– Continued from Cardioversion – 2010 ACLS – Part I . – If the tachycardic patient is unstable with severe signs and symptoms related to a suspected arrhythmia (eg, acute altered mental status, ischemic chest discomfort, acute heart failure, hypotension, or other signs of shock), immediate cardioversion should be performed (with prior sedation in the conscious patient) (Class I, LOE B). [1] But the algorithm only says to consider sedation. Figure 4. Tachycardia Algorithm. [2] – True, the cheat sheet does say consider . The full text of the guidelines does not say consider . Which should we use as our reference – the abbreviated memory aid or the full text? Also, look at the recommendation for stable wide QRS complex tachycardia. The algorithm on says to consider antiarrhythmic infusion . Is our reference the bumper sticker slogan or the actual text of the book? – If possible, establish IV access before cardioversion and administer sedation if the patient is conscious. Do not delay cardioversion if the patient is extremely unstable. [3] Possible vs. what?

Original Source of Cardioversion – 2010 ACLS – Part II