Respiratory TMC practice questions and answers 2026. Tap an option to test yourself — you'll see the correct answer and a plain-English explanation for every question. Free, no login.
Q21A loud pulmonic component of the second heart sound (P2) in a chronic lung disease patient most suggests:
✓ Correct answer: C. Pulmonary hypertension
An accentuated P2 reflects elevated pulmonary artery pressure, a common consequence of chronic hypoxemic lung disease (cor pulmonale).
Topic: Patient Assessment
Q22Bilateral dependent pitting edema, jugular venous distension, and hepatomegaly in a COPD patient suggest:
✓ Correct answer: A. Cor pulmonale (right heart failure)
Right ventricular failure from chronic lung disease produces systemic venous congestion: peripheral edema, JVD, and hepatic enlargement.
Topic: Patient Assessment
Q23An effective cough requires all of the following EXCEPT:
✓ Correct answer: D. Continuous supplemental oxygen
A productive cough needs a deep breath, glottic closure to build pressure, and a forceful expulsion; supplemental oxygen is not a requirement for the cough mechanism.
Topic: Patient Assessment
Q24Pack-years are calculated by multiplying packs smoked per day by:
✓ Correct answer: B. Number of years smoked
Pack-years equal packs per day multiplied by years smoked, quantifying cumulative tobacco exposure.
Topic: Patient Assessment
Q25A patient smoked 2 packs per day for 20 years. The smoking history is:
✓ Correct answer: C. 40 pack-years
Pack-years = packs/day x years = 2 x 20 = 40 pack-years.
Topic: Patient Assessment
Q26A patient with an SpO2 of 88% on room air most likely has a PaO2 of approximately:
✓ Correct answer: A. 55-60 mm Hg
On the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve, an SaO2 near 90% corresponds to a PaO2 of about 60 mm Hg; 88% corresponds to roughly 55-58 mm Hg.
Topic: Patient Assessment
Q27A cyclic crescendo-decrescendo breathing pattern alternating with periods of apnea is called:
✓ Correct answer: C. Cheyne-Stokes respiration
Cheyne-Stokes respiration features gradually increasing then decreasing tidal volumes separated by apnea, often seen in heart failure or CNS injury.
Topic: Patient Assessment
Q28Deep, rapid, labored breathing seen in severe metabolic acidosis (e.g., diabetic ketoacidosis) is termed:
✓ Correct answer: A. Kussmaul breathing
Kussmaul breathing is the deep, fast respiratory pattern that compensates for metabolic acidosis by blowing off CO2.
Topic: Patient Assessment
Q29Capillary refill that takes longer than 3 seconds most directly indicates:
✓ Correct answer: D. Poor peripheral perfusion
Delayed capillary refill (over ~2-3 seconds) suggests reduced peripheral perfusion from hypovolemia, shock, or vasoconstriction.
Topic: Patient Assessment
Q30A rapid shallow breathing index (f/Vt) of 130 during a spontaneous breathing trial predicts:
✓ Correct answer: B. Likely weaning failure
An f/Vt above ~105 indicates rapid shallow breathing and predicts a high likelihood of weaning failure; lower values predict success.
Topic: Patient Assessment
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Theory