Paramedic National Registry Practice

A 3-year-old male weighing 35 lbs requires an epinephrine dose for a cardiac emergency. What would be the appropriate dose?

1. 0.05 mg

2. 0.15 mg

3. 0.3 mg

4. 0.75 mg

The correct answer is: 0.15 mg

In pediatric emergency medicine, the dosing of epinephrine is typically calculated based on the child's weight. The standard dose for a child in a cardiac emergency, like anaphylaxis or severe asthma exacerbation, is often 0.01 mg/kg for the intramuscular route or 0.01 mg/kg for intravenous administration in a cardiac arrest scenario. For a 3-year-old male weighing 35 lbs (which is approximately 15.9 kg), the calculated dose of epinephrine for a cardiac emergency would be around 0.159 mg (0.01 mg/kg x 15.9 kg). When rounding to a clinically appropriate amount, the nearest available dosage is 0.15 mg. This dosing is critical because delivering the correct amount of epinephrine can significantly influence the outcome of the cardiac emergency, providing necessary stimulation of the heart and improving patient conditions. Therefore, the 0.15 mg dose aligns closely with established guidelines for pediatric dosing in these crucial situations.