ATLS TEST 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A 22-year-old man is hypotensive and tachycardic after a shotgun wound to the left
shoulder. His blood pressure is initially 80/40 mm Hg. After initial fluid resuscitation his
blood pressure increases to 122/84 mm Hg. His heart rate is now 100 beats per minute
and his respiratory rate is 28 breaths per minute. A tube thoracostomy is performed for
decreased left chest breath sounds with the return of a small amount of blood and no air
leak. After chest tube insertion, the most appropriate next step is:
Select one:
a.
reexamine the chest
b.
perform an aortogram
c.
obtain a CT scan of the chest
d.
obtain arterial blood gas analyses
e.
perform transesophageal echocardiography - ✔A) Reexamine the chest
A construction worker falls two stories from a building and sustains bilateral calcaneal
fractures. In the emergency department, he is alert, vital signs are normal, and he is
complaining of severe pain in both heels and his lower back. Lower extremity pulses are
strong and there is no other deformity. The suspected diagnosis is most likely to be
confirmed by:
Select one:
a.
angiography
b.
compartment pressures
c.
retrograde urethrogram
d.
Doppler ultrasound studies
e.
complete spine x-ray series - ✔e) Complete spine x-ray series
Which of the following is true regarding the initial resuscitation of a trauma patient?
Select one:
a.
A patient that presents with a torso gunshot wound and is hypotensive should receive
crystalloid fluid resuscitation until the blood pressure is normal
b.
Evidence of improved perfusion after fluid resuscitation could include improvement in
Glasgow coma scale score on reevaluation
c.
Massive transfusion is defined as transfusion of more than >10 of packed red blood
cells and plasma in 24 hours
, ATLS TEST 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
d.
When tranexamic acid is administered by pre-hospital providers a second dose is
required within 24 hours
e.
Fluid resuscitation is far more important than bleeding control in trauma patients - ✔b.
Evidence of improved perfusion after fluid resuscitation could include improvement in
Glasgow coma scale score on reevaluation
In managing a patient with a severe traumatic brain injury, the most important initial step
is to:
Select one:
a.
Secure the airway
b.
obtain a c-spine film
c.
support the circulation
d.
control scalp hemorrhage
e.
determine the GCS score
Feedback
Your answer is corr - ✔a.
Secure the airway
A previously healthy, 70-kg (154-pound) man suffers an estimated acute blood loss of 2
liters.
Which one of the following statements applies to this patient?
Select one:
a.
His pulse pressure will be widened.
b.
His urinary output will be at the lower limits of normal.
c.
He will have tachycardia, but no change in his systolic blood pressure.
d.
An ABG would demonstrate a base deficit between -6 and -10 mEq/L
e.
His systolic blood pressure will be maintained with an elevated diastolic pressure. - ✔d.
An ABG would demonstrate a base deficit between -6 and -10 mEq/L
The physiologic hypervolemia of pregnancy has clinical significance in the management
of the severely injured, gravid woman by:
Select one:
a.
reducing the need for blood transfusion
A 22-year-old man is hypotensive and tachycardic after a shotgun wound to the left
shoulder. His blood pressure is initially 80/40 mm Hg. After initial fluid resuscitation his
blood pressure increases to 122/84 mm Hg. His heart rate is now 100 beats per minute
and his respiratory rate is 28 breaths per minute. A tube thoracostomy is performed for
decreased left chest breath sounds with the return of a small amount of blood and no air
leak. After chest tube insertion, the most appropriate next step is:
Select one:
a.
reexamine the chest
b.
perform an aortogram
c.
obtain a CT scan of the chest
d.
obtain arterial blood gas analyses
e.
perform transesophageal echocardiography - ✔A) Reexamine the chest
A construction worker falls two stories from a building and sustains bilateral calcaneal
fractures. In the emergency department, he is alert, vital signs are normal, and he is
complaining of severe pain in both heels and his lower back. Lower extremity pulses are
strong and there is no other deformity. The suspected diagnosis is most likely to be
confirmed by:
Select one:
a.
angiography
b.
compartment pressures
c.
retrograde urethrogram
d.
Doppler ultrasound studies
e.
complete spine x-ray series - ✔e) Complete spine x-ray series
Which of the following is true regarding the initial resuscitation of a trauma patient?
Select one:
a.
A patient that presents with a torso gunshot wound and is hypotensive should receive
crystalloid fluid resuscitation until the blood pressure is normal
b.
Evidence of improved perfusion after fluid resuscitation could include improvement in
Glasgow coma scale score on reevaluation
c.
Massive transfusion is defined as transfusion of more than >10 of packed red blood
cells and plasma in 24 hours
, ATLS TEST 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
d.
When tranexamic acid is administered by pre-hospital providers a second dose is
required within 24 hours
e.
Fluid resuscitation is far more important than bleeding control in trauma patients - ✔b.
Evidence of improved perfusion after fluid resuscitation could include improvement in
Glasgow coma scale score on reevaluation
In managing a patient with a severe traumatic brain injury, the most important initial step
is to:
Select one:
a.
Secure the airway
b.
obtain a c-spine film
c.
support the circulation
d.
control scalp hemorrhage
e.
determine the GCS score
Feedback
Your answer is corr - ✔a.
Secure the airway
A previously healthy, 70-kg (154-pound) man suffers an estimated acute blood loss of 2
liters.
Which one of the following statements applies to this patient?
Select one:
a.
His pulse pressure will be widened.
b.
His urinary output will be at the lower limits of normal.
c.
He will have tachycardia, but no change in his systolic blood pressure.
d.
An ABG would demonstrate a base deficit between -6 and -10 mEq/L
e.
His systolic blood pressure will be maintained with an elevated diastolic pressure. - ✔d.
An ABG would demonstrate a base deficit between -6 and -10 mEq/L
The physiologic hypervolemia of pregnancy has clinical significance in the management
of the severely injured, gravid woman by:
Select one:
a.
reducing the need for blood transfusion
