What is the protocol for patients with prolonged downtime or dialysis patients?

For patients with prolonged downtime or those who are dialysis patients, administering Sodium Bicarbonate is integral to managing metabolic acidosis that can occur in these situations. Prolonged downtime, often associated with cardiac arrest, can lead to the accumulation of acids in the body, resulting in metabolic acidosis. Dialysis patients may also experience acidosis due to the accumulation of waste products that their dialysis treatment has not effectively removed.

Sodium Bicarbonate functions as a buffer, helping to restore the acid-base balance in the bloodstream. The recommended dosage of 1meq/kg administered via IV or IO ensures that the patient receives an adequate amount to counteract the acidosis, making it an essential intervention in these specific clinical scenarios.

The other substances listed, while they have their own uses in emergency medicine, do not directly address the specific concern of metabolic acidosis as Sodium Bicarbonate does in this context, thereby making it the appropriate choice.