NU 551 UNIT 7 EXAM QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026
What causes cyanosis and how much hemoglobin must be desaturated? - Answers Bluish-purple
discoloration due to ~5 g/dL of desaturated hemoglobin
Where is cyanosis most visible? - Answers Lips, nail beds, earlobes (thin-skin areas)
What is clubbing and what is it associated with? - Answers Bulbous enlargement of fingertips/toes
from chronic low oxygen; linked to COPD, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease, smokers, vapers
What is the pleura? - Answers Two-layer membrane around lungs with a fluid-filled cavity between
What is pleurisy and its main cause? - Answers Inflammation of pleura (usually viral) → sharp chest
pain worse with breathing/coughing
Key clinical signs of pleurisy? - Answers Left-sided chest pain, shallow breathing, increased HR/RR,
normal breath sounds, no cyanosis
What is hypercapnia? - Answers Excess CO₂ in the blood (common in COPD)
What is hypoxia? - Answers Low oxygen in tissues; requires ABG interpretation (pH, CO₂, HCO₃⁻)
What are the 5 causes of hypoxia? - Answers High altitude, diffusion problems, V/Q mismatch,
hypoventilation, shunt
What is flail chest? - Answers Rib/sternal fractures causing paradoxical chest wall movement
What is pneumothorax? - Answers Air in pleural space → lung collapse
What are key signs of pneumothorax? - Answers Increased RR, asymmetrical chest movement,
decreased breath sounds
Types of pneumothorax? - Answers Spontaneous, tension, open, catamenial
What is pleural effusion? - Answers Excess fluid in pleural cavity
Types of pleural effusion? - Answers Hydrothorax (serous), hemothorax (blood), pyothorax/empyema
(pus), chylothorax (lymph), urinothorax (urine)
What is a transudative effusion? - Answers Watery fluid due to ↑ hydrostatic or ↓ oncotic pressure
(e.g., heart failure, low albumin)
What is empyema? - Answers Pus in the pleural space
What are restrictive lung diseases? - Answers Conditions that prevent full lung expansion → ↓ lung
volumes
Examples of restrictive lung diseases? - Answers ARDS, fibrosis, sarcoidosis, neuromuscular disease,
pleural effusion, occupational lung disease
What is pulmonary fibrosis? - Answers Scarring, stiff lungs, short/shallow breaths
What is O₂ toxicity? - Answers >40% oxygen for >48 hrs causing parenchymal damage
What is pneumoconiosis? - Answers Occupational dust inhalation causing lung scarring
What is atelectasis? - Answers Collapse of alveoli
Obstructive vs non-obstructive atelectasis? - Answers Obstructive = blockage (mucus, tumor); Non-
obstructive = scarring, surfactant loss
What is absorption atelectasis? - Answers 100% oxygen washes out nitrogen → alveoli collapse
What is the most common cause of pulmonary edema? - Answers Left-sided heart failure
What is the mechanism of pulmonary edema? - Answers Thickened capillary-alveolar membrane
impairs diffusion
What is ARDS? - Answers Acute diffuse alveolar-capillary damage → stiff lungs, ↓ compliance
Who is most at risk for ARDS? - Answers Critically ill patients (COVID, trauma, ventilated patients)
What are obstructive lung diseases? - Answers Diseases with difficulty exhaling (COPD, asthma)
What is asthma? - Answers IgE-mediated airway inflammation; wheezing, dyspnea, cough
What happens in late-phase asthma (4-8 hrs later)? - Answers Toxic neuropeptides, silent chest,
hypoxemia
What is the best treatment for asthma? - Answers Avoid triggers
What is COPD associated with? - Answers Chronic hypoxia → ↑ erythropoietin, hyperventilation,
personality changes
What are pneumonia signs on assessment? - Answers Crackles, ↑ tactile fremitus, egophony,
whisper pectoriloquy
What are common causes of pneumonia? - Answers Aspiration, inhalation, ET tubes
When does hospital-acquired pneumonia occur? - Answers ≥48 hrs after admission
What is viral pneumonia commonly linked to? - Answers Seasonal influenza
How is pneumonia prevented? - Answers Vaccination and aspiration precautions
What is croup? - Answers Viral (parainfluenza) infection with barking cough and inspiratory stridor
What causes cyanosis and how much hemoglobin must be desaturated? - Answers Bluish-purple
discoloration due to ~5 g/dL of desaturated hemoglobin
Where is cyanosis most visible? - Answers Lips, nail beds, earlobes (thin-skin areas)
What is clubbing and what is it associated with? - Answers Bulbous enlargement of fingertips/toes
from chronic low oxygen; linked to COPD, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease, smokers, vapers
What is the pleura? - Answers Two-layer membrane around lungs with a fluid-filled cavity between
What is pleurisy and its main cause? - Answers Inflammation of pleura (usually viral) → sharp chest
pain worse with breathing/coughing
Key clinical signs of pleurisy? - Answers Left-sided chest pain, shallow breathing, increased HR/RR,
normal breath sounds, no cyanosis
What is hypercapnia? - Answers Excess CO₂ in the blood (common in COPD)
What is hypoxia? - Answers Low oxygen in tissues; requires ABG interpretation (pH, CO₂, HCO₃⁻)
What are the 5 causes of hypoxia? - Answers High altitude, diffusion problems, V/Q mismatch,
hypoventilation, shunt
What is flail chest? - Answers Rib/sternal fractures causing paradoxical chest wall movement
What is pneumothorax? - Answers Air in pleural space → lung collapse
What are key signs of pneumothorax? - Answers Increased RR, asymmetrical chest movement,
decreased breath sounds
Types of pneumothorax? - Answers Spontaneous, tension, open, catamenial
What is pleural effusion? - Answers Excess fluid in pleural cavity
Types of pleural effusion? - Answers Hydrothorax (serous), hemothorax (blood), pyothorax/empyema
(pus), chylothorax (lymph), urinothorax (urine)
What is a transudative effusion? - Answers Watery fluid due to ↑ hydrostatic or ↓ oncotic pressure
(e.g., heart failure, low albumin)
What is empyema? - Answers Pus in the pleural space
What are restrictive lung diseases? - Answers Conditions that prevent full lung expansion → ↓ lung
volumes
Examples of restrictive lung diseases? - Answers ARDS, fibrosis, sarcoidosis, neuromuscular disease,
pleural effusion, occupational lung disease
What is pulmonary fibrosis? - Answers Scarring, stiff lungs, short/shallow breaths
What is O₂ toxicity? - Answers >40% oxygen for >48 hrs causing parenchymal damage
What is pneumoconiosis? - Answers Occupational dust inhalation causing lung scarring
What is atelectasis? - Answers Collapse of alveoli
Obstructive vs non-obstructive atelectasis? - Answers Obstructive = blockage (mucus, tumor); Non-
obstructive = scarring, surfactant loss
What is absorption atelectasis? - Answers 100% oxygen washes out nitrogen → alveoli collapse
What is the most common cause of pulmonary edema? - Answers Left-sided heart failure
What is the mechanism of pulmonary edema? - Answers Thickened capillary-alveolar membrane
impairs diffusion
What is ARDS? - Answers Acute diffuse alveolar-capillary damage → stiff lungs, ↓ compliance
Who is most at risk for ARDS? - Answers Critically ill patients (COVID, trauma, ventilated patients)
What are obstructive lung diseases? - Answers Diseases with difficulty exhaling (COPD, asthma)
What is asthma? - Answers IgE-mediated airway inflammation; wheezing, dyspnea, cough
What happens in late-phase asthma (4-8 hrs later)? - Answers Toxic neuropeptides, silent chest,
hypoxemia
What is the best treatment for asthma? - Answers Avoid triggers
What is COPD associated with? - Answers Chronic hypoxia → ↑ erythropoietin, hyperventilation,
personality changes
What are pneumonia signs on assessment? - Answers Crackles, ↑ tactile fremitus, egophony,
whisper pectoriloquy
What are common causes of pneumonia? - Answers Aspiration, inhalation, ET tubes
When does hospital-acquired pneumonia occur? - Answers ≥48 hrs after admission
What is viral pneumonia commonly linked to? - Answers Seasonal influenza
How is pneumonia prevented? - Answers Vaccination and aspiration precautions
What is croup? - Answers Viral (parainfluenza) infection with barking cough and inspiratory stridor
