FP-C - Flight Paramedic-Certification Flight and Transport Physiology Questions and Answers

Question 1

A patient with a pneumothorax is being transported by helicopter. As the aircraft ascends, the flight paramedic should be most concerned about which of the following gas laws causing a potential life-threatening emergency?

Accepted Answer

Boyle's Law

Answer

Boyle's Law states that the volume of a gas is inversely proportional to the pressure. As the helicopter ascends, the atmospheric pressure decreases, causing the trapped air in the patient's pleural space to expand. This expansion can convert a simple pneumothorax into a tension pneumothorax, which is a life-threatening emergency.

Question 2

You are transporting a patient with COPD from a rural facility at sea level to a tertiary care center located at a higher elevation. According to Dalton's Law, what physiological challenge should you anticipate?

Accepted Answer

Increased FiO2 requirement due to lower partial pressure of oxygen.

Answer

Dalton's Law states that the total pressure of a gas mixture is the sum of the partial pressures of each gas. While the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere remains 21% at altitude, the total atmospheric pressure is lower. This results in a decreased partial pressure of inspired oxygen (PiO2), leading to hypoxic hypoxia. Patients with pre-existing respiratory conditions like COPD will likely require an increased FiO2 to maintain adequate oxygen saturation.

Question 3

A flight paramedic is preparing to transport a patient with an endotracheal tube in a fixed-wing aircraft for a long-distance flight. To mitigate the effects of Boyle's Law on the ET tube cuff, the most appropriate action is to:

Accepted Answer

Continuously monitor the cuff pressure with a manometer and adjust as needed.

Answer

While inflating the cuff with saline is a technique used, the most universally correct and safest answer is to continuously monitor the cuff pressure with a manometer. As the aircraft ascends, the air in the cuff will expand due to Boyle's law, potentially causing excessive pressure on the tracheal wall and leading to tissue necrosis. Conversely, during descent, the cuff volume will decrease, which could lead to an air leak and inadequate ventilation. Continuous monitoring and adjustment ensure the cuff pressure remains within the safe and effective range (typically 20-30 cm H2O).

Question 4

Which of the following physiological stressors of flight is responsible for causing dehydration, drying of mucous membranes, and potentially thickening respiratory secretions?

Accepted Answer

Decreased Humidity

Answer

The air at higher altitudes is significantly less humid. Aircraft cabin air is often very dry, which increases the rate of evaporation from a patient's skin and respiratory tract. This leads to dehydration, drying of mucous membranes, and can cause respiratory secretions to become thicker and more difficult to clear, posing a risk for patients with respiratory conditions.

Question 5

A diver who ascended too rapidly is being transported for suspected decompression sickness. The formation of nitrogen bubbles in the blood and tissues is primarily explained by which gas law?

Accepted Answer

Henry's Law

Answer

Henry's Law states that the amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid. During a dive, increased ambient pressure causes more nitrogen to dissolve in the diver's blood and tissues. If the diver ascends too quickly, the ambient pressure drops rapidly, and the dissolved nitrogen comes out of solution to form bubbles, leading to decompression sickness.

FP-C - Flight Paramedic-Certification Practice Test

FP-C - Flight Paramedic-Certification Practice Test

FP-C - Flight Paramedic-Certification Flight and Transport Physiology Questions and Answers