Question

The ECG monitor of a patient in the cardiac care unit following an MI indicates ventricular bigeminy with a rate of 50 beats/minute. The nurse would anticipate?

A) performing defibrillation
B) treatment with IV lidocaine
C) insertion of a temporary, transvenous pacemaker
D) assessing the patient's response to the dysrhythmia

Answer 1

The nurse would anticipate inserting a temporary, transvenous pacemaker. Option c.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse would anticipate inserting a temporary, transvenous pacemaker.

Ventricular bigeminy is a cardiac dysrhythmia characterized by an irregular heart rhythm in which every other beat is a premature ventricular contraction (PVC). In this case, the ECG monitor is showing a ventricular bigeminy with a heart rate of 50 beats per minute. This dysrhythmia can be life-threatening and may require immediate intervention.

The most appropriate intervention to treat ventricular bigeminy with a low heart rate is the insertion of a temporary, transvenous pacemaker. This procedure involves the placement of a wire electrode into the right ventricle or right atrium, which delivers electrical impulses to the heart to maintain a regular rhythm.

Treatment with IV lidocaine or insertion of a temporary pacemaker would depend on the clinical symptoms and stability of the patient. Therefore, an initial step would be to assess the patient's hemodynamic stability and symptoms to guide further treatment decisions.