Question

First-line treatment for a patient with symptomatic bradycardia:

a) Atropine
b) Epinephrine
c) Lidocaine
d) Amiodarone

Answer 1

The first-line treatment for symptomatic bradycardia is a) Atropine, a medication that increases heart rate by blocking the parasympathetic nervous system's effects on the heart.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first-line treatment for a patient with symptomatic bradycardia is a) Atropine.

Atropine is an anticholinergic agent that works by blocking the parasympathetic influences on the heart, thereby increasing the heart rate. It is often used to manage bradycardia in emergency settings. Other options listed, such as Epinephrine and Amiodarone, are used in different contexts; Epinephrine for anaphylactic shock and Amiodarone for cardiac dysrhythmias. Lidocaine is primarily used as an antiarrhythmic, especially in instances of ventricular tachyarrhythmias, but is not the first choice for bradycardia.