Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Flashcards
6 cards from real NPTE-PTA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy flashcards as text
Which breathing exercise technique is most appropriate for a patient with COPD to reduce air trapping and dyspnea?
Answer: Pursed-lip breathing
Pursed-lip breathing creates back-pressure during exhalation that helps keep airways open longer, reducing air trapping and improving gas exchange in COPD.
A PTA notices a patient's blood pressure drops 20 mmHg systolic upon standing. This is called:
Answer: Orthostatic (postural) hypotension
Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a drop of ≥20 mmHg systolic or ≥10 mmHg diastolic upon moving from supine to standing.
Which of the following is an absolute contraindication to exercise in a cardiac rehabilitation patient?
Answer: Unstable angina
Unstable angina is an absolute contraindication to exercise because it indicates myocardial ischemia at rest or minimal exertion, posing a risk of MI.
What does the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) primarily assess?
Answer: Submaximal functional exercise capacity
The 6MWT measures the distance a patient can walk in 6 minutes and reflects submaximal functional exercise capacity in cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal conditions.
Which percussion finding over the lung fields indicates pneumothorax?
Answer: Hyperresonance (tympany)
A pneumothorax produces hyperresonance (tympany) on percussion because air trapped in the pleural space creates an abnormally hollow sound.
A patient with asthma presents with an FEV1/FVC ratio of 0.65 pre-bronchodilator. This indicates:
Answer: An obstructive lung defect
An FEV1/FVC ratio below 0.70 indicates an obstructive lung defect, as airflow is limited during forced expiration relative to total lung capacity.