ACLS: bradycardia: practice question

A Anaesthesia question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anaesthesia · ACLS: bradycardia

Sample item

A patient with symptomatic bradycardia and hypotension is treated. What is the first-line drug according to the AHA algorithm?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Atropine 1 mg intravenously

Atropine 1 mg is repeated every 3 to 5 minutes up to 3 mg, and if ineffective, dopamine, adrenaline infusion or transcutaneous pacing is used. Atropine is not effective in infranodal block.

Option by option

  • A. Atropine 1 mg intravenously (correct)

    Correct. Atropine is first-line.

  • B. Amiodarone 300 mg

    Amiodarone treats tachyarrhythmias.

  • C. Magnesium sulphate

    Magnesium treats torsades.

  • D. Adenosine 6 mg

    Adenosine treats supraventricular tachycardia.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is A, Atropine 1 mg intravenously. Atropine 1 mg is repeated every 3 to 5 minutes up to 3 mg, and if ineffective, dopamine, adrenaline infusion or transcutaneous pacing is used.

Why is "Amiodarone 300 mg" not the answer?

Amiodarone treats tachyarrhythmias.

Why is "Magnesium sulphate" not the answer?

Magnesium treats torsades.

Why is "Adenosine 6 mg" not the answer?

Adenosine treats supraventricular tachycardia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests ACLS: bradycardia in Anaesthesia. Atropine is not effective in infranodal block.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study ACLS: bradycardia?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.