What is a common intervention post-cardiac arrest to improve blood pressure?

Intravenous isotonic fluid bolus is the correct intervention post-cardiac arrest to improve blood pressure. After a cardiac arrest, patients often experience hypotension due to reduced circulating blood volume, impaired cardiac function, and loss of vascular tone. Administering an IV isotonic fluid bolus helps to increase the overall blood volume, which can enhance preload and improve cardiac output. This is a critical step in stabilizing a patient's hemodynamic status and can help restore adequate perfusion to vital organs.

In contrast, immediate oral hydration is not practical in the acute care setting immediately following a cardiac arrest because patients may be unconscious or unable to swallow safely. Topical vasoconstrictors are generally applied to manage localized bleeding rather than systemic hypotension, and their effect on blood pressure is limited and not appropriate for post-cardiac arrest management. Subcutaneous injections of epinephrine might enhance circulation during resuscitation efforts, but they are not a standard immediate post-arrest intervention for improving blood pressure and do not address fluid volume deficits effectively. Thus, the IV isotonic fluid bolus stands out as the proper intervention to support hemodynamic stability after a cardiac event.