• Vagal Maneuvers for Stable Tachycardia Patients
    Nov 7 2024

    Patients with a narrow complex tachycardia with a rate over 150 BPM are in SVT.

    Unstable patients in SVT, or V-Tach with a pulse, should be cardioverted with a synchronized shock.

    Assessment & treatment of stable tachycardic patients.

    Commonly used vagal techniques.

    A less common technique to stimulate the vagus nerve is the dive reflex.

    Indications and use of Adenosine for stable patients in SVT refractory to vagal maneuvers.

    Possible treatments for patients found to be in A-Fib or A-Flutter with RVR after administration of Adenosine.

    Carotid sinus massage.

    Additional medical podcasts that have episodes on tachycardia can be found on the pod resources page at passacls.com.

    Connect with me:

    Website: https://passacls.com

    @Pass-ACLS-Podcast on LinkedIn


    Give Back & Help Others:

    Your support helps cover the monthly cost of software and podcast & website hosting so that others can benefit from these ACLS tips as well. Donations made via Buy Me a Coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/paultaylor are appreciated.

    Make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by donating to my Men Wear Pink fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS) at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/paultaylor Every dollar helps in the battle with breast cancer.


    Good luck with your ACLS class!

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    6 mins
  • Defibrillation & Synchronized Cardioversion Energy Settings
    Nov 6 2024

    Remembering all the different energy setting needed for synchronized cardioversion and defibrillation used to be confusing for a lot of people.

    Defibrillators can be broken down into three basic categories:

    1. Automated External Defibrillator (AED);

    2. Biphasic defibrillators; and

    3. Monophasic defibrillators.

    Use of an AED to rapidly deliver a shock.

    Advantages & use of Biphasic defibrillators.

    For monophasic defibrillators, use 360J to defibrillate V-Fib or pulseless V-Tach.

    AEDs must not be used on patients with a pulse.

    Cardioversion of patients in unstable SVT or V-Tach with a pulse using biphasic vs monophasic monitor/defibrillators.

    Team safety when performing synchronized cardioversion.

    Energy needed to cardiovert unstable patients with a narrow vs wide complex tachycardia.

    Connect with me:

    Website: https://passacls.com

    @Pass-ACLS-Podcast on LinkedIn


    Give Back & Help Others:

    Your support helps cover the monthly cost of software and podcast & website hosting so that others can benefit from these ACLS tips as well. Donations made via Buy Me a Coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/paultaylor are appreciated.

    Make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by donating to my Men Wear Pink fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS) at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/paultaylor Every dollar helps in the battle with breast cancer.


    Good luck with your ACLS class!

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    6 mins
  • Identification and Treatment of Unstable Bradycardia
    Nov 5 2024

    Patients with a heart rate less than 60 are bradycardic. Some people can have a resting heart rate in the 40s without any compromise. For others, a heart rate of 50 or less could signify the need for immediate intervention and warrants additional assessment.

    Signs & symptoms that indicate a bradycardic patient is unstable.

    Monitoring oxygen saturation with pulse oximetry and indications for administration of oxygen.

    Calcium channel blockers and beta blocker medication as treatable causes of bradycardia.

    The indications and dosage of Atropine.

    Precautions for Atropine use in patients with second or third degree AV blocks.

    The use of transcutaneous pacing (TCP) for unstable bradycardic patients refractory to Atropine.

    The use and dosing of Dopamine and Epinephrine drips.

    For additional information about causes and treatment of bradycardia, check out the pod resources page at PassACLS.com.

    Connect with me:

    Website: https://passacls.com

    @Pass-ACLS-Podcast on LinkedIn


    Give Back & Help Others:

    Your support helps cover the monthly cost of software and podcast & website hosting so that others can benefit from these ACLS tips as well. Donations made via Buy Me a Coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/paultaylor are appreciated.

    Make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by donating to my Men Wear Pink fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS) at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/paultaylor Every dollar helps in the battle with breast cancer.


    Good luck with your ACLS class!

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    5 mins
  • Post-Arrest Care & Targeted Temperature Management (TTM)
    Nov 4 2024

    The goal of CPR is to keep the brain and vital organs perfused until return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is achieved.

    Post-arrest care and recovery are the final two links in the chain of survival.

    Identification of ROSC during CPR.

    Initial patient management goals after identifying ROSC.

    The patient’s GCS/LOC should be evaluated to determine if targeted temperature management (TTM) is indicated.

    Patients that cannot obey simple commands should receive TTM for at least 24 hours.

    Recently published studies on TTM and ACLS’s current standard.

    Monitoring the patient’s core temperature during TTM.

    Patients can undergo EEG, CT, MRI, & PCI while receiving TTM.

    Connect with me:

    Website: https://passacls.com

    @Pass-ACLS-Podcast on LinkedIn


    Give Back & Help Others:

    Your support helps cover the monthly cost of software and podcast & website hosting so that others can benefit from these ACLS tips as well. Donations made via Buy Me a Coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/paultaylor are appreciated.

    Make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by donating to my Men Wear Pink fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS) at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/paultaylor Every dollar helps in the battle with breast cancer.


    Good luck with your ACLS class!

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    5 mins
  • The Chain of Survival for Cardiac & Stroke Emergencies
    Nov 1 2024

    The chain of survival for ACLS is the same as was learned in your BLS class.

    The beginning steps of the Cardiac Emergency and Stroke chain of survival.

    ACLS's timed goals for first medical contact to PCI for STEMI and door-to-needle for ischemic stroke.

    Characteristics of areas that have significantly better stroke and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes.

    Connect with me:

    Website: https://passacls.com

    @Pass-ACLS-Podcast on LinkedIn


    Give Back & Help Others:

    Your support helps cover the monthly cost of software and podcast & website hosting so that others can benefit from these ACLS tips as well. Donations made via Buy Me a Coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/paultaylor are appreciated.

    Make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by donating to my Men Wear Pink fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS) at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/paultaylor Every dollar helps in the battle with breast cancer.


    Good luck with your ACLS class!

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    5 mins
  • Hypokalemia & Hyperkalemia as a H&T Reversible Cause
    Oct 31 2024

    Heart muscle contraction and repolarization is dependent on Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium ions crossing cellular membranes.

    When a patient’s potassium levels get too low or too high, hypokalemia or hyperkalemia results respectively.

    Two things that may lead us to suspect hypo or hyperkalemia.

    Medical conditions & medications that can cause potassium imbalance.

    ECG changes seen in hypo and hyperkalemia.

    Critical lab values that would indicate a need for treatment.

    Emergent, ACLS interventions for hypokalemia and hyperkalemia.

    Additional information on causes of hypo and hyperkalemia can be found on Ninja Nerd podcast. Check out the pod resources page at passacls.com.

    Connect with me:

    Website: https://passacls.com

    @Pass-ACLS-Podcast on LinkedIn


    Give Back & Help Others:

    Your support helps cover the monthly cost of software and podcast & website hosting so that others can benefit from these ACLS tips as well. Donations made via Buy Me a Coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/paultaylor are appreciated.

    Make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by donating to my Men Wear Pink fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS) at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/paultaylor Every dollar helps in the battle with breast cancer.


    Good luck with your ACLS class!

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    5 mins
  • Time Goals for Assessment & Treatment of Stroke
    Oct 30 2024

    When treating patients having an MI or stroke, more minutes equals more dead cells.

    Because the majority of strokes are the ischemic type, the treatment for stroke is similar to an MI – to reestablish perfusion to the ischemic tissues.

    The first four steps in the Stroke Chain of Survival.

    Time criteria for the administration of tPA (or a similar fibrinolytic medication) or EVT of LVO strokes.

    Stroke benchmarks for door to:

    • assessment;
    • completing a non-contrast CT; and
    • administration of fibrinolytic medication such as tPA (door-to-needle).

    EMS interaction with stroke teams and destination protocols to reduce time to definitive care.

    The difference for timed goals for the identification & treatment of AMI vs Stroke.

    Additional information about timed goals for stroke and how EMS affects outcomes, can be found on the PassACLS.com pod resources page.

    Connect with me:

    Website: https://passacls.com

    @Pass-ACLS-Podcast on LinkedIn


    Give Back & Help Others:

    Your support helps cover the monthly cost of software and podcast & website hosting so that others can benefit from these ACLS tips as well. Donations made via Buy Me a Coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/paultaylor are appreciated.

    Make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by donating to my Men Wear Pink fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS) at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/paultaylor Every dollar helps in the battle with breast cancer.


    Good luck with your ACLS class!

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    5 mins
  • Medication Review: Adenosine
    Oct 29 2024

    Adenosine is the first IV medication given to stable patients with sustained supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) refractory to vagal maneuvers.

    Symptoms indicating a stable vs unstable patient.

    Common causes of tachycardia.

    Cardiac effects of Adenosine.

    Indications for use in the ACLS Tachycardia algorithm.

    Considerations and contraindications.

    Adenosine as a diagnostic for patients in A-Fib or A-Flutter with RVR.

    Dosing and administration.

    Other podcasts that cover common ACLS antiarrhythmics in more detail and another covering Brugata Criteria used to differentiate V-Tach from SVT with an aberrancy, can be found on the Pod Resources page at passacls.com.

    Connect with me:

    Website: https://passacls.com

    @Pass-ACLS-Podcast on LinkedIn


    Give Back & Help Others:

    Your support helps cover the monthly cost of software and podcast & website hosting so that others can benefit from these ACLS tips as well. Donations made via Buy Me a Coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/paultaylor are appreciated.

    Make a difference in the fight against breast cancer by donating to my Men Wear Pink fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS) at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/paultaylor Every dollar helps in the battle with breast cancer.


    Good luck with your ACLS class!

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    6 mins