Which is a limitation of prehospital fluid resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock?

Prepare for the Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) exam. Access diverse quizzes and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and comprehensive explanations. Enhance your readiness and confidence for the PHTLS certification exam!

Multiple Choice

Which is a limitation of prehospital fluid resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock?

In hemorrhagic shock, simply replacing volume with IV fluids has several limitations. Fluids don’t carry oxygen, so tissue oxygen delivery remains limited until red blood cells and ongoing bleeding are addressed. Administering fluids can also contribute to pulmonary edema, especially with large volumes or lung or heart injury, because excess fluid can accumulate in the lungs. Additionally, fluids can worsen bleeding by diluting clotting factors and platelets and by raising blood pressure, which can disrupt forming clots. Taken together, these factors explain why all of the above are limitations of prehospital fluid resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock.

In hemorrhagic shock, simply replacing volume with IV fluids has several limitations. Fluids don’t carry oxygen, so tissue oxygen delivery remains limited until red blood cells and ongoing bleeding are addressed. Administering fluids can also contribute to pulmonary edema, especially with large volumes or lung or heart injury, because excess fluid can accumulate in the lungs. Additionally, fluids can worsen bleeding by diluting clotting factors and platelets and by raising blood pressure, which can disrupt forming clots. Taken together, these factors explain why all of the above are limitations of prehospital fluid resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock.

More practice questions