Speaking of adenosine

Specialties Emergency

Published

The ER doc was once a FP doc who moonlighted in the ER. Pt came in with SVT and he ordered adenosine "slow push". I reminded him about the half life and he said he went to a conference where they said that adenosine pushed fast can cause the heart to stop.

Um............ain't that what it's s'posed to do?

I hid the port from his view and pushed it fast.

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

:rotfl:

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Mercy...........

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Are you kidding me?

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Specializes in PCU, Home Health.

If you are going to give it slow push you might as well just give the pt a saline push- would save money and accomplish the same thing. Did this doc take ACLS?

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Yes, he took ACLS but he also attended a conference where a cardio was one of the speakers who said that adenosine fast push isn't safe because it can stop the heart.

I talked to the ER med director who rolled his eyes and said "I'll talk to him."

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

ummm duh that is how it works by stopping the heart, I think he maybe should take ACLS again or rather for the first time.

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He probably doesn't give Benedryl cause it makes his patients "sleepy".

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Not that I have ever heard of this either, but there are a few drugs that can bring a patient out of svt, maybe there is something to this in that a heart rate racing so fast and then a heart "stopped" is very dangerous for the patients outcome.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma.
Not that I have ever heard of this either, but there are a few drugs that can bring a patient out of svt, maybe there is something to this in that a heart rate racing so fast and then a heart "stopped" is very dangerous for the patients outcome.

But pushing it slow would negate even giving it at all because of the short half life (what is it, like 6 seconds?)

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Education.
He probably doesn't give Benedryl cause it makes his patients "sleepy".

Reminds me of the patient that was allergic to "adrenaline" because it made her heart race...

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Reminds me of the patient that was allergic to "adrenaline" because it made her heart race...

:lol2: When people say they're allergic to codeine I've learned to ask what it does to them.

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