ATLS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
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. - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅True
In the elderly population, what is decreased physiological reserve? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅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.
Pre-existing conditions that affect morbidity and mortality include: - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅cirrhosis, coagulopathy, COPD, ischemic heart disease, DM
What is the most common mechanism of injury in the elderly? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Fall.
Nonfatal falls are common in women and fractures are common in women who fall. Falls are the most
common cause of TBI.
In the elderly population, what are risk factors for falls? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅advanced age,
physical impairment, history of previous fall, medication use, dementia, unsteady gait, and visual,
cognitive impairment
Most of elderly traffic fatalities occur in the daytime and on weekends and typically involve other
vehicles. Why? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅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.
True or False? Mortality associated with small to moderate sized burns in older adults remains high -
CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅True
ATLS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
,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. - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅this is true
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? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅bag mask
ventilation, as it improves mask fitting.
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? - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅20-40%
Functional changes in cardiac system include declining function, decreased sensitivity to
catecholamines, atherosclerosis of coronary vessels, increased afterload, fixed heart rate (beta
blockers) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅this results in lack of classic response to hypovolemia, risk for
cardiac ischemia, elevated BP at baseline, and increased risk of dysrythmias.
Functional changes in pulmonary system include decreased elastic recoil, reduced residual capacity,
decreased gas exchange and decreased cough reflex - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅thus they are at
increased risk for respiratory failure, increased risk for pneumonia, and poor tolerance to rib fractures
Functional changes in renal system include loss of renal mass, decreased GFR, and decreased
sensitivity to ADH and aldosterone - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅resulting in drug dosing for renal
insufficiency, decreased ability to concentrate urine, increased risk for AKI and urine flow may be
normal with hypovolemia
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 - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅resulting in increased risk for fractures, decreased mobility, difficulty for oral
intubation, risk of skin injury, increased risk for hypothermia, challenges in rehabiliation
Functional changes in Endocrine system include decreased production and response to thyroxin and
decreased dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅resulting in occult
hypothyroidism, relative hypercortisone states and increased risk of infection
ATLS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
, 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 - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅true
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...... - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅respiratory failure may
present insidiously in older adults.
Age related changes in the cardiovascular system place the elderly trauma patient at significant risk
for being inaccurately categorized as hemodynamically stable. - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅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.
Do no equate blood pressure with shock in older patients - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅BP in older
patients may look normal due to the medications they are on. Use lactate and base deficit to evaluate
for evidence of shock
what 2 factors place elderly patients at risk for intracranial hemorrhage? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅aging causes dura to become more adherent to the skull increasing risk of injury and older
patients are on anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications.
Loss of subcutaneous fat, nutritional deficiencies, chronic medical conditions place elderly patients as
risk for hypothermia and complications for immobility. - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Rapid evaluation
and when possible early liberation from spine boards and cervical collars will minimize complications.
True or False: Fall prevention is the mainstay of reducing the mortality associated with pelvic
fractures. - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅true
poor hygiene, dehydration, oral injury, contusions affecting the inner arms, inner thighs, palms, soles,
scalp, ear, nasal bridge and temple injury from being struck while wearing glasses, contact burns and
scalds. These are all signs of.......? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Elder maltreatment. The presence of
physical findings of maltreatment should prompt a detailed history. if history conflicts with findings,
immediately report findings to authorities.
ATLS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
ANSWERS
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. - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅True
In the elderly population, what is decreased physiological reserve? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅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.
Pre-existing conditions that affect morbidity and mortality include: - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅cirrhosis, coagulopathy, COPD, ischemic heart disease, DM
What is the most common mechanism of injury in the elderly? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Fall.
Nonfatal falls are common in women and fractures are common in women who fall. Falls are the most
common cause of TBI.
In the elderly population, what are risk factors for falls? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅advanced age,
physical impairment, history of previous fall, medication use, dementia, unsteady gait, and visual,
cognitive impairment
Most of elderly traffic fatalities occur in the daytime and on weekends and typically involve other
vehicles. Why? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅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.
True or False? Mortality associated with small to moderate sized burns in older adults remains high -
CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅True
ATLS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
,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. - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅this is true
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? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅bag mask
ventilation, as it improves mask fitting.
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? - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅20-40%
Functional changes in cardiac system include declining function, decreased sensitivity to
catecholamines, atherosclerosis of coronary vessels, increased afterload, fixed heart rate (beta
blockers) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅this results in lack of classic response to hypovolemia, risk for
cardiac ischemia, elevated BP at baseline, and increased risk of dysrythmias.
Functional changes in pulmonary system include decreased elastic recoil, reduced residual capacity,
decreased gas exchange and decreased cough reflex - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅thus they are at
increased risk for respiratory failure, increased risk for pneumonia, and poor tolerance to rib fractures
Functional changes in renal system include loss of renal mass, decreased GFR, and decreased
sensitivity to ADH and aldosterone - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅resulting in drug dosing for renal
insufficiency, decreased ability to concentrate urine, increased risk for AKI and urine flow may be
normal with hypovolemia
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 - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅resulting in increased risk for fractures, decreased mobility, difficulty for oral
intubation, risk of skin injury, increased risk for hypothermia, challenges in rehabiliation
Functional changes in Endocrine system include decreased production and response to thyroxin and
decreased dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅resulting in occult
hypothyroidism, relative hypercortisone states and increased risk of infection
ATLS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
, 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 - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅true
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...... - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅respiratory failure may
present insidiously in older adults.
Age related changes in the cardiovascular system place the elderly trauma patient at significant risk
for being inaccurately categorized as hemodynamically stable. - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅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.
Do no equate blood pressure with shock in older patients - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅BP in older
patients may look normal due to the medications they are on. Use lactate and base deficit to evaluate
for evidence of shock
what 2 factors place elderly patients at risk for intracranial hemorrhage? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅aging causes dura to become more adherent to the skull increasing risk of injury and older
patients are on anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications.
Loss of subcutaneous fat, nutritional deficiencies, chronic medical conditions place elderly patients as
risk for hypothermia and complications for immobility. - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Rapid evaluation
and when possible early liberation from spine boards and cervical collars will minimize complications.
True or False: Fall prevention is the mainstay of reducing the mortality associated with pelvic
fractures. - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅true
poor hygiene, dehydration, oral injury, contusions affecting the inner arms, inner thighs, palms, soles,
scalp, ear, nasal bridge and temple injury from being struck while wearing glasses, contact burns and
scalds. These are all signs of.......? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Elder maltreatment. The presence of
physical findings of maltreatment should prompt a detailed history. if history conflicts with findings,
immediately report findings to authorities.
ATLS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
