NPTE-PT Test Cardiopulmonary Assessment and Management Questions and Answers Flashcards
6 cards from real NPTE-PT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 NPTE-PT Test Cardiopulmonary Assessment and Management Questions and Answers flashcards as text
A patient presents with an SpO2 of 88% on room air and a PaO2 of 55 mmHg. According to the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve, this patient is on which portion of the curve?
Answer: The steep portion where small changes in PaO2 cause large changes in SpO2
At a PaO2 of 55 mmHg and SpO2 of 88%, the patient is on the steep portion of the curve where even small decreases in PaO2 will cause significant drops in oxygen saturation.
During a 6-minute walk test, a patient with heart failure demonstrates exertional dyspnea at 3 minutes and a 12-point increase on the Borg RPE scale. Which physiological mechanism BEST explains the early onset of symptoms?
Answer: Reduced cardiac output limiting oxygen delivery to working muscles
In heart failure, the heart cannot adequately increase cardiac output during exercise, leading to insufficient oxygen delivery and early onset of dyspnea and fatigue.
A physical therapist notes that a patient on mechanical ventilation has a respiratory rate of 28 breaths/min, tidal volume of 350 mL, and dead space volume of 150 mL. What is the patient's alveolar ventilation per minute?
Answer: 5,600 mL/min
Alveolar ventilation equals respiratory rate multiplied by the difference between tidal volume and dead space: 28 x (350 - 150) = 5,600 mL/min.
Which electrocardiogram finding is MOST characteristic of atrial fibrillation?
Answer: Irregularly irregular R-R intervals with absence of distinct P waves
Atrial fibrillation is identified by irregularly irregular ventricular rhythm and the absence of organized P waves, replaced by fibrillatory baseline activity.
A patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is positioned prone by the ICU team. What is the PRIMARY therapeutic rationale for prone positioning?
Answer: Improved ventilation-perfusion matching in dorsal lung regions
Prone positioning recruits collapsed dorsal lung regions and improves ventilation-perfusion matching, which is the primary mechanism for improving oxygenation in ARDS.
A physical therapist is treating a patient 2 days after an acute myocardial infarction. Which of the following responses would require IMMEDIATE termination of the treatment session?
Answer: New onset of ST-segment elevation on telemetry
New ST-segment elevation during activity suggests acute myocardial ischemia or re-infarction and requires immediate cessation of exercise and medical notification.