PHTLS EXAM REVIEW QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
What is shock? -- Answer ✔✔ A result of inadequate energy production to sustain life.
What are the brain, heart, and lungs tolerance to hypoxia? -- Answer ✔✔ 4-6 minutes.
What are the kidneys, liver, and GI tracts tolerance to hypoxia? -- Answer ✔✔ 45-90
minutes.
What are the muscle, bone, and skins tolerance to hypoxia? -- Answer ✔✔ 4-6 hours.
What is the most common cause of shock in the trauma patient? -- Answer ✔✔
Hypovolemia due to hemorrhage until proven otherwise.
What is the most common cause of neurogenic shock in the trauma patient? -- Answer
✔✔ Spinal Cord injury.
What does adequate perfusion of the body tissues require? -- Answer ✔✔ An effective
pump, intact blood vessels, adequate blood volume, vascular resistance.
,What is cardiac output? -- Answer ✔✔ Stroke Volume x Heart Rate
What is blood pressure? -- Answer ✔✔ Cardiac Output x Systemic Vascular Resistance.
Vasocontriction leads to which phase of shock? -- Answer ✔✔ The ischemic phase.
What causes an altered LOC in the shock patient? -- Answer ✔✔ Decreased cerebral
perfusion.
What may be the earliest sign of shock? -- Answer ✔✔ Increasing Respiratory Rate
caused by hypoxia and acidosis stimulating the respiratory centers of the brain.
How much blood loss is required before a drop in BP occurs? -- Answer ✔✔ 30.00%
In shock without obvious cause what should you assume? -- Answer ✔✔ The patient is
bleeding somewhere, internal hemorrhage, fracture.
Where is a significant container of blood volumes lost to hemorrhage? -- Answer ✔✔
The abdomen.
What is the mortality rate of aortic rupture in the prehospital setting? -- Answer ✔✔
80-85%
How much blood can each hemothorax hold? -- Answer ✔✔ 3000-4000ml of blood
, How much blood loss can occur from a single rib fracture? -- Answer ✔✔ 125ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured radius or ulnar? -- Answer ✔✔ 250-
500 ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured humerus? -- Answer ✔✔ 750ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured tibia or fibula? -- Answer ✔✔ 500-
1000ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured femur? -- Answer ✔✔ 1000-2000ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured pelvis? -- Answer ✔✔ Massive
What is the most common thoracic injury? -- Answer ✔✔ Rib fractures.
What four questions guide management of shock? -- Answer ✔✔ - What is the cause of
this shock?
- What is the care for this type of shock?
- What can and should be done between now and the time the patient reaches definitive
care?
- Were is the best place for the patient to get definitive care?
SOLUTIONS
What is shock? -- Answer ✔✔ A result of inadequate energy production to sustain life.
What are the brain, heart, and lungs tolerance to hypoxia? -- Answer ✔✔ 4-6 minutes.
What are the kidneys, liver, and GI tracts tolerance to hypoxia? -- Answer ✔✔ 45-90
minutes.
What are the muscle, bone, and skins tolerance to hypoxia? -- Answer ✔✔ 4-6 hours.
What is the most common cause of shock in the trauma patient? -- Answer ✔✔
Hypovolemia due to hemorrhage until proven otherwise.
What is the most common cause of neurogenic shock in the trauma patient? -- Answer
✔✔ Spinal Cord injury.
What does adequate perfusion of the body tissues require? -- Answer ✔✔ An effective
pump, intact blood vessels, adequate blood volume, vascular resistance.
,What is cardiac output? -- Answer ✔✔ Stroke Volume x Heart Rate
What is blood pressure? -- Answer ✔✔ Cardiac Output x Systemic Vascular Resistance.
Vasocontriction leads to which phase of shock? -- Answer ✔✔ The ischemic phase.
What causes an altered LOC in the shock patient? -- Answer ✔✔ Decreased cerebral
perfusion.
What may be the earliest sign of shock? -- Answer ✔✔ Increasing Respiratory Rate
caused by hypoxia and acidosis stimulating the respiratory centers of the brain.
How much blood loss is required before a drop in BP occurs? -- Answer ✔✔ 30.00%
In shock without obvious cause what should you assume? -- Answer ✔✔ The patient is
bleeding somewhere, internal hemorrhage, fracture.
Where is a significant container of blood volumes lost to hemorrhage? -- Answer ✔✔
The abdomen.
What is the mortality rate of aortic rupture in the prehospital setting? -- Answer ✔✔
80-85%
How much blood can each hemothorax hold? -- Answer ✔✔ 3000-4000ml of blood
, How much blood loss can occur from a single rib fracture? -- Answer ✔✔ 125ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured radius or ulnar? -- Answer ✔✔ 250-
500 ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured humerus? -- Answer ✔✔ 750ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured tibia or fibula? -- Answer ✔✔ 500-
1000ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured femur? -- Answer ✔✔ 1000-2000ml
How much blood loss can occur from a fractured pelvis? -- Answer ✔✔ Massive
What is the most common thoracic injury? -- Answer ✔✔ Rib fractures.
What four questions guide management of shock? -- Answer ✔✔ - What is the cause of
this shock?
- What is the care for this type of shock?
- What can and should be done between now and the time the patient reaches definitive
care?
- Were is the best place for the patient to get definitive care?
