Here are the practice questions from today’s written exam practice session at The Alfred ICU, with recommended reading from Lifeinthefastlane.com’s Critical Care Compendium and other FOAM sources:
Q1.
A previously well 26 year-old male presented with status epilepticus requiring intubation.
a) Define status epilepticus (10%)
b) Describe and interpret his chest radiograph below (30%)
From Lifeinthefastlane.com (see link below)
c) List the important parts of the body that should be examined to help determine the underlying cause. (30%)
Blood tests were performed, including a serum bHCG.
d) List 2 reasons why the serum bHCG may be elevated (10%)
The patient subsequently received specific therapy for the underlying cause. This was complicated by a drug-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
e) List 4 medications that are important causes of pulmonary fibrosis, including the agent most likely in this case (20%)
Learn more here:
Q2.
Discuss the role of enhanced elimination techniques in critically ill poisoned patients.
(100%)
Learn more here:
Q3.
Regarding pulmonary artery catheters (PACs):
a) Draw the normal pressure-time waveforms, with pressures labelled on the y-axis, as the PAC pressure transducer passes through the following anatomic locations:
i) Right atrium
ii) Right ventricle
iii) Pulmonary artery (not ‘wedged’)
iV) Pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP, aka ‘wedge’ pressure)
(40%)
b) Describe how pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP, aka ‘wedge’ pressure) is measured, including an explanation of why it is used as a surrogate for left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP)
(30%)
c) List the key aspects of the management of a patient who develops significant pulmonary haemorrhage following measurement of the pulmonary artery occlusion pressure
(30%)
Learn more here:
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