Pediatric Beta Blocker Overdose: Transcutaneous pacing rate?

Pediatric Beta Blocker Overdose: Transcutaneous pacing rate?

• A. 60 BPM
• B. 70 BPM
• C. 75 BPM
• D. 80 BPM

Answer: (D)

When a child has bradycardia from beta-blocker overdose, transcutaneous pacing is used to keep the heart beating fast enough to maintain blood flow because the drug’s effects blunt the heart’s natural pacemaking and conduction. In pediatrics, the pacing rate is typically started around 80 beats per minute, since children rely on a higher heart rate to sustain adequate cardiac output. Rates significantly lower than that may fail to provide enough perfusion in a pediatric patient with bradycardia. If pacing capture is achieved but perfusion is still poor, you can adjust by increasing the rate or the pacing energy while continuing other supportive measures.

When a child has bradycardia from beta-blocker overdose, transcutaneous pacing is used to keep the heart beating fast enough to maintain blood flow because the drug’s effects blunt the heart’s natural pacemaking and conduction. In pediatrics, the pacing rate is typically started around 80 beats per minute, since children rely on a higher heart rate to sustain adequate cardiac output. Rates significantly lower than that may fail to provide enough perfusion in a pediatric patient with bradycardia. If pacing capture is achieved but perfusion is still poor, you can adjust by increasing the rate or the pacing energy while continuing other supportive measures.