As prepared by Chris Nickson, here are the practice written questions from a recent CICM Second Part exam practice session at The Alfred ICU, with recommended reading from LITF.com’s Critical Care Compendium and other FOAM sources:
Q1.
Regarding the elderly in ICU:
- Define frailty (10%)
- What are the prognostic implications of frailty in the ICU? (20%)
- List the pathophysiological changes that occur in the elderly (70%)
Learn more here:
http://lifeinthefastlane.com/ccc/the-elderly-and-critical-care/
http://lifeinthefastlane.com/ccc/frailty/
Q2.
A 28-year-old Australian aid worker, returns from a flood disaster in the and is subsequently admitted to your ICU via the Emergency Department. Twelve days following her return she developed fevers, headaches and severe myalgias. This continued for a week, and then improved. Despite feeling weak she remained well for 3 days before deteriorating again and presenting to ED.
On clinical examination the following is evident:
- She appears unwell, respiratory rate 24 breaths/min, bibasal crackles on auscultation, Heart Rate 102 beats/min
- Blood Pressure 92/45 mmHg, cool peripheries, conjunctival suffusion, and mild meningism.
- She is confused but with no focal neurology.
- She has no rash and moderate hepato-splenomegaly.
- a) What is your differential diagnosis? (30%)
- b) What clinical features and investigations would suggest leptospirosis as the cause? (50%)
- c) Name 2 antibiotics that can be used to treat leptospirosis (20%)
Learn more here:
http://lifeinthefastlane.com/ccc/leptospirosis/
Q3.
Compare and contrast the different types of renal tubular acidosis (Type 1, Type 2 and Type 4). (100%)
Learn more here:
https://lifeinthefastlane.com/ccc/renal-tubular-acidosis/
You can access all the previous practice questions since 2014 here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_Ta8IvVaVtc5Il7-kJwj6qKGu54OmifJGRUWCXud8dY/edit
See this link on INTENSIVE for exam resources:
https://intensiveblog.com/resources/#3