Question

A 40 year old man arrives at the ER accompanied by his family. He is complaining of palpitations after working outside for several hours. The assessment is as follows:

SKIN: Hydrated, pale, warm and dry
CVS: Strong peripheral pulses and a BP of 125/80
CNS: Fully intact
RESP: RR is 22, no resp. difficulties, lungs CTA

You place o2 at 2L by NC on the patient and start an IV. The monitor shows a narrow complex SVT (160).

What is your next intervention?

Answer 1

The next intervention for a patient with a narrow complex SVT is to perform vagal maneuvers. If these are unsuccessful, adenosine may be administered.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this case, the next intervention for a patient with a narrow complex SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia) is to perform vagal maneuvers to try and slow down the heart rate. Vagal maneuvers can include actions such as bearing down (as if having a bowel movement), applying cold water to the face, or coughing forcefully. These maneuvers stimulate the vagus nerve, which can help restore normal heart rhythm. If the vagal maneuvers are unsuccessful, the next step would be to administer a medication called adenosine to help restore a normal heart rate.