NBRC Critical Care and ABG Interpretation 2

Question 1

A patient on mechanical ventilation has a sudden decrease in SpO2 and a shift of the trachea to the unaffected side. The most likely diagnosis is:

Accepted Answer

Tension pneumothorax

Answer

Mucus plug causing atelectasis

Answer

Pulmonary embolism

Answer

Right mainstem intubation

Question 2

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria include all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

SpO2 <88% on room air

Answer

Temperature >38°C or <36°C

Answer

Heart rate >90 bpm

Answer

Respiratory rate >20 breaths/min or PaCO2 <32 mmHg

Question 3

Prone positioning in ARDS improves oxygenation primarily by:

Accepted Answer

Redistributing blood flow to better-ventilated dorsal lung regions and recruiting dependent lung

Answer

Increasing FiO2 delivery

Answer

Reducing lung compliance

Answer

Decreasing cardiac output

Question 4

A pulmonary artery catheter (Swan-Ganz) wedge pressure (PAWP) of 25 mmHg suggests:

Accepted Answer

Left ventricular failure and pulmonary venous hypertension

Answer

Right heart failure

Answer

Normal hemodynamics

Answer

Pulmonary arterial hypertension

Question 5

Septic shock is defined as sepsis PLUS:

Accepted Answer

MAP <65 mmHg despite adequate fluid resuscitation requiring vasopressors, with lactate >2 mmol/L

Answer

Temperature above 39°C

Answer

WBC count above 20,000

Answer

PaO2/FiO2 ratio below 300

Question 6

Which condition is characterized by a normal PAWP with elevated pulmonary artery pressure and high pulmonary vascular resistance?

Accepted Answer

Pulmonary arterial hypertension

Answer

Cardiogenic pulmonary edema

Answer

Left ventricular failure

Answer

Fluid overload