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N300 Exam 4 Questions and Answers
What is acute respiratory failure?
Ans: the inability of the respiratory system to provide oxygenation and
remove carbon dioxide; one or both of the gas-exchange functions of the
lungs are compromised
The compromise of the respiratory system can lead to:
Ans: hypoxemia and/or hypercapnia (hypercarbia) increased PaO2
What is hypoxemia?
Ans: low oxygen levels; PaO2 less than 60 mmHg, increased inspired
oxygen with normal or low PaCO2
What is Hypercapnia (hypercarbia)?
Ans: increased carbon dioxide; PaCO2 greater than 50 mmHg, pH less
than 7.35; hypoxemia may not be present
What ABG problem can occur during hypercapnic state?
Ans: respiratory acidotic state
What is ventilation-perfusion mismatch?
Ans:
What are the early clinical manifestations of acute respiratory
failure?
Ans: dyspnea, restlessness, anxiety, fatigue, B/P increased from
baseline, tachycardia
What are risk factors for hypoxemic respiratory failure?
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Ans: disease processes that produce V/Q mismatch or impair oxygen
perfusion at alveolar level: pulmonary edema, pneumonia, pulmonary
embolus
What are clinical manifestations of hypoxemia?
Ans: increases in heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure in
effort to increase oxygenation and perfusion
As hypoxemia progresses, there is less cerebral perfusion which
may manifest in:
Ans: restlessness, confusion, and/or anxiety; may progress to cyanosis
and or coma
A patient in respiratory failure may also present with:
Ans: manifestations of underlying diseases effected by impaired
perfusion / lack of oxygenation
What are some early clinical manifestations of hypercarbia?
Ans: headache, confusion, neuromuscular irritability, decreased level of
consciousness - when progressed: reduced dyspnea, slowing
respirations, respiratory acidosis
A patient with hypercarbia may be:
Ans: tachypneic, tachycardic, appear diy, flushed with pink coloring of
skinzz
What are intermediate clinical manifestations of acute respiratory
failure?
Ans: confusion, lethargy related to increased CO2), pink skin coloration
related to increased CO2
What are late clinical manifestations of acute respiratory failure?
Ans: cyanosis, coma
What are risk factors of acute respiratory failure with impaired
ventilation (hypoventilation)?
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Ans: airway obstruction, respiratory muscle weakness/paralysis with
neuromuscular disease, chest wall injury, anesthesia, opioid
administration
What are some examples of airway obstruction that can lead to
acute respiratory failure?
Ans: choking /foreign body, growth/tumor, inflammation or reaction
(anaphylaxis), embolus
What are risk factors of acute respiratory failure with ventilation-
perfusion mismatch?
Ans: COPD, restrictive lung disease, atelectasis, PE, pneumothorax, ARDS
What are some restrictive lung diseases?
Ans: sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis
What are risk factors for acute respiratory failure with impaired
diffusion (alveolar)?
Ans: pulmonary edema, ARDS
What are the radiologic studies done to confirm acute respiratory
failure?
Ans: chest x-rays, CT scan, V/Q scan
What blood work is done to confirm acute respiratory failure?
Ans: chemistry, CBC, venous gases, D-dimer, arterial ABGs, sputum
cultures
How does low hemoglobin effect the respiratory system?
Ans: oxygen is transported through hemoglobin, if low can cause
hypoxia
True or False: A sputum culture is NOT a quick fix for respiratory
failure
© 2025 All rights reserved
N300 Exam 4 Questions and Answers
What is acute respiratory failure?
Ans: the inability of the respiratory system to provide oxygenation and
remove carbon dioxide; one or both of the gas-exchange functions of the
lungs are compromised
The compromise of the respiratory system can lead to:
Ans: hypoxemia and/or hypercapnia (hypercarbia) increased PaO2
What is hypoxemia?
Ans: low oxygen levels; PaO2 less than 60 mmHg, increased inspired
oxygen with normal or low PaCO2
What is Hypercapnia (hypercarbia)?
Ans: increased carbon dioxide; PaCO2 greater than 50 mmHg, pH less
than 7.35; hypoxemia may not be present
What ABG problem can occur during hypercapnic state?
Ans: respiratory acidotic state
What is ventilation-perfusion mismatch?
Ans:
What are the early clinical manifestations of acute respiratory
failure?
Ans: dyspnea, restlessness, anxiety, fatigue, B/P increased from
baseline, tachycardia
What are risk factors for hypoxemic respiratory failure?
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
Ans: disease processes that produce V/Q mismatch or impair oxygen
perfusion at alveolar level: pulmonary edema, pneumonia, pulmonary
embolus
What are clinical manifestations of hypoxemia?
Ans: increases in heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure in
effort to increase oxygenation and perfusion
As hypoxemia progresses, there is less cerebral perfusion which
may manifest in:
Ans: restlessness, confusion, and/or anxiety; may progress to cyanosis
and or coma
A patient in respiratory failure may also present with:
Ans: manifestations of underlying diseases effected by impaired
perfusion / lack of oxygenation
What are some early clinical manifestations of hypercarbia?
Ans: headache, confusion, neuromuscular irritability, decreased level of
consciousness - when progressed: reduced dyspnea, slowing
respirations, respiratory acidosis
A patient with hypercarbia may be:
Ans: tachypneic, tachycardic, appear diy, flushed with pink coloring of
skinzz
What are intermediate clinical manifestations of acute respiratory
failure?
Ans: confusion, lethargy related to increased CO2), pink skin coloration
related to increased CO2
What are late clinical manifestations of acute respiratory failure?
Ans: cyanosis, coma
What are risk factors of acute respiratory failure with impaired
ventilation (hypoventilation)?
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
Ans: airway obstruction, respiratory muscle weakness/paralysis with
neuromuscular disease, chest wall injury, anesthesia, opioid
administration
What are some examples of airway obstruction that can lead to
acute respiratory failure?
Ans: choking /foreign body, growth/tumor, inflammation or reaction
(anaphylaxis), embolus
What are risk factors of acute respiratory failure with ventilation-
perfusion mismatch?
Ans: COPD, restrictive lung disease, atelectasis, PE, pneumothorax, ARDS
What are some restrictive lung diseases?
Ans: sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis
What are risk factors for acute respiratory failure with impaired
diffusion (alveolar)?
Ans: pulmonary edema, ARDS
What are the radiologic studies done to confirm acute respiratory
failure?
Ans: chest x-rays, CT scan, V/Q scan
What blood work is done to confirm acute respiratory failure?
Ans: chemistry, CBC, venous gases, D-dimer, arterial ABGs, sputum
cultures
How does low hemoglobin effect the respiratory system?
Ans: oxygen is transported through hemoglobin, if low can cause
hypoxia
True or False: A sputum culture is NOT a quick fix for respiratory
failure
© 2025 All rights reserved
