A 70-year-old patient is shivering and has chest pain in the PACU following a cholecystectomy. Heart rate is 120 bpm, and blood pressure is 220/120 mmHg. SpO2 is 97% at an FiO2 of 0.4. An ECG shows ST-T wave changes, which are not affected by intravenous administration of nitroglycerin. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?
A 65-year-old man has a history of alcohol abuse. Which of the following preoperative serum concentrations would provide the best assessment of synthetic hepatic function?
Volume-cycled flow generators are preferred over pressure-cycled ventilators in critical care units because they
(A) have a lower compression volume
(B) limit peak airway pressure
(C) maintain constant ventilatory volume with changes in lung compliance
(D) more readily compensate for gas leaks
(E) permit more accurate measurement of the patient's minute volume
C
A 52-year-old man develops oliguria 24 hours after left hemicolectomy. Urinalysis shows a specific gravity of 1.028, an osmolality of 650 mOsm/L, and a sodium concentration of 10 mEq/L. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
(A) Acute tubular necrosis
(B) Hypoaldosteronism
(C) Hypovolemia
(D) Interstitial renal disease
(E) Obstructive uropathy
C
Which of the following best reflects findings of inadequate cerebral perfusion during carotid cross clamping?
(A) Decreased frequency on EEG
(B) Increased latency of brain stem auditory evoked potentials
A multigravid woman is receiving oxytocin by infusion for augmentation of labor. Fetal heart rate is 190 bpm with beat-to-beat variability of 6 to 8 bpm. The most appropriate immediate action would be to
(A) continue observation
(B) sample fetal scalp blood
(C) discontinue oxytocics
(D) administer a beta-adrenergic blocker to the mother