practice questions

Question 1

You are treating an 18 year old male with asthma. The patient states he is out of his meds and has been wheezing for 2 hours. The patient is breathing 38 times a minute, his BP is 136/84, heart rate at 118/min, and the pulse oximeter reads 97%. You listen to breath sounds and there is wheezing in the upper lungs bilaterally. Patient complains of chest pain.
What is the best course of action?

A- insert nasal airway
B- insert oral airway
C- high flow oxygen therapy
D- ventilate with a BVM

Answer 1

C- high flow oxygen therapy

Patient is most likely hyperventilating due to an asthma attack. Patients that are hyperventilating are often responding to elevated carbon dioxide levels and therefore require oxygen.