considered and investigated?
Answer: Structural heart disease or inherited channelopathy
VF in a child is uncommon and warrants evaluation for structural heart disease, cardiomyopathy, or inherited ion channelopathies such as long QT syndrome.
Which of the following best describes the role of echocardiography in post-cardiac arrest pediatric care?
Answer: It evaluates myocardial function and guides fluid and vasopressor management
Echocardiography assesses post-arrest myocardial dysfunction and helps titrate hemodynamic support including fluids and vasoactive medications.
During post-arrest care, a child develops refractory shock despite epinephrine infusion. What should be considered next?
Answer: Evaluate for tension pneumothorax, tamponade, or other reversible causes
Refractory shock post-arrest should prompt reassessment for treatable causes such as tension pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade, or metabolic abnormalities.
What is the purpose of continuous capnography monitoring in the post-arrest pediatric patient?
Answer: To confirm endotracheal tube position and monitor ventilation adequacy
Continuous capnography confirms ongoing ETT placement and helps titrate ventilation to normocapnia during the post-arrest period.
A child post-ROSC has lactic acidosis with a pH of 7.15. What is the MOST appropriate initial management?
Answer: Optimize ventilation, oxygenation, and perfusion to clear the lactate
Post-arrest lactic acidosis usually resolves with optimizing perfusion; sodium bicarbonate is not routinely recommended and does not improve outcomes.
Which family communication practice is recommended during post-cardiac arrest pediatric care?
Answer: Provide regular, honest, compassionate updates with prognostic uncertainty acknowledged
PALS emphasizes clear, compassionate, and ongoing family communication including honest acknowledgment of prognostic uncertainty.
In post-cardiac arrest care, which intervention has the strongest evidence for improving neurological outcomes in pediatric patients?
Answer: Targeted temperature management (TTM)
TTM (targeting 32–34°C or preventing fever at 36–37.5°C) has the strongest evidence base for neuroprotection in comatose post-arrest pediatric patients.