Shocking Developments
These two pulseless, chaotic ventricular rhythms require immediate unsynchronized defibrillation
V-Fib and V-Tach
This "H" is a highly suspected cause of cardiac arrest in a patient who has experienced severe trauma, massive GI bleeding, or ruptured AAA.
Hypovolemia
This anatomical landmark—located at the 4th intercostal space, mid-axillary line—is where your pressure transducers must be leveled.
Phlebostatic Axis
This medication is recommended as the first-line vasopressor for restoring mean arterial pressure in septic shock.
Norepinephrine or Levophed
This is the most common cause of a ventilator high-pressure alarm in a waking patient, easily fixed with a bite block or some suctioning.
Coughing, Biting the Tube, Secretions
This AV block is characterized by a PR interval that progressively lengthens until a QRS complex is completely dropped
2nd Degree, Mobitz Type 1
Wenkebach
This "T" presents during a code with PEA, absent breath sounds on one side, and tracheal deviation away from the affected side
Tension Pneumothorax
While intermittent bubbling in a chest tube's water seal chamber can be normal, continuous bubbling indicates this issue.
Air Leak
This alpha-adrenergic antagonist is the immediate antidote injected into the tissue if a peripheral vasopressor extravasates
Phentolamine
This color-changing device turns from purple to yellow to confirm that an endotracheal tube has successfully entered the lungs and is detecting carbon dioxide.
CO2 Detector
When a pacemaker fires a spike, but no myocardial depolarization (P wave or QRS) follows it on the monitor
Failure To Capture
This specific medication is given during a code to stabilize the cardiac membrane when the arrest is suspected to be caused by Hyperkalemia
Calcium
This is the absolute gold standard method required to verify the correct placement of a small-bore feeding tube (like a Dobhoff) before anything is infused through it.
XRay
Unlike Levophed, Neo-Synephrine (Phenylephrine) is a pure agonist of this specific receptor, causing vasoconstriction without increasing the heart rate.
Alpha 1 Receptor
A sudden ventilator low-pressure or low tidal volume alarm usually indicates this physical problem in the circuit
Disconnection or Cuff Leak
Tall, symmetrically peaked T waves on an ECG strip are a classic warning sign of this electrolyte imbalance
Hyperkalemia
This "H" requires active or passive internal rewarming strategies because defibrillation and ACLS drugs may be ineffective if the core body temperature is below 30°C (86°F)
Hypothermia
If your arterial line waveform looks flat and "sluggish" (over-dampened), resulting in a falsely low systolic reading, you should check for these two common physical culprits.
Clots or Kinked Tubing or Pressure to bag or Adequate Saline to Bag
Unlike most continuous sedatives, this selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist provides sedation and anxiolysis without causing respiratory depression, making it ideal for trials of spontaneous breathing.
Precedex
High levels of this ventilator setting improve oxygenation but can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure by increasing intrathoracic pressure and reducing venous return to the heart.
PEEP
What do the following two pacing failures represent?
Failure to Pace & Failure to Sense
This "T" is characterized by the classic Beck’s Triad (hypotension, JVD, and muffled heart sounds) and requires an emergency pericardiocentesis.
Tamponade
To prevent a lethal air embolism when pulling a central venous catheter (CVC), you should place the patient flat or in Trendelenburg and instruct them to perform this specific breathing maneuver during the pull.
Hold Breath or Hum or Vagal
When a patient presents with an acute aortic dissection, this fast-acting beta-blocker infusion is preferred because it rapidly drops both heart rate and blood pressure to stop the tearing.
Esmolol
If a patient’s morning ABG reveals a pCO2 of 58 mmHg, these are the two primary vent settings that can be increased to help "blow off" the excess CO2.
RR or Tidal Volume