Hey there fellow humans, have you ever found yourself in a precarious medical situation but didn’t know exactly what to do? Fear not, for I have stumbled upon a lifesaving tip in the form of ACLS algorithms!
Algorithm 1: Adult Cardiac Arrest
So you’ve found yourself in the middle of a cardiac arrest emergency? Don’t panic, just follow these simple steps:
- Check for response
- Call for help
- Check for breathing
- Start chest compressions and rescue breathing
- Administer medications according to algorithm
- Identify and treat reversible causes.
- Consider advanced airway management.
Algorithm 2: Bradycardia
Bradycardia ain’t no joke, but with this algorithm, you’ll be able to identify and treat it quickly and efficiently:
- Identify symptomatic bradycardia
- Stabilize the patient’s airway, breathing and circulation
- Administer atropine
- Consider transcutaneous pacing
- Administer dopamine or epinephrine if transcutaneous pacing fails.
Algorithm 3: Tachycardia
Just follow these simple steps to tackle tachycardia like a pro:
- Identify the type of tachycardia
- Administer adenosine if patient has re-entry SVT or stable monomorphic VT
- Administer synchronized cardioversion for unstable tachycardia
- Administer amiodarone if unstable VT or polymorphic VT without a pulse
- Administer electricity or lidocaine if amiodarone fails
Algorithm 4: Acute Coronary Syndrome
If you suspect your patient is experiencing acute coronary syndrome, follow these guidelines to save a heart:
- Assist with patient’s own nitroglycerin administration
- Administer aspirin
- Administer heparin or other antithrombin therapy
- Consider reperfusion therapy (PCI or thrombolytics)
Algorithm 5: Acute Ischemic Stroke
If you’re confronted with someone experiencing an acute ischemic stroke, don’t sit around twiddling your thumbs! Follow these steps:
- Activate the stroke team
- Perform a NIH stroke scale
- Consider fibrinolytic therapy
- Initiate BP control if needed
Algorithm 6: Pulseless Electrical Activity
If you find yourself in the middle of a pulseless electrical activity situation, stay cool and collected and go with the flow of this algorithm:
- Stabilize the airway, breathing, circulation and administer epinephrine
- Identify and correct potential underlying causes.
Algorithm 7: Ventricular Fibrillation/Pulseless VT
Last but definitely not least, we have the ventricular fibrillation and pulseless VT algorithm! Follow these steps and you might just save a life:
- Initiate immediate CPR and attach monitor/defibrillator
- Administer electricity until normal sinus rhythm is restored
- Administer epinephrine and amiodarone
- Consider advanced airway management if needed
- Identify and treat reversible causes.
There you have it folks, some funny, easy-to-follow algorithms for when you find yourself in a medical emergency. Stay safe out there!
