Question

Cardiac monitoring of a patient in cardiac arrest reveals ventricular fibrillation. In addition to high-quality CPR, what intervention should be a priority for the team?

Perform a pulse check.
Insert an advanced airway.
Defibrillation.
Initiate capnography.

Answer 1

The priority intervention for a patient in ventricular fibrillation, aside from high-quality CPR, is defibrillation using an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient exhibits ventricular fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats in a rapid, erratic pattern, the priority intervention, in addition to performing high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), is defibrillation. Defibrillation involves the delivery of an electrical shock to the heart using a device called an automated external defibrillator (AED). This electrical charge is strategically administered to disrupt the chaotic heart activity and allow the heart's natural pacemaker to reestablish a normal sinus rhythm. It's crucial to act promptly, as ventricular fibrillation is a life-threatening emergency that, if uncorrected, can lead to brain death in a matter of minutes.