Step II UW 3648

[lordman]

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I answered it correctly. But it made me think in another way; what if the case was ventricular fibrillation and choice A was "defibrillattion". Is Calcium gluconate still the correct answer? In other words, if you have Ventricular fibrillation due to high potassium, what is the management? Calcium gluconate or treat it as typical ventricular fibrillation (i.e., defibrillation)?

 

[Phloston]

You'll die in a matter of seconds/minutes with Vfib. You always defibrillate out of that. Calcium gluconate is what you give with hyperkalemia when you have ECG changes (i.e., peaked Ts --> PR changes --> QRS elongation --> TdP) in order to prevent fatal arrhythmia.