Question

A 70-year-old woman, weighing 50 kg, comes to the emergency department complaining of chest pain and shortness of breath. The electrocardiogram monitor shows ventricular tachycardia at a rate of 150 beats/min. Which treatment is appropriate in this situation?

A. Amiodarone IV
B. Verapamil HCl IV
C. Defibrillation beginning at 200 J
D. Synchronized cardioversion beginning at 100 J

Answer 1

For a patient in ventricular tachycardia with a pulse, synchronized cardioversion starting at 100 joules is the appropriate treatment to restore normal heart rhythm.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the case of ventricular tachycardia at a rate of 150 beats/min in a 70-year-old woman, immediate treatment is required to stabilize heart rhythm and prevent potential brain death due to inadequate blood flow. Given the emergency nature of ventricular tachycardia, synchronized cardioversion is often the treatment of choice, especially if the patient is hemodynamically unstable. Starting at 100 joules, synchronized cardioversion is designed to deliver a controlled electric shock in order to restore normal heart rhythm. If the patient were in ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia, unsynchronized defibrillation would be the appropriate step. However, because she is experiencing ventricular tachycardia with a pulse, synchronized cardioversion is the correct intervention.