AHA ACLS 2020 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A patient with sinus bradycardia and a heart rate of 42/min has diaphoresis and a
blood pressure of 80/60 mm Hg. What is the initial dose of atropine? Correct Ans
- 1mg
A patient is in pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Two shocks and 1 dose of
epinephrine have been given. Which drug should be given next? Correct Ans -
Amiodarone 300mg
A patient has a rapid irregular wide-complex tachycardia. The ventricular rate is
138/min. He is asymptomatic, with a blood pressure of 110/70 mm Hg. He has a
history of angina. What action is recommended next? Correct Ans - Seek
expert consultation
What is the indication for the use of magnesium in cardiac arrest? Correct Ans -
Pulseless ventricular tachycardia-associated
VA patient with STEMI has ongoing chest discomfort. Heparin 4000 units IV bolus
and a heparin infusion of 1000 units per hour are being administered. The patient
did not take aspirin because he has a history of gastritis, which was treated 5 years
ago. What is your next action? Correct Ans - Give aspirin 162-325mg to chew
A monitored patient in the ICU developed a sudden onset of narrow-complex
tachycardia at a rate of 220/min. The patient's blood pressure is 128/58 mm Hg, the
PETCO2 is 38 mm Hg, and the pulse oximetry reading is 98%. There is vascular
access in the left arm, and the patient has not been given any vasoactive drugs. A
12-lead ECG confirms a supraventricular tachycardia with no evidence of ischemia
or infarction. The heart rate has not responded to vagal maneuvers. What is your
next action? Correct Ans - Administer 6mg Adenosine IV push
A patient has sinus bradycardia with a heart rate of 36/min. Atropine has been
administered to a total dose of 3 mg. A transcutaneous pacemaker has failed to
capture. The patient is confused, and her blood pressure is 88/56 mm Hg. Which
therapy is now indicated? Correct Ans - Epi 2-10 mcg/min
Which intervention is most appropriate for the treatment of a patient in asystole?
Correct Ans - Epi
A patient with possible STEMI has ongoing chest discomfort. What is a
contraindication to nitrate administration? Correct Ans - Use of a
phosphodiesterase within the previous 24 hours
You arrive on the scene with the code team. High-quality CPR is in progress. An AED
has previously advised "no shock indicated." A rhythm check now finds asystole.
After resuming high-quality compressions, which action do you take next?
Correct Ans - Establish IV/IO access
, A patient is in cardiac arrest. Ventricular fibrillation has been refractory to an initial
shock. If no pathway for medication administration is in place, which method is
preferred? Correct Ans - IV/IO
A patient is in cardiac arrest. Ventricular fibrillation has been refractory to a second
shock. Which drug should be administered first? Correct Ans - Epi 1mg IV/IO
A patient is in refractory ventricular fibrillation. High-quality CPR is in progress. One
dose of epinephrine was given after the second shock. An antiarrhythmic drug was
given immediately after the third shock. You are the team leader. Which medication
do you order next? Correct Ans - Epi 1mg
A patient is in cardiac arrest. High-quality chest compressions are being given. The
patient is intubated, and an IV has been started. The rhythm is asystole. What is the
first drug/dose to administer? Correct Ans - Epi 1mg IV/IO
A 57-year-old woman has palpitations, chest discomfort, and tachycardia. The
monitor shows a regular wide-complex QRS at a rate of 180/min. She becomes
diaphoretic, and her blood pressure is 80/60 mm Hg. Which action do you take
next? Correct Ans - Preform electrical cardioversion
A 35-year-old woman has palpitations, light-headedness, and a stable tachycardia.
The monitor shows a regular narrow-complex QRS at a rate of 180/min. Vagal
maneuvers have not been effective in terminating the rhythm. An IV has been
established. Which drug should be administered? Correct Ans -
A 35-year-old woman has palpitations, light-headedness, and a stable tachycardia.
The monitor shows a regular narrow-complex QRS at a rate of 180/min. Vagal
maneuvers have not been effective in terminating the rhythm. An IV has been
established. Which drug should be administered? Correct Ans - Adenosine
6mg
A 62-year-old man suddenly experienced difficulty speaking and left-sided
weakness. He meets initial criteria for fibrinolytic therapy, and a CT scan of the
brain is ordered. Which best describes the guidelines for antiplatelet and fibrinolytic
therapy? Correct Ans - Hold aspirin for at least 24 hours if rtPA is administered
In which situation does bradycardia require treatment? Correct Ans -
Hypotension
A patient is in refractory ventricular fibrillation and has received multiple
appropriate defibrillation shocks, epinephrine 1 mg IV twice, and an initial dose of
amiodarone 300 mg IV. The patient is intubated. Which best describes the
recommended second dose of amiodarone for this patient? Correct Ans -
150mg IV push
You are caring for a 66-year-old man with a history of a large intracerebral
hemorrhage 2 months ago. He is being evaluated for another acute stroke. The CT
scan is negative for hemorrhage. The patient is receiving oxygen via nasal cannula
A patient with sinus bradycardia and a heart rate of 42/min has diaphoresis and a
blood pressure of 80/60 mm Hg. What is the initial dose of atropine? Correct Ans
- 1mg
A patient is in pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Two shocks and 1 dose of
epinephrine have been given. Which drug should be given next? Correct Ans -
Amiodarone 300mg
A patient has a rapid irregular wide-complex tachycardia. The ventricular rate is
138/min. He is asymptomatic, with a blood pressure of 110/70 mm Hg. He has a
history of angina. What action is recommended next? Correct Ans - Seek
expert consultation
What is the indication for the use of magnesium in cardiac arrest? Correct Ans -
Pulseless ventricular tachycardia-associated
VA patient with STEMI has ongoing chest discomfort. Heparin 4000 units IV bolus
and a heparin infusion of 1000 units per hour are being administered. The patient
did not take aspirin because he has a history of gastritis, which was treated 5 years
ago. What is your next action? Correct Ans - Give aspirin 162-325mg to chew
A monitored patient in the ICU developed a sudden onset of narrow-complex
tachycardia at a rate of 220/min. The patient's blood pressure is 128/58 mm Hg, the
PETCO2 is 38 mm Hg, and the pulse oximetry reading is 98%. There is vascular
access in the left arm, and the patient has not been given any vasoactive drugs. A
12-lead ECG confirms a supraventricular tachycardia with no evidence of ischemia
or infarction. The heart rate has not responded to vagal maneuvers. What is your
next action? Correct Ans - Administer 6mg Adenosine IV push
A patient has sinus bradycardia with a heart rate of 36/min. Atropine has been
administered to a total dose of 3 mg. A transcutaneous pacemaker has failed to
capture. The patient is confused, and her blood pressure is 88/56 mm Hg. Which
therapy is now indicated? Correct Ans - Epi 2-10 mcg/min
Which intervention is most appropriate for the treatment of a patient in asystole?
Correct Ans - Epi
A patient with possible STEMI has ongoing chest discomfort. What is a
contraindication to nitrate administration? Correct Ans - Use of a
phosphodiesterase within the previous 24 hours
You arrive on the scene with the code team. High-quality CPR is in progress. An AED
has previously advised "no shock indicated." A rhythm check now finds asystole.
After resuming high-quality compressions, which action do you take next?
Correct Ans - Establish IV/IO access
, A patient is in cardiac arrest. Ventricular fibrillation has been refractory to an initial
shock. If no pathway for medication administration is in place, which method is
preferred? Correct Ans - IV/IO
A patient is in cardiac arrest. Ventricular fibrillation has been refractory to a second
shock. Which drug should be administered first? Correct Ans - Epi 1mg IV/IO
A patient is in refractory ventricular fibrillation. High-quality CPR is in progress. One
dose of epinephrine was given after the second shock. An antiarrhythmic drug was
given immediately after the third shock. You are the team leader. Which medication
do you order next? Correct Ans - Epi 1mg
A patient is in cardiac arrest. High-quality chest compressions are being given. The
patient is intubated, and an IV has been started. The rhythm is asystole. What is the
first drug/dose to administer? Correct Ans - Epi 1mg IV/IO
A 57-year-old woman has palpitations, chest discomfort, and tachycardia. The
monitor shows a regular wide-complex QRS at a rate of 180/min. She becomes
diaphoretic, and her blood pressure is 80/60 mm Hg. Which action do you take
next? Correct Ans - Preform electrical cardioversion
A 35-year-old woman has palpitations, light-headedness, and a stable tachycardia.
The monitor shows a regular narrow-complex QRS at a rate of 180/min. Vagal
maneuvers have not been effective in terminating the rhythm. An IV has been
established. Which drug should be administered? Correct Ans -
A 35-year-old woman has palpitations, light-headedness, and a stable tachycardia.
The monitor shows a regular narrow-complex QRS at a rate of 180/min. Vagal
maneuvers have not been effective in terminating the rhythm. An IV has been
established. Which drug should be administered? Correct Ans - Adenosine
6mg
A 62-year-old man suddenly experienced difficulty speaking and left-sided
weakness. He meets initial criteria for fibrinolytic therapy, and a CT scan of the
brain is ordered. Which best describes the guidelines for antiplatelet and fibrinolytic
therapy? Correct Ans - Hold aspirin for at least 24 hours if rtPA is administered
In which situation does bradycardia require treatment? Correct Ans -
Hypotension
A patient is in refractory ventricular fibrillation and has received multiple
appropriate defibrillation shocks, epinephrine 1 mg IV twice, and an initial dose of
amiodarone 300 mg IV. The patient is intubated. Which best describes the
recommended second dose of amiodarone for this patient? Correct Ans -
150mg IV push
You are caring for a 66-year-old man with a history of a large intracerebral
hemorrhage 2 months ago. He is being evaluated for another acute stroke. The CT
scan is negative for hemorrhage. The patient is receiving oxygen via nasal cannula
