The best answer is: all of the above

According to the most recent Guidelines, the following are relative exclusion criteria:

• Symptoms that seem minor and are clearing rapidly
• Onset of symptoms accompanied by seizure with residual impairment
• Significant trauma or surgery in the previous 14 days
• GI or GU hemorrhage with the last 21 days
• Acute MI within 3 months

The above need to be considered by carefully weighing the risk vs. the benefit when deciding to employ fibrinolytic therapy.

The best answer is: all of the above

Because sinus tachycardia is not an arrhythmia per se, but a response to a physiologic stimulus, the treatment is reversing fever, hypovolemia, severe anxiety and pain. Adenosine can be used to differentiate ST from SVT when the history is unclear. If adenosine converts the narrow QRS tachycardia, ST is ruled-out.

The best answer is: all of the above

Retrospective analysis of true asystolic cardiac arrest reports a virtually null survival rate. Atropine works by altering vagal tone, which may speed up the sinus node and accelerate conduction through the AV node. When treating a defective conduction system, atropine may be quite useful. However, a “dead heart with no electrical activity” suggests atropine will be useless. When history makes the etiology of the ECG uncertain, atropine will cause no harm.

The best answer is: is not necessary

According to the most recent Guidelines, a single CPR rescue does not require immediate ventilation. Quality chest compressions have been identified as more important. If a professional rescuer, or, when there are two rescuers, two emergency ventilations should be given with each 30 chest compressions. Once an advanced airway is established, ventilation is provided at a rate of 8 – 10 ventilations per minute. Rescuers are cautioned against over-ventilation.

The best answer is: true

Emergency cardioversion is indicated when an arrhythmia renders a patient unstable. Typically, the unstable patient has severely decreased level of consciousness, thus, sedation is usually not needed. In rare cases where the patient is very responsive, but in a dangerous situation, sedation should be done carefully, with airway protection, a top priority.