Question

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?

A) Dopamine 2 to 20 mcg/kg per minute IV/IO
B) Atropine 1 mg IV/IO
C) Epinephrine 1 mg IV/IO
D) Atropine 0.5 mg IV/IO

Answer 1

The first drug of choice for a patient in cardiac arrest with asystole is Epinephrine 1 mg IV/IO according to ACLS guidelines.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the scenario where a patient is in cardiac arrest with an asystole rhythm, the first medication of choice according to Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) guidelines is Epinephrine 1 mg IV/IO. This should be administered as soon as possible and can be repeated every 3-5 minutes during the resuscitation efforts. While Atropine was previously used in asystole and pulseless electrical activity (PEA), it is no longer recommended for these rhythms.