Which resuscitation rhythm is considered shockable in pediatric arrests?

• A. Ventricular fibrillation
• B. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia
• C. Ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia
• D. Pulseless electrical activity

Answer: (C)

In pediatric arrests, the rhythms that are treated with a defibrillator are those where the heart’s electrical activity is chaotic or ineffective at producing a pulse. Specifically, ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia are considered shockable. A timed electric shock can depolarize the heart muscle, resetting the electrical activity so the heart’s natural rhythm can take over and restore a pulse and perfusion.

The other common arrest rhythms—pulseless electrical activity and asystole—do not benefit from defibrillation because there isn’t a disorganized electrical pattern to reset or there’s no electrical activity at all. In those cases, the focus is on high-quality CPR and addressing reversible causes rather than shocking.