EPALS Real Exam Question and Answer
Pack 2026/2027 | A+ Verified Updated |
Exam Focus
• Primary cardiopulmonary arrest -✓✓Cardiac arrythmia (VF/pVT)
• Secondary cardiopulmonary arrest -✓✓Hypoxia and underlying illness
• How does hypoxia lead to arrest -✓✓Tissue hypoxia > myocardial dysfunction >
bradycardia > asysole/PEA
• Anatomical differences with an infant -✓✓Narrower, smaller airways
More prone to oedema
Pliable
Pronounced occiput
Large tongue
• Main determinant of co2 removal -✓✓Minute ventilation
• Minute ventilation equation -✓✓Tidal volume x respiratory rate
• Circulating volume of a newborn -✓✓80ml/kg
• Resp rate range <1 -✓✓30-40/min
• Resp range 1-2 -✓✓26-34/min
• Resp range 2-5 -✓✓24-30/min
• Resp range 5-12 -✓✓20-24/min
• Resp range >12 -✓✓12-20/min
• HR Newborn - 3 months -✓✓85-205
, • HR 3 months - 2 year -✓✓100-180
• HR 2-10 years -✓✓60-140
• HR >10 years -✓✓60-100
• WETFLAG -✓✓Weight (age+4)*2
Energy 4J/kg
Tube age/4 + 4
Fluids 10ml/kg for bolus
Lorazepam 0.1ml/kg
Adrenaline 0.1ml/kg 1:10,000 Amioderone 5mg/kg
Glucose 10% 2ml/kg
• Primary prevention -✓✓Preventing accident
• Secondary prevention -✓✓Preventing severity of accident i.e. helmet
• Tertiary prevention -✓✓Diminishing consequences of accident - e.g. developing
major trauma centres
• Respiratory failure definition -✓✓Failure for the respiratory system to maintain
PaO2 >9 kpa with 21% inspired oxygen AND/OR PaCO2 <6.5 kpa
• Aim saturations at -✓✓94-98% with as little supplemental oxygen as possible
• Affect of hypoxia on HR -✓✓Tachycardia then eventually bradycardia
• Initial oxygen therapy in critically unwell -✓✓Reservoir mask (non rebreathing)
12-15L/min at FiO2 100%
• Hypovolemic shock -✓✓Decreased circulating volume
• Distributive shock -✓✓Inadequate distribution of blood - blood flow insufficient
for metabolic demand (anaphylaxis, sepsis, neurogenic)
• Cardiogenic shock -✓✓Circulatory failure secondary to primary cardiac cause -
myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, cardiac surgery
Pack 2026/2027 | A+ Verified Updated |
Exam Focus
• Primary cardiopulmonary arrest -✓✓Cardiac arrythmia (VF/pVT)
• Secondary cardiopulmonary arrest -✓✓Hypoxia and underlying illness
• How does hypoxia lead to arrest -✓✓Tissue hypoxia > myocardial dysfunction >
bradycardia > asysole/PEA
• Anatomical differences with an infant -✓✓Narrower, smaller airways
More prone to oedema
Pliable
Pronounced occiput
Large tongue
• Main determinant of co2 removal -✓✓Minute ventilation
• Minute ventilation equation -✓✓Tidal volume x respiratory rate
• Circulating volume of a newborn -✓✓80ml/kg
• Resp rate range <1 -✓✓30-40/min
• Resp range 1-2 -✓✓26-34/min
• Resp range 2-5 -✓✓24-30/min
• Resp range 5-12 -✓✓20-24/min
• Resp range >12 -✓✓12-20/min
• HR Newborn - 3 months -✓✓85-205
, • HR 3 months - 2 year -✓✓100-180
• HR 2-10 years -✓✓60-140
• HR >10 years -✓✓60-100
• WETFLAG -✓✓Weight (age+4)*2
Energy 4J/kg
Tube age/4 + 4
Fluids 10ml/kg for bolus
Lorazepam 0.1ml/kg
Adrenaline 0.1ml/kg 1:10,000 Amioderone 5mg/kg
Glucose 10% 2ml/kg
• Primary prevention -✓✓Preventing accident
• Secondary prevention -✓✓Preventing severity of accident i.e. helmet
• Tertiary prevention -✓✓Diminishing consequences of accident - e.g. developing
major trauma centres
• Respiratory failure definition -✓✓Failure for the respiratory system to maintain
PaO2 >9 kpa with 21% inspired oxygen AND/OR PaCO2 <6.5 kpa
• Aim saturations at -✓✓94-98% with as little supplemental oxygen as possible
• Affect of hypoxia on HR -✓✓Tachycardia then eventually bradycardia
• Initial oxygen therapy in critically unwell -✓✓Reservoir mask (non rebreathing)
12-15L/min at FiO2 100%
• Hypovolemic shock -✓✓Decreased circulating volume
• Distributive shock -✓✓Inadequate distribution of blood - blood flow insufficient
for metabolic demand (anaphylaxis, sepsis, neurogenic)
• Cardiogenic shock -✓✓Circulatory failure secondary to primary cardiac cause -
myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, cardiac surgery
