A Patient in the Intensive Care Unit Is Receiving Mechanical

question 16

Multiple Choice

A patient in the intensive care unit is receiving mechanical ventilation,has a pulmonary artery catheter in place,and is being monitored continuously with a capnometer.The patient's arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (P_aCO₂) is 41 mm Hg and the partial pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide (PetCO₂) is 36 mm Hg.There is a sudden decrease in the PetCO₂ to 18 mm Hg causing an alarm to sound.The most likely cause of this development is which of the following?

• A) Hypovolemia
• B) Apneic episode
• C) Pulmonary embolism
• D) Increased cardiac output

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