EDAIC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield EDAIC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which viscoelastic test parameter represents clot formation rate? → Alpha angle (TEG/ROTEM)
2. Which test best reflects the extrinsic coagulation pathway? → Prothrombin time (PT)
3. Delirium in ICU patients is best assessed using which validated tool? → Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU)
4. Which regional anesthesia consideration is most important when planning a brachial plexus block for AV fistula creation in a CKD patient? → Limit local anesthetic dose because of altered protein binding increasing free drug
5. During a hypertensive crisis, sodium nitroprusside acts primarily by: → Releasing nitric oxide causing smooth muscle relaxation
6. Which pharmacokinetic model best describes a drug that distributes rapidly to well-perfused tissues and more slowly to muscle and fat? → Three-compartment model
7. The concept of 'pharmacodynamic tolerance' is best illustrated by which scenario? → Opioid dose escalation required over time to achieve the same analgesic effect
8. The primary buffer system responsible for buffering CO2 in the blood is: → Bicarbonate buffer system (CO2/HCO3-)
9. In a patient with a known difficult airway presenting for elective surgery, which strategy is most appropriate according to ASA guidelines? → Perform awake intubation before induction of general anaesthesia
10. A drug with a narrow therapeutic index and primarily renal elimination is most dangerous in which clinical scenario? → Acute kidney injury with oliguria
11. Which neuromuscular blocking agent is preferred in a patient with end-stage renal disease to avoid accumulation of active metabolites? → Atracurium
12. The Joule-Thomson effect describes the temperature change when a gas expands through a valve. Clinically, this is most relevant when: → Oxygen from a high-pressure cylinder cools as it passes through the reducing valve
13. The oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve is shifted to the RIGHT by which combination of factors particularly relevant during thoracic surgery? → Acidosis, hyperthermia, increased 2,3-DPG
14. In a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis, when should insulin infusion be started? → After potassium > 3.5 mEq/L is confirmed
15. A second-generation supraglottic airway device (e.g., LMA Supreme, i-gel) differs from a first-generation device primarily by: → Incorporating a gastric drainage channel and improved oropharyngeal seal
16. Another word that might describe complex carbohydrates is... → Polysaccharide
17. Ketamine's dissociative anesthetic effect is mediated primarily by: → Non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonism
18. In a patient with placenta previa requiring cesarean delivery, which anesthetic consideration is MOST important? → Prepare for massive hemorrhage and have blood products ready
19. The fail-safe valve on an anesthesia machine is designed to prevent delivery of a hypoxic mixture by: → Cutting off nitrous oxide flow if oxygen pressure falls below threshold
20. The hepatic artery supplies approximately what percentage of total hepatic blood flow? → 25%
21. In a rotameter (variable-area flowmeter), what keeps the bobbin floating at a fixed height for a given flow rate? → Balance between gravity and the upward drag force of gas flow
22. A patient with severe hepatic cirrhosis receives midazolam. Which pharmacokinetic change is most expected? → Decreased clearance prolonging elimination half-life
23. In chronic pain management, what mechanism underlies the analgesic effect of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)? → Inhibition of norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake in descending inhibitory pathways
24. Which of these functional groups are you not going to find in a carbohydrate? → Sulfhydryl -SH
25. Which size supraglottic airway device (LMA Classic) is recommended for an adult patient weighing 70 kg? → Size 4
26. The Bodok seal (plastic/neoprene washer) on a gas cylinder yoke serves to: → Create an airtight seal between the cylinder valve and the yoke to prevent gas leaks
27. At very prolonged infusion durations (>10 hours), how does the context-sensitive half-time of remifentanil compare to that of fentanyl? → It remains dramatically shorter than fentanyl's context-sensitive half-time
28. In traumatic cardiac arrest, which reversible cause should be addressed before all others? → Tension pneumothorax
29. In the antecubital fossa, what is the positional relationship of the median nerve to the brachial artery? → Medial to the artery
30. What is the Apgar score component affected FIRST by opioid-induced neonatal depression? → Respiratory effort