Practice Test Geeks(BCA) Board of Certification in Anesthesiology Practice Test
← All BCA Flashcard Decks

Critical Care & Intensive Care Flashcards

7 cards from real BCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Critical Care & Intensive Care flashcards as text

  1. A postoperative patient develops fever, tachycardia, hypertension, diaphoresis, and agitation 24 hours after stopping long-term alcohol use. Which is the first-line treatment?

    Answer: Benzodiazepines

    Benzodiazepines (e.g., lorazepam or diazepam) are the first-line treatment for alcohol withdrawal syndrome by enhancing GABA-A inhibitory tone.

  2. Which parameter best reflects oxygen delivery (DO2) to tissues?

    Answer: Cardiac output × (SaO2 × Hgb × 1.34)

    DO2 = cardiac output × oxygen content (CaO2 = Hgb × 1.34 × SaO2 + 0.003 × PaO2); it reflects how much oxygen is actually delivered per minute.

  3. A patient with septic shock has ScvO2 of 55% despite adequate MAP and CVP. Which intervention addresses the underlying problem?

    Answer: Transfuse to Hgb >10 g/dL or increase cardiac output

    Low ScvO2 (<70%) indicates inadequate oxygen delivery relative to demand; improving CO (dobutamine) or increasing Hgb addresses the supply-demand mismatch.

  4. Proning a patient with severe ARDS (PaO2/FiO2 <150) for ≥16 hours per day is associated with which outcome?

    Answer: Reduced 28-day mortality

    The PROSEVA trial demonstrated a significant 28-day mortality reduction with prolonged prone positioning in severe ARDS (PaO2/FiO2 <150).

  5. A patient on CRRT for AKI develops worsening metabolic alkalosis. Which dialysate/replacement fluid component is most likely contributing?

    Answer: Bicarbonate-based buffer in the replacement fluid

    Bicarbonate-buffered replacement fluids can cause metabolic alkalosis if delivered in excess of the patient's acid-buffering needs.

  6. Which scoring system is most commonly used in the ICU to assess organ dysfunction and predict mortality in critically ill patients?

    Answer: SOFA score

    The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score evaluates six organ systems and is the standard tool for defining and tracking sepsis-related organ dysfunction.

  7. A post-cardiac arrest patient undergoes targeted temperature management. What is the recommended target temperature per current guidelines?

    Answer: 36°C

    Current guidelines (post-TTM2 trial) recommend targeting normothermia (36°C) and actively preventing fever, rather than mandating hypothermia at 32-34°C.