Chapter 15: Respiratory Emergencies

Bronchospasm is MOST often associated with: A. asthma. B. bronchitis. C. pneumonia. D. pneumothorax.

A

The process in which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged in the lungs is called: A. respiration. B. ventilation. C. metabolism. D. inhalation.

A

Which of the following diseases is potentially drug resistant and is thought to be transmitted by coughing? A. Tuberculosis B. Croup C. Diphtheria D. Epiglottitis

A

Which of the following is a common MDI drug? A. Alupent B. Acetylsalicylic acid C. Methylprednisolone D. Nitroglycerin

A. Alupent

Which of the following filters, warms, and humidifies air during inhalation? A. Upper airway B. Lower airway C. Pulmonary capillaries D. Alveoli

A. Upper airway

A 70-year-old man recently had a heart attack and now complains of severe difficulty breathing, especially when lying flat. He is coughing up pink, frothy secretions. This patient is MOST likely experiencing: A. acute right heart failure. B. severe left heart failure. C. an acute onset of bronchitis. D. an acute pulmonary embolism.

B

All of the following are causes of acute dyspnea, EXCEPT: A. asthma. B. emphysema. C. pneumothorax. D. pulmonary embolism.

B

Which of the following patients is breathing adequately? A. 36-year-old man with cyanosis around the lips and irregular respirations B. 29-year old woman with respirations of 20 breaths/min, who is conscious and alert C. 22-year-old man with labored respirations at a rate of 28 breaths/min and pale skin D. 59-year-old woman with difficulty breathing, whose respirations are rapid and shallow

B

Which of the following respiratory diseases causes obstruction of the lower airway? A. Croup B. Asthma C. Epiglottitis D. Laryngitis

B

A 60-year-old male presents with acute respiratory distress. He is conscious and alert, has pink and dry skin, and has respirations of 22 breaths/min with adequate depth. Which of the following treatments is MOST appropriate for this patient? A. Assisted ventilation with a bag-valve mask and a head-to-toe exam B. Oxygen via nonrebreathing mask and a focused secondary assessment C. Positive-pressure ventilations and immediate transport to the closest hospital D. Oxygen via a nasal cannula, vital signs, and prompt transport to the hospital

B. Oxygen via nonrebreathing mask and a focused secondary assessment

The respiratory distress that accompanies emphysema is caused by: A. repeated exposure to cigarette smoke. B. chronic stretching of the alveolar walls. C. massive constriction of the bronchioles. D. acute fluid accumulation in the alveoli.

B. chronic stretching of the alveolar walls.

A young female is unconscious after intentionally ingesting a large amount of aspirin. You will MOST likely find her respirations: A. slow and deep. B. deep and rapid. C. slow and shallow. D. rapid and shallow.

B. deep and rapid.

The two processes that occur during respiration are: A. ventilation and diffusion. B. inspiration and expiration. C. diffusion and oxygenation. D. oxygenation and ventilation.

B. inspiration and expiration.

Your patient is complaining of fatigue. She is breathing at 18 breaths per minute, has equal chest rise and fall, and has clear lung sounds. She is presenting with signs of ___________. A. orthopnea B. normal breathing C. respiratory distress D. tachypnea

B. normal breathing

You are attending to a 5-year-old male patient who has had a cold and fever for the last two days. His parents became concerned when he started having coughing spells that would last for over a minute, during which he would turn blue. After the coughing attack, his parents reported that he seemed to be sucking the air back in. Based on this information, your patient is most likely suffering from: A. bronchiolitis. B. pertussis C. epiglottitis. D. respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.

B. pertussis

Harsh, high-pitched inspiratory sounds are characteristic of: A. rales. B. stridor. C. rhonchi. D. wheezing.

B. stridor.

A sudden onset of difficulty breathing, sharp chest pain, and cyanosis that persists despite supplemental oxygen is MOST consistent with: A. severe pneumonia. B. myocardial infarction. C. a pulmonary embolism. D. a spontaneous pneumothorax.

C

An acute bacterial infection that results in swelling of the flap that covers the larynx during swallowing is called: A. croup. B. laryngitis. C. epiglottitis. D. diphtheria.

C

Which of the following statements regarding pulse oximetry is correct? A. The pulse oximeter is a valuable assessment tool that measures the percentage of red blood cells that contain hemoglobin molecules. B. Caution must be exercised when using the pulse oximeter on a patient with carbon monoxide poisoning because falsely low readings are common. C. Pulse oximetry measures the percentage of hemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen, but does not measure the actual hemoglobin content of the blood. D. Most otherwise healthy patients can maintain adequate oxygenation and good skin color with oxygen saturation readings as low as 70% to 80%.

C. Pulse oximetry measures the percentage of hemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen, but does not measure the actual hemoglobin content of the blood.

Albuterol is a generic name for: A. Alupent. B. Atrovent. C. Ventolin. D. Singulair.

C. Ventolin.

You are attending to a 28-year-old female patient in severe respiratory distress. The patient has had a high fever all day, and the respiratory distress came on very quickly. Your patient is now sitting in a chair, leaning forward with her hands on her knees. She is making high-pitched sounds with each breath and does not seem to be moving very much air. Based on this information, your patient is likely suffering from: A. bronchiolitis. B. acute asthma. C. epiglottitis. D. foreign body airway obstruction.

C. epiglottitis.

In a healthy individual, the brain stem stimulates breathing on the basis of: A. increased oxygen levels. B. decreased oxygen levels. C. increased carbon dioxide levels. D. decreased carbon dioxide levels.

C. increased carbon dioxide levels.

Your elderly patient recently had surgery. She now complains of a sudden onset of dyspnea and sharp chest pain. You should suspect ___________. A. pertussis B. asthma C. pulmonary embolus D. emphysema

C. pulmonary embolus

The hypoxic drive is the body's _________. A. secondary cardiac pacemaker B. primary respiratory drive C. secondary respiratory drive D. primary cardiac pacemaker

C. secondary respiratory drive

During the primary assessment, you determine your patient has a life-threatening emergency. You should now: A. finish all treatment before transport. B. complete the secondary assessment. C. transport rapidly. D. determine the patient's hospital preference.

C. transport rapidly.

Albuterol, a beta-2 agonist, is the generic name for: A. Alupent. B. Metaprel. C. Brethine. D. Ventolin.

D

You are assessing a patient with respiratory distress and are unsure if the cause is congestive heart failure (CHF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Which of the following clinical signs would be the MOST helpful in determining whether the patient has CHF or COPD? A. Rapid breathing B. Cyanosis of the skin C. Altered mental status D. Jugular vein distention

D. Jugular vein distention

A conscious and alert 29-year-old female with a history of asthma complains of difficulty breathing that began after her morning jog. The temperature outside is 40°F (5°C). On exam, you hear bilateral expiratory wheezing. After providing supplemental oxygen, you should: A. place her in a recumbent position to facilitate breathing. B. contact medical control and administer an antihistamine. C. call medical control and ask how to proceed with treatment. D. determine if she has been prescribed a beta-agonist inhaler.

D. determine if she has been prescribed a beta-agonist inhaler.

At the onset of an acute asthma attack, patients commonly experience difficulty breathing and: A. audible stridor. B. rales and rhonchi. C. profound cyanosis. D. expiratory wheezing.

D. expiratory wheezing.

You are attending to a 6-year-old female patient. Her parents tell you that she has been sick for the last three days with the respiratory infection that has been going around her school. They became concerned when she stopped drinking fluids, and they could not get her to take in any liquids. The patient is showing signs of significant dehydration. Based on this information, your patient is most likely suffering from: A. bronchiolitis. B. acute asthma. C. epiglottitis. D. respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.

D. respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.