General Review Flashcards
7 cards from real CCRN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 General Review flashcards as text
A patient with acute decompensated heart failure has a pulmonary artery wedge pressure of 24 mmHg. What does this elevated value indicate?
Answer: Increased left atrial/left ventricular filling pressure
An elevated PAWP reflects increased left-sided filling pressures, typical of left heart failure.
Which arterial blood gas result indicates uncompensated respiratory acidosis?
Answer: pH 7.30, PaCO2 55, HCO3 24
Low pH with high PaCO2 and normal HCO3 indicates uncompensated respiratory acidosis.
A patient develops sudden hypotension, jugular venous distension, and muffled heart sounds after cardiac surgery. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer: Cardiac tamponade
Beck's triad—hypotension, JVD, and muffled heart sounds—is classic for cardiac tamponade.
What is the priority intervention for a patient in pulseless ventricular tachycardia?
Answer: Immediate defibrillation
Pulseless VT is a shockable rhythm requiring immediate defibrillation.
A patient receiving heparin develops a platelet count drop from 250,000 to 80,000. What condition should be suspected?
Answer: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
A significant platelet drop after heparin exposure suggests HIT, requiring heparin discontinuation.
Which finding best indicates effective fluid resuscitation in a patient with septic shock?
Answer: Urine output greater than 0.5 mL/kg/hr
Adequate urine output indicates restored perfusion to the kidneys and effective resuscitation.
A mechanically ventilated patient suddenly desaturates with high peak pressures and absent breath sounds on the right. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: Tension pneumothorax
Sudden desaturation with high pressures and unilateral absent breath sounds suggests tension pneumothorax.