In a dialysis clinic patient in cardiac arrest, which medication might the online physician order you to administer?

Prepare for the Paramedic Readiness Exam 4 with our engaging quiz. Hone your skills with targeted questions, hints, and in-depth explanations. Excel on your exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

In a dialysis clinic patient in cardiac arrest, which medication might the online physician order you to administer?

Dialysis patients can experience cardiac arrest from severe hyperkalemia and acidosis. Sodium bicarbonate is used here to correct the acidosis and push potassium from the blood into the cells, lowering extracellular potassium and helping stabilize the heart’s conduction during resuscitation. In this scenario, addressing the underlying electrolyte disturbance is a key part of treatment, and bicarbonate specifically targets that problem. While other medications can appear in cardiac-arrest protocols, they don’t address the hyperkalemia-driven instability as directly in a dialysis patient, making sodium bicarbonate the most appropriate order.

Dialysis patients can experience cardiac arrest from severe hyperkalemia and acidosis. Sodium bicarbonate is used here to correct the acidosis and push potassium from the blood into the cells, lowering extracellular potassium and helping stabilize the heart’s conduction during resuscitation. In this scenario, addressing the underlying electrolyte disturbance is a key part of treatment, and bicarbonate specifically targets that problem. While other medications can appear in cardiac-arrest protocols, they don’t address the hyperkalemia-driven instability as directly in a dialysis patient, making sodium bicarbonate the most appropriate order.

More practice questions