Question

Helga Freidericks is a 57-year-old woman who came to the urgent-care clinic today complaining of SOB. On admission, her respiration's were labored, at a rate of 32 breaths per minute. Her SpO₂ was just 84%, and her VC was decreased. She appeared anxious and stated that she:[couldn't] get enough air". Her lungs had bilateral wheezes throughout, scattered rhonchi, and bilateral crackles. She had a frequent cough, productive of thick green sputum.

Stat ABGs were drawn. She was put on O₂ at 2 liters per minute (lpm) per nasal cannula (NC) and given a nebulizer Tx. A sputum specimen was collected and sent for culture and sensitivity (C&S). She was given IV doses of a broad-spectrum antibiotic and a steroid drug. Upon review of her ABGs, it was determined that she was in a state of mild respiratory acidosis.

A short time later, Mrs. Freidericks's respiratory rate had decreased to 20 breaths per minute, her O₂ saturation was 91%, and she stated that she was breathing "much better." She was then transferred to the hospital for further monitoring and continued therapy.

2. Mrs. Freidericks had:

a) An increased ability to breathe in

b) A increased ability to breathe

c) An increased ability to breathe out

d) A decreased ability to breathe out

Answer 1

Option d is the answer as Helga Freidericks who is a 57-year-old woman is having a decrese in the ablility to breath out .

She had almost good ability to breath in as she was having spo2 above 80% and after o2 administeration it moved up to above 90% . So she is having a normal inspiration ability.

But she is having retention of co2 in her blood and  it is evident from the ABG report that was taken from her .. she is having respiratory acidosis and it occured as a result of the inability to remove the co2 from her blood . So the co2 in the blood caused to decrese the ph of blood due to the inability to remove co2