A 64-year-old man is ventilated on ICU. Capnography shows a gradually increasing baseline ETCO2 that does not return to zero between breaths. The ETCO...

Question

A 64-year-old man is ventilated on ICU. Capnography shows a gradually increasing baseline ETCO2 that does not return to zero between breaths. The ETCO2 waveform shows an upward slope of the baseline. What does this pattern indicate?

Accepted Answer

Rebreathing of exhaled CO2 - insufficient expiratory time or exhausted CO2 absorber (if present), or circuit valve malfunction

Answer

Hyperventilation

Answer

Cardiac arrest

Answer

Pulmonary embolism

Answer

Normal capnography

uk-fficm MCQ (SBA): Capnography Interpretation

A 64-year-old man is ventilated on ICU. Capnography shows a gradually increasing baseline ETCO2 that does not return to zero between breaths. The ETCO2 waveform shows an upward slope of the baseline. What does this pattern indicate?