What is the purpose of push dose epinephrine in bradycardia treatment?

• A. To dilate peripheral vessels
• B. To treat hyperkalemia
• C. To decrease myocardial oxygen demand
• D. To increase blood pressure and improve perfusion

Answer: (D)

Push dose epinephrine is used to quickly raise blood pressure and improve organ perfusion when bradycardia is causing hypotension. It does this by stimulating the heart with beta-1 receptors to increase heart rate and contractility, which boosts cardiac output, and by activating alpha-1 receptors to constrict vessels and raise systemic vascular resistance. The net result is higher arterial pressure and better flow to vital organs like the heart and brain, which is the main goal in this situation. It isn’t intended to dilate peripheral vessels, which would be the opposite effect; it also increases, rather than decreases, myocardial oxygen demand because the heart is working harder. While epinephrine can play a role in hyperkalemia treatment in general, that’s not the purpose here. So the best answer is to increase blood pressure and improve perfusion.