ACLS Spring 2026 Questions & Answers | High-Yield Review
| Graded A+
1. In a scenario where a patient presents with severe hyperkalemia and is
experiencing cardiac arrest, what would be the appropriate intervention
regarding calcium chloride?
Administer adenosine to restore normal rhythm.
Administer epinephrine to increase heart rate.
Administer calcium chloride to stabilize the cardiac membranes.
Perform immediate defibrillation without any medication.
2. Discuss the implications of not using sodium bicarbonate in ACLS protocols
during cardiac arrest.
Sodium bicarbonate is not used because it does not enhance
patient outcomes and can lead to complications.
Sodium bicarbonate is a first-line treatment for cardiac arrest.
Sodium bicarbonate is used to treat acidosis during cardiac arrest.
Sodium bicarbonate is effective in increasing blood pressure.
3. For which type of patients is adenosine primarily indicated?
Patients in cardiac arrest
Patients with heart failure
Stable patients
Unstable patients
4. What is the first-line antiarrhythmic drug used in ACLS for treating refractory
ventricular fibrillation?
, Lidocaine
Amiodarone
Adenosine
Epinephrine
5. Describe the conditions under which sodium bicarbonate is utilized in ACLS
and its intended effect.
Sodium bicarbonate is given to all patients during cardiac arrest.
Sodium bicarbonate is used in ACLS primarily to correct metabolic
acidosis or to treat hyperkalemia, helping to stabilize the patient's
condition.
Sodium bicarbonate is used to enhance the effectiveness of CPR
techniques.
Sodium bicarbonate is administered to patients experiencing
bradycardia.
6. What is the primary reason antiarrhythmics are not given prior to
defibrillation in ACLS protocols?
Antiarrhythmics are ineffective in cardiac arrest.
Defibrillation is only effective after administering antiarrhythmics.
Defibrillation is prioritized to restore a normal heart rhythm.
Antiarrhythmics can cause further arrhythmias.
7. The first line ACLS drug for symptomatic bradycardia is:
Amiodarone
Dopamine
, Atropine
Epinephrine
8. In a scenario where a patient presents with a heart rate of 40 bpm and is
experiencing chest pain and confusion, what would be the appropriate ACLS
intervention?
Administering epinephrine
Initiating high-quality CPR
Defibrillation
Transcutaneous pacing
9. Which medication is typically used for chemical cardioversion of stable
narrow-complex supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
Epinephrine
Adenosine
Amiodarone
Lidocaine
10. What is the alternative drug to amiodarone in ACLS protocols?
Atropine
Epinephrine
Lidocaine
Adenosine
11. During return of spontaneous circulation, oxygen support must be titrated to
maintain oxygen saturation of atleast __%
, 90%
95%
99%
94%
12. The most important intervention for cardiac arrest is:
performance of adequate CPR.
administration of dysrhythmics.
defibrillation at 200 J.
delivery of a vasopressor.
13. Which of the following is the drug of choice for treating narrow-complex
paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia?
Amiodarone
Diltiazem
Dopamine
Adenosine
14. Describe why adenosine is not recommended for use in atrial fibrillation
during ACLS.
Adenosine can cause severe hypotension in patients with atrial
fibrillation.
Adenosine is only used for ventricular rhythms, not atrial rhythms.
Adenosine is not effective in atrial fibrillation because it does not
convert the rhythm to normal sinus rhythm and may cause transient
heart block instead.
| Graded A+
1. In a scenario where a patient presents with severe hyperkalemia and is
experiencing cardiac arrest, what would be the appropriate intervention
regarding calcium chloride?
Administer adenosine to restore normal rhythm.
Administer epinephrine to increase heart rate.
Administer calcium chloride to stabilize the cardiac membranes.
Perform immediate defibrillation without any medication.
2. Discuss the implications of not using sodium bicarbonate in ACLS protocols
during cardiac arrest.
Sodium bicarbonate is not used because it does not enhance
patient outcomes and can lead to complications.
Sodium bicarbonate is a first-line treatment for cardiac arrest.
Sodium bicarbonate is used to treat acidosis during cardiac arrest.
Sodium bicarbonate is effective in increasing blood pressure.
3. For which type of patients is adenosine primarily indicated?
Patients in cardiac arrest
Patients with heart failure
Stable patients
Unstable patients
4. What is the first-line antiarrhythmic drug used in ACLS for treating refractory
ventricular fibrillation?
, Lidocaine
Amiodarone
Adenosine
Epinephrine
5. Describe the conditions under which sodium bicarbonate is utilized in ACLS
and its intended effect.
Sodium bicarbonate is given to all patients during cardiac arrest.
Sodium bicarbonate is used in ACLS primarily to correct metabolic
acidosis or to treat hyperkalemia, helping to stabilize the patient's
condition.
Sodium bicarbonate is used to enhance the effectiveness of CPR
techniques.
Sodium bicarbonate is administered to patients experiencing
bradycardia.
6. What is the primary reason antiarrhythmics are not given prior to
defibrillation in ACLS protocols?
Antiarrhythmics are ineffective in cardiac arrest.
Defibrillation is only effective after administering antiarrhythmics.
Defibrillation is prioritized to restore a normal heart rhythm.
Antiarrhythmics can cause further arrhythmias.
7. The first line ACLS drug for symptomatic bradycardia is:
Amiodarone
Dopamine
, Atropine
Epinephrine
8. In a scenario where a patient presents with a heart rate of 40 bpm and is
experiencing chest pain and confusion, what would be the appropriate ACLS
intervention?
Administering epinephrine
Initiating high-quality CPR
Defibrillation
Transcutaneous pacing
9. Which medication is typically used for chemical cardioversion of stable
narrow-complex supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
Epinephrine
Adenosine
Amiodarone
Lidocaine
10. What is the alternative drug to amiodarone in ACLS protocols?
Atropine
Epinephrine
Lidocaine
Adenosine
11. During return of spontaneous circulation, oxygen support must be titrated to
maintain oxygen saturation of atleast __%
, 90%
95%
99%
94%
12. The most important intervention for cardiac arrest is:
performance of adequate CPR.
administration of dysrhythmics.
defibrillation at 200 J.
delivery of a vasopressor.
13. Which of the following is the drug of choice for treating narrow-complex
paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia?
Amiodarone
Diltiazem
Dopamine
Adenosine
14. Describe why adenosine is not recommended for use in atrial fibrillation
during ACLS.
Adenosine can cause severe hypotension in patients with atrial
fibrillation.
Adenosine is only used for ventricular rhythms, not atrial rhythms.
Adenosine is not effective in atrial fibrillation because it does not
convert the rhythm to normal sinus rhythm and may cause transient
heart block instead.
