You are managing a 29-year-old male patient who was shot in the head. There is a gurgling noise in the airway. The patient is breathing spontaneously at 42 breaths per minute and has a heart rate of 110 and a systolic and diastolic pressure of 102/82. The correct rate of assisted ventilation for this patient is ________ breaths per minute.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

For a patient with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) who is breathing spontaneously but inadequately (as indicated by the high respiratory rate of 42 breaths per minute), assisted ventilation should aim to maintain a normal respiratory rate. For an adult, the normal rate is approximately 10-12 breaths per minute. Therefore, option B (12 breaths per minute) is the correct rate of assisted ventilation for this patient. This rate helps ensure adequate ventilation without causing hyperventilation, which can lead to decreased cerebral blood flow and further brain injury.

You Are Managing a 29-Year-Old Male Patient Who Was Shot