ATLS EXAM Questions & Verified Answers
1. True or false? Although the mechanism of injury may be similar to those for
the younger population, data shows increased mortality with similar severityof
injury in older adults.
Answer True
2. In the elderly population, what is decreased physiological reserve?
Answer agingis characterized by impaired adaptive and homeostatic mechanisms
that caused an increased susceptibility to the stress of injury. Insults tolerated by
the youngerpopulation can lead to devastating results in elderly patients.
3. Pre-existing conditions that affect morbidity and mortality include
Answer cirrho-sis, coagulopathy, COPD, ischemic heart disease, DM
4. What is the most common mechanism of injury in the elderly?
Answer Fall. Nonfatalfalls are common in women and fractures are common in
women who fall. Falls arethe most common cause of TBI.
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5. In the elderly population, what are risk factors for falls?
Answer advanced age, physical impairment, history of previous fall, medication
use, dementia, unsteadygait, and visual, cognitive impairment
6. Most of elderly traffic fatalities occur in the daytime and on weekends and
typically involve other vehicles.Why?
Answer Older people drive on more familiar roadsand 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
Answer 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 burnin
older patients.
Answer this is true
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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?
Answer bagmask ventilation, as it improves mask fitting.
10. When preforming rapid sequence intubation, the dose of benzos, barbitu-
rates, and other sedatives should be reduced to what percentage to minimize
the risk of cardiovascular depression?
Answer 20-40%
11. Functional changes in cardiac system include declining function, de-
creased sensitivity to catecholamines, atherosclerosis of coronary vessels,
increased afterload, fixed heart rate (beta blockers)
Answer this results in lack of classicresponse 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
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reflex
Answer 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
Answer resulting in drug dos-ing for renal insufficiency, decreased ability to
concentrate urine, increased risk forAKI 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
Answer resulting in increased risk for fractures, decreasedmobility, difficulty for oral
intubation, risk of skin injury, increased risk for hypothermia,challenges in
rehabilitation
15. Functional changes in Endocrine system include decreased production and
response to thyroxin and decreased dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
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