In PALS, what is the recommended intervention for a child with persistent bradycardia?

In cases of persistent bradycardia in children, the primary focus is on providing adequate oxygenation and circulation. When a child's heart rate is inadequate, it can lead to insufficient blood flow to vital organs, putting the child at risk for cardiac arrest. Assisting ventilation is essential to ensure that the child is receiving enough oxygen, particularly if the child is experiencing respiratory distress or failure along with bradycardia.

In addition, administering epinephrine can help to stimulate the heart and increase heart rate, particularly in cases where bradycardia may be caused by factors such as severe hypotension or inadequate perfusion. The combination of assisting ventilation and considering epinephrine effectively addresses the potential underlying causes of the bradycardia and helps restore normal heart function.

Other interventions, such as high-flow oxygen or defibrillation, do not target the immediate needs presented by persistent bradycardia. While oxygen may be important, providing high-flow oxygen alone would not reverse the bradycardia. Defibrillation is indicated only in cases of arrhythmias such as ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia, not in isolated bradycardia. Therefore, assisting ventilation and considering epinephrine are the most appropriate and effective