V-tach

[bsquared]

Can someone give me or explain the rationale for instructing a client with unstable v-tach to inhale deeply and cough forcefully every 1 to 3 seconds during an episode of v-tach?

thanks in advance!

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Here is information on "cough CPR" from the American Heart Association. They don't endorse it. You're probably better off using that window of a few seconds to apply the Combo-pads.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4535

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

it's a bad question. the valsalva maneuver is indicated for psvt. the patient with unstable v tach would be given meds or synchronized cardioversion.

my thoughts exactly. out of those choices, the valsalva is the best.

this reminds me of the crappy nclex book that i bought because it was cheap. a lot of the answers were wrong. i went back to the store and bought pearson. and thanks to pearson, i passed.

jess

[RN1980]

hey lay off elvis...besides he ain't dead, i saw him in the jungle room at graceland this past weekend at "memphis in may".

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Thank you for that link.

[meandragonbrett]

I'm pretty sure the professor has confused V-tach and supra V-tach.

[RN1982]

Elvis was abducted by aliens.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

I'm pretty sure the professor has confused V-tach and supra V-tach.

I think answer 4 sounds more like this "Cough CPR" than the Valsalva.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

elvis was abducted by aliens.

no, he is an alien. remember men in black..."elvis didn't die...he just went home!"

jess

[RN1982]

no, he is an alien. remember men in black..."elvis didn't die...he just went home!"

jess

lol i forgot all about that movie.

[hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN]

It's a bad question. The Valsalva maneuver is indicated for PSVT. The patient with unstable V Tach would be given meds or synchronized cardioversion.

If they're unstable vtach, why would you bother screwing around with meds and synchronized shocks? We go straight to unsynchronized here. ACLS algorithm for it is identical to vfib.