ATLS Study Guide Exam Latest
2026/2027 Updated Verified
Questions and Solutions A+
Pass Guaranteed
1. True or false? Although the mechanism of injury may be similar to
those for the younger population, data shows increased mortality
with similar severity of injury in older adults.
- ANS - True
2. In the elderly population, what is decreased physiological reserve?
- ANS - aging is characterized by impaired adaptive and
homeostatic mechanisms that caused an increased susceptibility to
the stress of injury. Insults tolerated by the younger population can
lead to devastating results in elderly patients.
3. Pre-existing conditions that affect morbidity and mortality include:
- ANS - cirrhosis, coagulopathy, COPD, ischemic heart disease, DM
4. What is the most common mechanism of injury in the elderly?
- ANS - Fall. Nonfatal falls are common in women and fractures are
common in women who fall. Falls are the most common cause of
TBI.
,5. In the elderly population, what are risk factors for falls?
- ANS - advanced age, physical impairment, history of previous fall,
medication use, dementia, unsteady gait, and visual, cognitive
impairment
6. Most of elderly traffic fatalities occur in the daytime and on
weekends and typically involve other vehicles. Why?
- ANS - Older people drive on more familiar roads and at lower
speeds and tend to drive during the day. Older people have slower
reaction time, a larger blind spot, limited cervical mobility,
decreased hearing, and cognitive impairment.
7. True or False? Mortality associated with small to moderate sized
burns in older adults remains high
- ANS - True
8. Spilled hot liquids on the leg, which in younger patients may re-
epithelialize due to an adequate number of hair follicles, will result
in a full thickness burn in older patients.
- ANS - this is true
9. Airway-patients may have dentures that may loosen or obstruct the
airway. If dentures are not obstructing the airway, leave them in
place for what?
- ANS - bag mask ventilation, as it improves mask fitting.
10. When preforming rapid sequence intubation, the dose of
benzos, barbiturates, and other sedatives should be reduced to
, what percentage to minimize the risk of cardiovascular depression?
- ANS - 20-40%
11. Functional changes in cardiac system include declining
function, decreased sensitivity to catecholamines, atherosclerosis
of coronary vessels, increased afterload, fixed heart rate (beta
blockers)
- ANS - this results in lack of classic response to hypovolemia, risk
for cardiac ischemia, elevated BP at baseline, and increased risk of
dysrythmias.
12. Functional changes in pulmonary system include decreased
elastic recoil, reduced residual capacity, decreased gas exchange
and decreased cough reflex
- ANS - thus they are at increased risk for respiratory failure,
increased risk for pneumonia, and poor tolerance to rib fractures
13. Functional changes in renal system include loss of renal
mass, decreased GFR, and decreased sensitivity to ADH and
aldosterone
- ANS - resulting in drug dosing for renal insufficiency, decreased
ability to concentrate urine, increased risk for AKI and urine flow
may be normal with hypovolemia
14. Functional changes to MSK include loss of lean body mass,
osteoporosis, changes in joints and cartilage, c spine degenerative
changes and loss of skin elastin and subcutaneous fat
- ANS - resulting in increased risk for fractures, decreased mobility,
difficulty for oral intubation, risk of skin injury, increased risk for
hypothermia, challenges in rehabiliation
, 15. Functional changes in Endocrine system include decreased
production and response to thyroxin and decreased
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
- ANS - resulting in occult hypothyroidism, relative hypercortisone
states and increased risk of infection
16. True or false: Arthritis can complicate the airway and cervical
spine. Patients can have multilevel degenerative changes affecting
disk spaces and posterior elements associated with severe central
canal stenosis, cord compression, and myelomalacia
- ANS - true
17. In elderly population, due to their changes in pulmonary
system, placing a gauze between gums and cheek to achieve seal
when using bag valve mask ventilation is okay. In addition, because
aging causes a suppressed heart rate response to hypoxia......
- ANS - respiratory failure may present insidiously in older adults.
18. Age related changes in the cardiovascular system place the
elderly trauma patient at significant risk for being inaccurately
categorized as hemodynamically stable.
- ANS - Elderly patients have a fixed heart rate and fixed cardiac
output, thus, their response to hypovolemia will involve increasing
their systemic vascular resistance. Furthermore, since older
patients have HTN, an acceptable BP may truly reflect a
hypotensive state. A systolic BP of 110 is to be utilized as the
threshold for identifying hypotension in patients 65 and older.
2026/2027 Updated Verified
Questions and Solutions A+
Pass Guaranteed
1. True or false? Although the mechanism of injury may be similar to
those for the younger population, data shows increased mortality
with similar severity of injury in older adults.
- ANS - True
2. In the elderly population, what is decreased physiological reserve?
- ANS - aging is characterized by impaired adaptive and
homeostatic mechanisms that caused an increased susceptibility to
the stress of injury. Insults tolerated by the younger population can
lead to devastating results in elderly patients.
3. Pre-existing conditions that affect morbidity and mortality include:
- ANS - cirrhosis, coagulopathy, COPD, ischemic heart disease, DM
4. What is the most common mechanism of injury in the elderly?
- ANS - Fall. Nonfatal falls are common in women and fractures are
common in women who fall. Falls are the most common cause of
TBI.
,5. In the elderly population, what are risk factors for falls?
- ANS - advanced age, physical impairment, history of previous fall,
medication use, dementia, unsteady gait, and visual, cognitive
impairment
6. Most of elderly traffic fatalities occur in the daytime and on
weekends and typically involve other vehicles. Why?
- ANS - Older people drive on more familiar roads and at lower
speeds and tend to drive during the day. Older people have slower
reaction time, a larger blind spot, limited cervical mobility,
decreased hearing, and cognitive impairment.
7. True or False? Mortality associated with small to moderate sized
burns in older adults remains high
- ANS - True
8. Spilled hot liquids on the leg, which in younger patients may re-
epithelialize due to an adequate number of hair follicles, will result
in a full thickness burn in older patients.
- ANS - this is true
9. Airway-patients may have dentures that may loosen or obstruct the
airway. If dentures are not obstructing the airway, leave them in
place for what?
- ANS - bag mask ventilation, as it improves mask fitting.
10. When preforming rapid sequence intubation, the dose of
benzos, barbiturates, and other sedatives should be reduced to
, what percentage to minimize the risk of cardiovascular depression?
- ANS - 20-40%
11. Functional changes in cardiac system include declining
function, decreased sensitivity to catecholamines, atherosclerosis
of coronary vessels, increased afterload, fixed heart rate (beta
blockers)
- ANS - this results in lack of classic response to hypovolemia, risk
for cardiac ischemia, elevated BP at baseline, and increased risk of
dysrythmias.
12. Functional changes in pulmonary system include decreased
elastic recoil, reduced residual capacity, decreased gas exchange
and decreased cough reflex
- ANS - thus they are at increased risk for respiratory failure,
increased risk for pneumonia, and poor tolerance to rib fractures
13. Functional changes in renal system include loss of renal
mass, decreased GFR, and decreased sensitivity to ADH and
aldosterone
- ANS - resulting in drug dosing for renal insufficiency, decreased
ability to concentrate urine, increased risk for AKI and urine flow
may be normal with hypovolemia
14. Functional changes to MSK include loss of lean body mass,
osteoporosis, changes in joints and cartilage, c spine degenerative
changes and loss of skin elastin and subcutaneous fat
- ANS - resulting in increased risk for fractures, decreased mobility,
difficulty for oral intubation, risk of skin injury, increased risk for
hypothermia, challenges in rehabiliation
, 15. Functional changes in Endocrine system include decreased
production and response to thyroxin and decreased
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
- ANS - resulting in occult hypothyroidism, relative hypercortisone
states and increased risk of infection
16. True or false: Arthritis can complicate the airway and cervical
spine. Patients can have multilevel degenerative changes affecting
disk spaces and posterior elements associated with severe central
canal stenosis, cord compression, and myelomalacia
- ANS - true
17. In elderly population, due to their changes in pulmonary
system, placing a gauze between gums and cheek to achieve seal
when using bag valve mask ventilation is okay. In addition, because
aging causes a suppressed heart rate response to hypoxia......
- ANS - respiratory failure may present insidiously in older adults.
18. Age related changes in the cardiovascular system place the
elderly trauma patient at significant risk for being inaccurately
categorized as hemodynamically stable.
- ANS - Elderly patients have a fixed heart rate and fixed cardiac
output, thus, their response to hypovolemia will involve increasing
their systemic vascular resistance. Furthermore, since older
patients have HTN, an acceptable BP may truly reflect a
hypotensive state. A systolic BP of 110 is to be utilized as the
threshold for identifying hypotension in patients 65 and older.
