AEMCA Practice Exam

When treating a patient with a suspected head injury, what is the primary aim in managing their oxygenation?

1. Maintain normal blood pressure

2. Ensure adequate ETCO2 levels

3. Focus solely on airway protection

4. Reduce intravenous fluid intake

The correct answer is: Ensure adequate ETCO2 levels

In managing a patient with a suspected head injury, ensuring adequate ETCO2 levels is crucial because carbon dioxide levels are directly related to cerebral blood flow and oxygenation to the brain. When the brain is injured, it can become more sensitive to changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide. Maintaining appropriate levels of ETCO2 (end-tidal carbon dioxide) is essential for preventing secondary brain injury and ensuring that the brain receives sufficient oxygenated blood. Specifically, hypercapnia (high levels of CO2) can lead to increased intracranial pressure, which can exacerbate brain injury, while hypocapnia (low levels of CO2) can cause cerebral vasoconstriction and reduce blood flow to the brain. Therefore, monitoring and ensuring adequate ETCO2 is a critical component in the management of oxygenation in patients with head injuries to prevent complications and support optimal recovery. Other focuses, such as maintaining normal blood pressure, protecting the airway, and controlling intravenous fluid intake, are important in their own right but do not directly address the nuances of oxygen delivery and cerebral perfusion in the context of head trauma as effectively as managing ETCO2 levels does.