Airway and Breathing Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What should you do after performing abdominal thrusts on a 19-year-old male with a severe airway obstruction when he becomes unresponsive?

Begin CPR, starting with chest compressions.

During the inhalation phase of breathing, what happens to the pressure within the thorax?

Pressure within the thorax decreases and air is drawn into the lungs.

What does pulse oximetry measure?

Percentage of bound hemoglobin.

What should you do if a patient who has overdosed on drugs is unresponsive, has shallow breathing, and vomits?

Turn the patient onto his side. Signup and view all the answers

What term is used to describe ineffective breathing that has no identifiable pattern?

Ataxic. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following interventions would result in passive ventilation?

Chest recoil during chest compressions Signup and view all the answers

What is likely to occur if an adult patient is breathing at a rate of 45 breaths/min with shallow depth?

Most of his or her inhaled air will not go beyond the anatomic dead space. Signup and view all the answers

Who is the best candidate for an oropharyngeal airway?

An unresponsive trauma patient with blood draining from the nose. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during positive-pressure ventilation?

Oxygen is pulled into the lungs. Signup and view all the answers

What is true about patients with a hypoxic drive?

They rarely become cyanotic because of high blood oxygen levels. Signup and view all the answers

What should an EMT suspect in a 56-year-old woman with sudden dyspnea, chest pain, and low oxygen saturation despite supplemental oxygen?

Pulmonary embolism. Signup and view all the answers

What assessment finding indicates that a patient with a foreign body airway obstruction has poor air exchange?

Stridor. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main waste product of aerobic metabolism?

Carbon dioxide. Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for a patient with slow shallow breathing and large volumes of blood and secretions in his oropharynx?

Suction his airway until it is clear and ventilate with a bag-mask device. Signup and view all the answers

What is true regarding artificial ventilation of an apneic patient who has dentures?

Tight-fitting dentures should be left in place because they facilitate the delivery of adequate tidal volume. Signup and view all the answers

What indicates that the endotracheal (ET) tube was advanced too far into the trachea?

Absent breath sounds over the left chest. Signup and view all the answers

What is the most appropriate treatment for an unresponsive patient's respirations at 28 breaths/min and shallow?

Assisted ventilation with 100% oxygen. Signup and view all the answers

What happens during inhalation?

The intercostal muscles and diaphragm both contract. Signup and view all the answers

When ventilating an unresponsive apneic adult with a bag-valve-mask device, what should you ensure?

An airway adjunct has been inserted. Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for a 60-year-old female who is found unresponsive, cyanotic, making a snoring sound, and has a slow respiratory rate?

Insert an airway adjunct. Signup and view all the answers

What is the most appropriate treatment for a 60-year-old woman with severe respiratory distress, who is conscious but can only say two words at a time?

Ventilation with a bag-valve-mask device. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during intrapulmonary shunting?

Blood flowing through the lungs returns to the left side of the heart in a deoxygenated state. Signup and view all the answers

When does continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy open collapsed alveoli?

When the CPAP pressure is set to less than 5 cm H2O. Signup and view all the answers

Who would be the best candidate for treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)?

Conscious; labored breathing; anxiety; and coarse crackles. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Airway Management and Breathing Concepts

Abdominal thrusts are critical for severe airway obstruction; initiate CPR with chest compressions if the patient becomes unresponsive.
During inhalation, thoracic pressure decreases, allowing air to flow into the lungs.
Pulse oximetry measures the percentage of hemoglobin bound to oxygen, an important indicator of oxygen saturation.

Patient Assessment and Response

For an unresponsive patient with shallow breathing and cyanosis, position the patient on their side to prevent aspiration during vomiting.
Ineffective breathing without a pattern is termed ataxic breathing, which may indicate serious respiratory issues.
Passive ventilation occurs from chest recoil during CPR, facilitating airflow without active effort.
If an adult is breathing rapidly (45 breaths/min) with shallow depth, much inhaled air remains in the anatomic dead space, decreasing effective ventilation.

Airway Adjuncts and Techniques

An unresponsive trauma patient experiencing nasal bleeding is an ideal candidate for an oropharyngeal airway.
In positive-pressure ventilation, oxygen is actively drawn into the lungs, increasing oxygen delivery.
Patients with a hypoxic drive may be less likely to show cyanosis, despite having high blood oxygen levels.

Clinical Symptoms and Interventions

Sudden onset of dyspnea and chest pain in an obese individual may indicate a pulmonary embolism, a critical condition requiring immediate attention.
Stridor is a significant sign of poor air exchange in a foreign body airway obstruction.
Carbon dioxide is the primary waste product of aerobic metabolism, highlighting the importance of ventilation in maintaining acid-base balance.

Management of Airway Obstruction

For patients with secretions in the oropharynx, suctioning is essential followed by ventilation using a bag-mask device to ensure adequate oxygenation.
Dentures should be left in place during artificial ventilation of apneic patients, as they help achieve a better tidal volume.
Auscultation revealing absent breath sounds in one lung may indicate an ET tube placed too far into the trachea, requiring repositioning.

Ventilation and Oxygenation Strategies

Patients with high respiratory rates and shallow breathing benefit from assisted ventilation with 100% oxygen.
Inhalation involves contraction of intercostal muscles and diaphragm, crucial for effective breathing mechanics.
Use an airway adjunct when ventilating an unresponsive apneic adult to ensure airway patency.

Respiratory Distress Indicators

Unresponsive individuals presenting with cyanosis and snoring sounds indicate the need for airway adjunct insertion.
For a patient in severe respiratory distress who can only speak briefly, bag-valve-mask ventilation is indicated to ensure sufficient oxygen delivery.

Physiology and Therapy

Intrapulmonary shunting refers to deoxygenated blood returning to the heart from the lungs, indicating impaired gas exchange.
CPAP therapy is beneficial for opening collapsed alveoli; effective pressure settings should be less than 5 cm H2O.
Candidates for CPAP therapy typically display conscious labored breathing with accompanying anxiety and abnormal lung sounds, suggesting need for enhanced airway support.

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Description

Test your knowledge on airway management and the breathing process with these flashcards. Each card presents critical information regarding emergency responses and respiratory mechanics. Perfect for medical students and healthcare professionals looking to reinforce their understanding of airway interventions.