AHA PALS EXAM NEWEST 2025 ACTUAL EXAM TEST BANK
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED
A+||NEWEST VERSION
Capillary refill - <<ANSWER>>Capillary refill time is the time it takes for
blood to return to tissue blanched by pressure. It increases as skin
perfusion decreases. Note that normal capillary refill time is 2 seconds or
less, and a prolonged capillary refill time may indicate low cardiac output
Evaluate capillary refill in a neutral thermal environment (ie, room
temperature) by - <<ANSWER>>• Lifting the extremity slightly above the
level of the heart
• Pressing on the skin
• Rapidly releasing the pressure
BGL in pediatrics - <<ANSWER>>Hypoglycemia refers to blood glucose 45
mg/dL or less in the newly born and 60 mg/dL or less in a child. It may
result in brain injury if not recognized and effectively treated. Base
treatment decisions on patient symptoms, and potentially include oral
glucose. Monitor the blood glucose concentration of any seriously ill infant
,or child. A low blood glucose concentration may cause altered level of
consciousness or even brain injury if it is not quickly identified and
adequately treated. Measure the blood glucose concentration with a point-
of-care glucose test.
Important factors associated with increased work of breathing: -
<<ANSWER>>• Increased airway resistance (upper and lower)
• Decreased lung compliance
• Use of accessory muscles of respiration
• Disordered central nervous system control of breathing
Airway resistance - <<ANSWER>>• Airway resistance, or the impedance to
airflow within the airways, is primarily increased by reducing the size of the
conducting airways, either by airway constriction or inflammation. Turbulent
airflow also causes increased airway resistance. Airflow may become
turbulent when the flow rate increases, even if the airway size remains
unchanged. When airway resistance increases, work of breathing
increases in an attempt to maintain airflow despite the increase in airway
resistance.
• Larger airways provide lower resistance to airflow than smaller. Airway
resistance decreases as lung volume increases (inflation) because airway
dilation accompanies lung inflation.
• Conditions such as edema, bronchoconstriction, secretions, mucus, or a
mediastinal mass impinging on large or small airways can decrease airway
size, thereby increasing airway resistance.
• Resistance in the upper airway, particularly in the nasal or
nasopharyngeal passages, can represent a significant portion of tot
Lung compliance - <<ANSWER>>• Compliance refers to the distensibility of
the lung, chest wall, or both. Specifically, lung compliance is defined as the
change in lung volume produced by a change in driving pressure across
the lung. When lung compliance is high, the lungs easily inflate, a large
change in volume produced by a slight change in driving pressure.
• The lungs are stiffer in a child with low lung compliance, so it takes more
effort to inflate them. To create a significant pressure gradient to produce
air flow into the stiff lung, the diaphragm contracts more forcefully,
increasing intrathoracic volume and reducing intrathoracic pressure. Poorly
compliant lungs will also lead to increased work of breathing. During
mechanical ventilation, increased positive airway pressure is needed to
achieve adequate ventilation when lung compliance decreases.
, Decreased lung compliance - <<ANSWER>>• The chest wall in infants and
young children is compliant. Therefore, relatively small pressure changes
can move the chest wall. During normal breathing, diaphragm contraction
in infants pulls the lower ribs slightly inward but does not cause significant
chest retraction. However, forcefully contracting the diaphragm results in a
large drop in pressure within the chest, pulling the chest inward (ie,
retracting it) during inspiration.
• When lung compliance is reduced, maximum inspiratory effort may not
produce adequate tidal volume because marked retractions of the chest
wall limit lung expansion during inspiration.
Breathing is controlled by complex mechanisms involving... -
<<ANSWER>>• Brainstem respiratory centers
• Central and peripheral chemoreceptors
• Voluntary control
Respiratory center - <<ANSWER>>A group of respiratory centers located in
the brainstem controls spontaneous breathing. Voluntary control from the
cerebral cortex, such as breath holding, panting, and sighing, can also
override breathing. Conditions like infection of the central nervous system,
traumatic brain injury, and drug overdose can impair respiratory drive,
resulting in hypoventilation or even apnea.
Chemoreceptors - <<ANSWER>>Note that central chemoreceptors respond
to changes in the hydrogen ion concentration of cerebrospinal fluid, which
is largely determined by the arterial CO2 tension (Paco,). Peripheral
chemoreceptors (eg, the carotid body) respond primarily to a decrease in
arterial oxygen (Pa02); some receptors also respond to an increase in
Paco2
Healthcare providers often deliver excessive ventilation during CPR, which
is harmful because it... - <<ANSWER>>• Increases intrathoracic pressure
and impedes venous return, thus decreasing filling of the heart between
compressions, reducing blood flow generated by the next compression,
and reducing coronary perfusion and cerebral blood flow
• Causes air trapping and barotrauma in children with small airway
obstruction