APEx Flight Physiology

Dalton’s law demonstrates that the concentration of oxygen at 43,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) will be?

A patient has a diagnosis of a sequestered small bowel. The flight crew knows that when the aircraft ascends to a cruising altitude of 4,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), Boyle’s law could cause what?

A patient is suffering from an episode secondary to acute cardiovascular disease and is being transported via rotorcraft. The crew is currently flying at an altitude of 8,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). This patient is most susceptible to what type of hypoxia?

A patient suffering from decompression sickness is an example of which gas law?

According to Gay Lussac’s law, as the temperature of a gas increases, what else is expected?

An expanding endotracheal (ETT) in flight is an indication of which gas law?

Barodentalgia will most likely be exacerbated by ________?

Barotitis media is most likely experienced during which phase of flight?

Charles’s law is best defined as:

Charles’s law states that as you increase the temperature of a gas, you would expect:

During flight operations, at what altitude interval does the most significant change in atmospheric pressure occur?

During the ascent phase of flight, a flight crew member reports a sharp pain over their sinuses.  Treatment is accomplished by:

During a 3-hour critical care transport in a rotor-wing aircraft, the flight crew notices that the patient’s blood sugar has decreased more than expected.  The team suspects that this is likely due to which stressor of flight?

For every 1,000 feet increase in altitude, the ambient temperature will _________ an average of _________ Celsius.

Noise from an aircraft can adversely affect a patient and crew during critical care transport.  Which of the following is an example of this limitation?

The flight crew is flying at 40,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) and they experience an explosive decompression. How much time do they have to apply an O₂ source before they experience unconsciousness?

The flight crew is transporting patient “A” that is currently at a hospital with an elevation of 50 feet mean sea level (MSL). They will be transporting to a hospital that has an elevation of 4,080 feet MSL.  Later in their shift, the flight crew transports patient “B” that is currently at a hospital with an elevation of 3,300 feet MSL.  They will be transporting to a hospital that has an elevation of 2,075 feet MSL.  Which patient had the most significant physiological change?

The flight team is flying an intubated and mechanically ventilated patient in ARDS. The patient has been in a refractory hypoxic state for the past 12 hours, with the highest SpO₂ reflecting 87%. The patient is currently on a FiO₂ of 0.30. They are flying at 10,000 feet MSL, with the atmospheric pressure at that altitude being 522 mmHg. Based on Dalton’s law, what would the partial pressure of oxygen be?

The flight team is transporting a cardiac patient on oxygen at 6 liters per minute by nasal cannula. They are at 5,000 feet and the patient is becoming hypoxic. What is the initial intervention for this patient?

The flight team is transporting a pediatric patient in respiratory distress via fixed-wing aircraft. Their work of breathing has increased as they transition to level flight. According to Boyle’s law, what intervention might improve their respiratory status?

The intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) begins to purge during ascent. The triggering mechanism is the result of which gas law?

What stressor of flight has the most significant impact on the patient during transport?

When administering high concentrations of oxygen to alleviate hypoxic hypoxia, which component of which gas law is being altered?

Which patient would be least affected with altitude temperature changes?

Which statement best describes Henry’s law?

Which tube would be most affected by altitude changes based on Boyle’s law?

While flying at cruising altitudes, Boyle’s law causes difficulty in controlling the rate of IV fluid drips. What is the most appropriate action to manage this?