Respiratory Therapy Flashcards
7 cards from real RRT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Respiratory Therapy flashcards as text
A patient's ABG reveals pH 7.28, PaCO2 58 mmHg, HCO3 26 mEq/L. What is the primary acid-base disorder?
Answer: Respiratory acidosis uncompensated
pH below 7.35 with elevated PaCO2 and near-normal HCO3 indicates uncompensated respiratory acidosis.
Which lung volume cannot be measured by spirometry alone?
Answer: Functional residual capacity
FRC contains the residual volume, which cannot be measured by spirometry and requires body plethysmography or gas dilution.
A patient on mechanical ventilation develops sudden hypotension and absent breath sounds on the left. The most likely diagnosis is:
Answer: Left tension pneumothorax
Absent breath sounds on one side plus sudden hypotension in a ventilated patient indicates tension pneumothorax requiring immediate needle decompression.
The P/F ratio (PaO2/FiO2) threshold for classifying severe ARDS is:
Answer: < 100 mmHg
Per the Berlin Definition, severe ARDS is defined by a P/F ratio less than 100 mmHg on PEEP ≥ 5 cmH2O.
Which inhaled medication is classified as a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA)?
Answer: Tiotropium
Tiotropium (Spiriva) is a once-daily LAMA used for COPD maintenance, providing bronchodilation lasting 24 hours.
During a 6-minute walk test, which finding would prompt the RT to immediately stop the test?
Answer: SpO2 drops to 85% with chest pain
SpO2 below 88% or the presence of chest pain are absolute indications to stop a 6-minute walk test.
A non-rebreather mask at 15 L/min delivers approximately what FiO2?
Answer: 0.60–0.80
A properly fitted non-rebreather mask at 15 L/min delivers an FiO2 of approximately 0.60–0.80 depending on patient's inspiratory flow.