PHTLS 9TH EDITION: TEST QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
1) When energy produced by the cells occurs during a state of adequate oxygenation, it
is referred to as which of the following conditions?
a) Aerobic metabolism
b) Anaerobic metabolism
c) Lactic acidosis
d) Lactic alkalosis -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a. Aerobic metabolism
2) Which of the following signs of shock is found during the secondary survey?
a) Absent radial pulse
b) Decreased LOC
c) Increased respiratory rate
d) Low blood pressure measurement -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a. Absent radial
pulse
3) EMS responds for a patient who has sustained a blunt injury to the head. She had a
period of unconsciousness followed by a brief period of consciousness and then
became unresponsive just as EMS arrived. Based solely on this information, when did
the injury occur?
a) Primary blast injury
b) Secondary blast injury
c) Tertiary blast injury
d) Quaternary blast injury -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c. Tertiary blast injury
, 4) Hyperventilation of a patient with suspected traumatic brain injury should occur
when?
a) At time of injury
b) When signs of impending brain herniation are present
c) During a concussion
d) Whenever the patient complains of headache -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b.
When signs of impending brain herniation are present
5) Patients with suspected traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are susceptible to secondary
injuries that are typically preventable. In addition to hypoxia and hypotension, which
of the following can also decrease cerebral perfusion?
a) Hypothermia
b) Cerebral vasodilation
c) Increased cardiac output
d) Inadvertent or excess hyperventilation -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d. Inadvertent
or excess hyperventilation
6) Hypotension due to a spinal cord injury is a result of what physiologic mechanism?
a) Loss of sympathetic tone causing vasodilation
b) Increased capillary permeability
c) Increased sympathetic tone causing vasoconstriction
d) Increased Intrathoracic pressure -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a. Loss of
sympathetic tone causing vasodilation
7) Which of the following patients will compensate for blood loss the longest?
a) 24-year-old male
b) 82-year-old female
c) 45-year-old female
d) 6-year-old male -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d. 6-year-old male
8) You respond to a reported assault at a local bar. On arrival, you find a 46-year-old
male on the bathroom floor with snoring respirations at 4 times per minute and
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
1) When energy produced by the cells occurs during a state of adequate oxygenation, it
is referred to as which of the following conditions?
a) Aerobic metabolism
b) Anaerobic metabolism
c) Lactic acidosis
d) Lactic alkalosis -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a. Aerobic metabolism
2) Which of the following signs of shock is found during the secondary survey?
a) Absent radial pulse
b) Decreased LOC
c) Increased respiratory rate
d) Low blood pressure measurement -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a. Absent radial
pulse
3) EMS responds for a patient who has sustained a blunt injury to the head. She had a
period of unconsciousness followed by a brief period of consciousness and then
became unresponsive just as EMS arrived. Based solely on this information, when did
the injury occur?
a) Primary blast injury
b) Secondary blast injury
c) Tertiary blast injury
d) Quaternary blast injury -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c. Tertiary blast injury
, 4) Hyperventilation of a patient with suspected traumatic brain injury should occur
when?
a) At time of injury
b) When signs of impending brain herniation are present
c) During a concussion
d) Whenever the patient complains of headache -- Correct Answer ✔✔ b.
When signs of impending brain herniation are present
5) Patients with suspected traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are susceptible to secondary
injuries that are typically preventable. In addition to hypoxia and hypotension, which
of the following can also decrease cerebral perfusion?
a) Hypothermia
b) Cerebral vasodilation
c) Increased cardiac output
d) Inadvertent or excess hyperventilation -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d. Inadvertent
or excess hyperventilation
6) Hypotension due to a spinal cord injury is a result of what physiologic mechanism?
a) Loss of sympathetic tone causing vasodilation
b) Increased capillary permeability
c) Increased sympathetic tone causing vasoconstriction
d) Increased Intrathoracic pressure -- Correct Answer ✔✔ a. Loss of
sympathetic tone causing vasodilation
7) Which of the following patients will compensate for blood loss the longest?
a) 24-year-old male
b) 82-year-old female
c) 45-year-old female
d) 6-year-old male -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d. 6-year-old male
8) You respond to a reported assault at a local bar. On arrival, you find a 46-year-old
male on the bathroom floor with snoring respirations at 4 times per minute and
