Hard

A child with a severe asthma attack becomes exhausted and has a falling level of consciousness. Which finding most strongly suggests impending respiratory failure?

Correct answer: B. Increasing drowsiness with poor air entry

  • A. Mild wheezing with normal speech
  • B. Increasing drowsiness with poor air entry
  • C. Fast breathing with loud bilateral wheezing
  • D. Anxiety with a slightly raised heart rate

Explanation

Drowsiness and poor air entry indicate fatigue and severely reduced ventilation, even if wheezing becomes less obvious. A loud wheeze can occur during distress, but a quiet chest with altered consciousness is a more dangerous sign.

Submitted by a TestUstad contributor and published by the TestUstad editorial teamLast updated
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