Critical care: ARDS: practice question

A Anaesthesia question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anaesthesia · Critical care: ARDS

Sample item

Which ventilatory strategy reduces ventilator-induced lung injury in acute respiratory distress syndrome?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Low tidal-volume ventilation based on predicted body weight

ARDS lungs are vulnerable to volutrauma; low tidal volumes limit overdistension, while appropriate PEEP helps recruit alveoli. Oxygen and pressures are titrated to the clinical situation.

Option by option

  • A. Zero PEEP in all patients

    PEEP is often useful to prevent cyclic alveolar collapse.

  • B. Low tidal-volume ventilation based on predicted body weight (correct)

    Correct. Lung-protective low tidal volumes improve outcomes in ARDS.

  • C. Routine hyperoxia without limits

    Excess oxygen has toxicity and should not be used without targets.

  • D. High tidal volumes to fully expand all units

    High volumes increase volutrauma.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is B, Low tidal-volume ventilation based on predicted body weight. ARDS lungs are vulnerable to volutrauma; low tidal volumes limit overdistension, while appropriate PEEP helps recruit alveoli.

Why is "Zero PEEP in all patients" not the answer?

PEEP is often useful to prevent cyclic alveolar collapse.

Why is "Routine hyperoxia without limits" not the answer?

Excess oxygen has toxicity and should not be used without targets.

Why is "High tidal volumes to fully expand all units" not the answer?

High volumes increase volutrauma.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Critical care: ARDS in Anaesthesia. Oxygen and pressures are titrated to the clinical situation.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Critical care: ARDS?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.