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PALS Drugs and Pharmacology You Should Know (plus Printable Flashcards!)
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EACH OF THE Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Life Support (PALS) algorithms utilizes commonly used drugs within the field of pediatrics. These primary drugs are a big part of understanding PALS, and the ability to recall PALS drug doses, actions, indications and administrations is crucial.
Below, we’ve created printable PALS drugs flashcards with the name of the drug on side 1, and the action, doses and notes on the reverse side to make studying for PALS simple!
Please click on the preview images of the flashcards to be re-directed to the printable PDF files.
Here are the current PALS drugs from the latest International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation guidelines and NHCPS:
| DRUG | MAIN PALS USE | PEDIATRIC DOSE (IV/IO) | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adenosine | Supraventricular tachycardia | First dose: 0.1 mg/kg (MAX DOSE 6 mg) Second dose: 0.2 mg/kg (MAX DOSE 12 mg) | Rapid IV/IO bolus (no ET) Flush with saline Monitor ECG |
| Amiodarone | Tachyarrhythmia | 5 mg/kg over 20 to 60 minutes Repeat up to 15 mg/kg (MAX DOSE 300 mg) | Very long half life Monitor ECG & BP |
| Atropine | Bradycardia | 0.02 mg/kg ET: 0.03 mg/kg Repeat once if needed (MAX single dose 0.5 mg) | Also used to treat specific toxins (e.g. organophosphate poisoning) |
| Epinephrine | Cardiac Arrest/Shock | IV/IO: 0.01 mg/kg [1:10,000] (MAX DOSE 1 mg) ET: 0.1 mg/kg [1:1,000] (MAX DOSE 2.5 mg) | Multiple uses, multiple routes Repeat every 3 to 5 min if needed |
| Glucose | Hypoglycemia | 0.5 to 1 g/kg | Newborn: 5 to 10 mL/kg D10W Infants/Children: 2 to 4 mL/kg D25W Adolescents: 1 to 2 mL/kg D50W |
| Lidocaine | Tachyarrhythmia | Initial: 1 mg/kg Infusion: 20 to 50 mcg/kg/min (MAX DOSE 100 mg) ET: 2 to 3 mg | |
| Magnesium Sulfate | Torsades de Pointes Refractory Asthma | 20 to 50 mg/kg over 10 to 20 min (MAX DOSE 2 grams) | May run faster for Torsades |
| Milrinone | Cardiogenic Shock | Initial: 50 mcg/kg over 10 to 60 min Maintain: 0.5 to 0.75 mcg/kg/min | Longer infusion times and euvolemia will reduce risk of hypotension |
| Naloxone | Opioid Reversal | Less than 5 y/o OR under 20 kg: 0.1 mg/kg Over 5 y/o OR over 20 kg: 2 mg IV q 2 to 3 min prn | Decrease dose to reverse respiratory depression due to therapeutic opioid use (1 to 5 mcg/kg, titrate to effect) |
| Procainamide | Tachyarrhythmia | 15 mg/kg over 30 to 60 minutes | Do NOT give with amiodarone Monitor ECG & BP |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | Metabolic Acidosis | 1 mEq/kg slow bolus (MAX DOSE 50 mEq) | Monitor ABG & ECG After adequate ventilation |
Feel free to share these flashcards with your friends and co-workers! If you are interested in receiving online PALS certification or recertification, you can click here for more information on what we offer here at NHCPS.com.
Other resources for PALS success:
- PALS Algorithms you Need to Know
- Saving Tiny Lives with PALS (infographic)
- PALS Study Guide
- PALS Practice Exam
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