Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Here is the ECG: Sinus tachycardia. If cardiac arrest from hypokalemia is imminent (i.e., CASE : Prehospital Cardiac Arrest due to Hypokalemia I recently had a case of prehospital cardiac arrest that turned out to be due to hypokalemia. This patient presented with severe DKA. What do you think?

Cardiac Arrest 52

Cardiac Arrest Dysrhythmia Arrhythmia Nursing 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 30, 2019

Is it ventricular tachycardia (VT) due to hyperK or is it a supraventricular rhythm with hyperK? She had home health nurse visits, and a BMP was sent the next day (the day prior to admission, presumably after 120 mEq of KCl replacement -- if she was taking as directed). If cardiac arrest from hypokalemia is imminent (i.e.,

Cardiac Arrest 40

Cardiac Arrest Tachycardia Nursing Ultrasound 40

EMS 12-Lead

JULY 24, 2023

David Didlake Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Firefighter / Paramedic (ret) @DidlakeDW Expert commentary and peer review by Dr. Steve Smith [link] @smithECGBlog A 57 y/o Female with PMHx HTN, HLD, DM, and current use of tobacco products, presented to the ED with chest discomfort. This results in Type I MI. Severe Hypoxia b. Advanced LVH c.

Angina 52

Angina Ischemia Coronary Angiogram Stenosis 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 8, 2016

See here for management of Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia , which includes Torsades. If cardiac arrest from hypokalemia is imminent (i.e., It would be difficult to get a nurse to give it faster! As I indicated above, in our cardiac arrest case, after pushing 40 mEq, the K only went up to 4.2

STEMI 52

STEMI Myocardial Infarction Cardiac Arrest Arrhythmia 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 8, 2023

Triage is backed up, and 10 minutes into your shift one of the ED nurses brings your several ECG s that has not been overread by a physician. Smith: This bizarre ECG looks like a post cardiac arrest ECG with probable acidosis or hyperkalemia in addition to OMI. Imagine you just started your ED shift. What was the pH and K?

Ischemia 121

Ischemia Chest Pain Cardiogenic Shock Cardiac Arrest 121

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 9, 2025

I'll never forget when I ordered such an infusion in 1991 and then my patient started seizing and I looked up and the nurse had hung the lidocaine wide open! A retrospective 'target trial emulation' comparing amiodarone and lidocaine for adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resuscitation. DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2025.110515

Defibrillator 63

Defibrillator Cardiac Arrest Myocardial Infarction STEMI 63