Two prior attempts at defibrillation of an adult patient in ventricular fibrillation have been unsuccessful. At this time, what would you recommend?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Subsequent shocks should be delivered at a higher energy level if initial attempts at defibrillation are unsuccessful. For many defibrillators, this means increasing the energy to 200 J or the maximum energy level recommended by the manufacturer. Synchronous countershock is not appropriate for ventricular fibrillation, precordial thumps are not recommended after unsuccessful defibrillation attempts in this context, and simply getting larger paddles and more gel does not address the need to escalate the energy delivered.

Two Prior Attempts at Defibrillation of an Adult Patient in Ventricular