An unrestrained driver presents to the ED after a head-on mo…

An unrestrained driver presents to the ED after a head-on motor vehicle crash with airbag deployment. The patient is awake and alert. GCS = 15. Vital signs: heart rate 94, blood pressure 138/78, respiratory rate 28, and SpO2 99% on room air. Chest wall is symmetrical, but tender to palpation. Breath sounds are diminished throughout related to shallow respirations. Chest x-ray is negative for any acute changes. Initial management should include which of the following?

A 42-year-old obese female with OSA, diabetes mellitus, and…

A 42-year-old obese female with OSA, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension is admitted for community-acquired pneumonia. After multiple attempts, she is emergently intubated with ET tube size 8.5. She has been intubated for 7 days and today she has tolerated the spontaneous breathing trial. What is the next step?

A 64-year-old female presents with a 5-day history of exerti…

A 64-year-old female presents with a 5-day history of exertional dyspnea and orthopnea. Her medical history is significant for SLE and diastolic heart failure. Chest X-ray reveals significant bilateral pleural effusions. The decision is made to perform a thoracentesis.  Which laboratory value would indicate that the effusions are a result of her known diagnosis of SLE?

A 56-year-old male with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibros…

A 56-year-old male with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis presents to the ICU in respiratory distress. He is put on high flow nasal cannula with 50 L flow, 80% FiO2. ABG obtained has a pH significant for 7.32, PaO2 of 80 mm Hg, PaCO2 of 20 mm Hg, HCO3 of 30. Given his underlying disease, what is the primary physiological aberration leading to the patient’s hypoxemia?