AHA ACLS Final Exam Advanced
Cardiovascular Life Support
2026/2027 – Questions and
Answers | 100% Verified |
Detailed Rationales – (GRADED
A+) Instant Download pdf
Question 1
A patient is found unresponsive, pulseless, and in ventricular
fibrillation (VF). Which intervention should the ACLS team
perform first after identifying the shockable rhythm?
A. Administer amiodarone 300 mg IV
B. Administer epinephrine 1 mg IV
C. Deliver an unsynchronized defibrillation shock
D. Perform endotracheal intubation
Answer: C. Deliver an unsynchronized defibrillation shock
Rationale: VF is a shockable cardiac-arrest rhythm. The 2025
AHA adult cardiac-arrest algorithm directs the team to deliver a
shock, followed immediately by 2 minutes of CPR. Advanced
airway placement and medications should not unnecessarily
delay defibrillation or high-quality CPR.
,Question 2
During adult CPR without an advanced airway, what
compression-to-ventilation ratio should be used?
A. 15:2
B. 20:2
C. 30:2
D. 30:1
Answer: C. 30:2
Rationale: For an adult in cardiac arrest without an advanced
airway, the AHA recommends cycles of 30 chest compressions
followed by 2 ventilations. Once an advanced airway is
established, continuous compressions are used with 1 breath
every 6 seconds.
Question 3
What is the recommended chest-compression rate during adult
CPR?
A. 60–80/min
B. 80–100/min
C. 100–120/min
D. 120–140/min
Answer: C. 100–120/min
,Rationale: High-quality adult CPR requires a compression rate
of 100–120 compressions per minute. Compressors should also
allow complete chest recoil and minimize interruptions.
Question 4
What is the recommended minimum chest-compression depth
for an adult during CPR?
A. 1 inch (2.5 cm)
B. 1.5 inches (3.8 cm)
C. At least 2 inches (5 cm)
D. 3 inches (7.5 cm)
Answer: C. At least 2 inches (5 cm)
Rationale: Adult chest compressions should be at least 2 inches
(5 cm) deep while avoiding excessive depth. Adequate depth
helps generate effective forward blood flow during cardiac
arrest.
Question 5
A patient remains in pulseless ventricular tachycardia after the
initial defibrillation and 2 minutes of CPR. What should the
team do next?
A. Administer atropine
B. Deliver another defibrillation shock
, C. Administer adenosine
D. Perform synchronized cardioversion
Answer: B. Deliver another defibrillation shock
Rationale: Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is a shockable
rhythm. After 2 minutes of CPR, the rhythm is reassessed. If
VF/pulseless VT persists, another defibrillation shock is
delivered, followed by another CPR cycle.
Question 6
What is the recommended IV/IO dose of epinephrine during
adult cardiac arrest?
A. 0.1 mg every 1–2 minutes
B. 0.5 mg every 2–3 minutes
C. 1 mg every 3–5 minutes
D. 2 mg every 10 minutes
Answer: C. 1 mg every 3–5 minutes
Rationale: The AHA adult cardiac-arrest algorithm recommends
epinephrine 1 mg IV/IO every 3–5 minutes during cardiac
arrest.
Question 7
A patient with persistent VF has received defibrillation and
epinephrine. VF continues despite appropriate CPR. Which
Cardiovascular Life Support
2026/2027 – Questions and
Answers | 100% Verified |
Detailed Rationales – (GRADED
A+) Instant Download pdf
Question 1
A patient is found unresponsive, pulseless, and in ventricular
fibrillation (VF). Which intervention should the ACLS team
perform first after identifying the shockable rhythm?
A. Administer amiodarone 300 mg IV
B. Administer epinephrine 1 mg IV
C. Deliver an unsynchronized defibrillation shock
D. Perform endotracheal intubation
Answer: C. Deliver an unsynchronized defibrillation shock
Rationale: VF is a shockable cardiac-arrest rhythm. The 2025
AHA adult cardiac-arrest algorithm directs the team to deliver a
shock, followed immediately by 2 minutes of CPR. Advanced
airway placement and medications should not unnecessarily
delay defibrillation or high-quality CPR.
,Question 2
During adult CPR without an advanced airway, what
compression-to-ventilation ratio should be used?
A. 15:2
B. 20:2
C. 30:2
D. 30:1
Answer: C. 30:2
Rationale: For an adult in cardiac arrest without an advanced
airway, the AHA recommends cycles of 30 chest compressions
followed by 2 ventilations. Once an advanced airway is
established, continuous compressions are used with 1 breath
every 6 seconds.
Question 3
What is the recommended chest-compression rate during adult
CPR?
A. 60–80/min
B. 80–100/min
C. 100–120/min
D. 120–140/min
Answer: C. 100–120/min
,Rationale: High-quality adult CPR requires a compression rate
of 100–120 compressions per minute. Compressors should also
allow complete chest recoil and minimize interruptions.
Question 4
What is the recommended minimum chest-compression depth
for an adult during CPR?
A. 1 inch (2.5 cm)
B. 1.5 inches (3.8 cm)
C. At least 2 inches (5 cm)
D. 3 inches (7.5 cm)
Answer: C. At least 2 inches (5 cm)
Rationale: Adult chest compressions should be at least 2 inches
(5 cm) deep while avoiding excessive depth. Adequate depth
helps generate effective forward blood flow during cardiac
arrest.
Question 5
A patient remains in pulseless ventricular tachycardia after the
initial defibrillation and 2 minutes of CPR. What should the
team do next?
A. Administer atropine
B. Deliver another defibrillation shock
, C. Administer adenosine
D. Perform synchronized cardioversion
Answer: B. Deliver another defibrillation shock
Rationale: Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is a shockable
rhythm. After 2 minutes of CPR, the rhythm is reassessed. If
VF/pulseless VT persists, another defibrillation shock is
delivered, followed by another CPR cycle.
Question 6
What is the recommended IV/IO dose of epinephrine during
adult cardiac arrest?
A. 0.1 mg every 1–2 minutes
B. 0.5 mg every 2–3 minutes
C. 1 mg every 3–5 minutes
D. 2 mg every 10 minutes
Answer: C. 1 mg every 3–5 minutes
Rationale: The AHA adult cardiac-arrest algorithm recommends
epinephrine 1 mg IV/IO every 3–5 minutes during cardiac
arrest.
Question 7
A patient with persistent VF has received defibrillation and
epinephrine. VF continues despite appropriate CPR. Which
