Knowledge Flashcards
19 cards from real PHTLS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 19 Knowledge flashcards as text
Which type of shock results from blood loss due to traumatic injury?
Answer: Hypovolemic hemorrhagic shock
Hypovolemic hemorrhagic shock occurs when significant blood loss reduces circulating volume, decreasing cardiac output and oxygen delivery to tissues.
What is the primary purpose of the trauma triage decision scheme in PHTLS?
Answer: To ensure the right patient reaches the right facility in the right time
The triage decision scheme helps identify patients who need trauma center care versus those who can be treated at closer facilities.
In PHTLS, what does the term 'load and go' refer to?
Answer: Rapidly packaging a critical patient for immediate transport
'Load and go' describes the strategy of rapidly packaging a critically injured patient with minimal on-scene interventions, prioritizing transport to definitive care.
According to PHTLS, which of the following is a component of the SAMPLE history?
Answer: Allergies the patient may have
SAMPLE stands for Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last oral intake, and Events leading to the injury.
What is the primary goal of hemorrhage control in the PHTLS framework?
Answer: To prevent further blood loss and maintain perfusion to vital organs
The primary goal is preventing further blood loss while maintaining adequate organ perfusion, recognizing that some bleeding can only be definitively controlled surgically.
In PHTLS, what class of hemorrhage is characterized by blood loss of 30-40% of total blood volume?
Answer: Class III
Class III hemorrhage involves 30-40% blood loss, presenting with significant tachycardia, hypotension, and altered mental status.
Which PHTLS principle states that the absence of a history of trauma does not exclude the presence of injury?
Answer: The Index of Suspicion principle
The Index of Suspicion principle reminds providers to maintain awareness of potential injuries even when the mechanism is not clearly reported.
According to PHTLS, which of the following patients should be transported to a trauma center?
Answer: A patient with a gunshot wound to the abdomen
Penetrating injuries to the torso meet anatomic criteria for trauma center transport under the triage decision scheme.
What does PHTLS identify as the most common preventable cause of death in trauma?
Answer: Uncontrolled hemorrhage
Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the leading preventable cause of death in trauma, which is why PHTLS emphasizes early hemorrhage recognition and aggressive bleeding control.
In PHTLS, what is the recommended method for assessing breathing during the primary survey?
Answer: Look, listen, and feel for chest rise, air movement, and abnormalities
The look, listen, and feel method allows rapid assessment of breathing effectiveness using the provider's senses.
According to PHTLS, when should a tourniquet be applied?
Answer: Immediately for life-threatening extremity hemorrhage that cannot be controlled by direct pressure
PHTLS recommends early tourniquet application for life-threatening extremity hemorrhage when direct pressure is ineffective or impractical.
What does PHTLS recommend regarding pain management in trauma patients?
Answer: Appropriate analgesia should be provided without compromising patient assessment
PHTLS recognizes that pain management is an important component of trauma care, provided it does not compromise ongoing assessment or patient safety.
Which mechanism best explains why tension pneumothorax causes hemodynamic collapse?
Answer: Mediastinal shift compresses the vena cava, reducing venous return
Tension pneumothorax shifts the mediastinum, kinking the vena cava and dramatically reducing preload, leading to obstructive shock.
In PHTLS, which finding most specifically indicates increased intracranial pressure after head trauma?
Answer: Cushing's triad (hypertension, bradycardia, irregular respirations)
Cushing's triad is the classic late sign of herniation due to rising ICP and represents a neurological emergency.
A trauma patient has absent breath sounds on the left and the trachea deviated to the right. What is the MOST likely diagnosis?
Answer: Left tension pneumothorax
Left tension pneumothorax causes absent breath sounds on the affected side and tracheal deviation away from the lesion.
According to PHTLS principles, permissive hypotension targets a systolic BP of approximately how much in penetrating torso trauma without TBI?
Answer: 80–90 mmHg
Permissive hypotension targets SBP of 80–90 mmHg to maintain perfusion while minimizing clot disruption in penetrating trauma without TBI.
Which of the following is the MOST reliable early indicator of hemorrhagic shock in a healthy adult?
Answer: Narrowed pulse pressure and anxiety
Early hemorrhagic shock causes compensatory vasoconstriction that narrows pulse pressure and produces anxiety before overt hypotension develops.
When using the PHTLS primary survey, which action has the highest priority in a patient with uncontrolled extremity hemorrhage?
Answer: Control the hemorrhage immediately
PHTLS now places hemorrhage control (X — Exsanguinating hemorrhage) before airway management in the XABCDE sequence.
A patient with blunt abdominal trauma develops hypotension and distension. Which organ is MOST commonly injured?
Answer: Spleen
The spleen is the most commonly injured solid abdominal organ in blunt trauma and is a major source of hemorrhagic shock.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy