A 19-year-old patient has received multiple stab wounds. The patient is unresponsive. The vital signs are BP 82/60, P 116, R 28, and SpO2 86%. Which substance would the EMT expect to increase in the patient's body?
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
The patient is in hypoperfusion (shock) from blood loss. In shock states, tissues are deprived of oxygen, leading to anaerobic metabolism, which produces lactic acid as a byproduct. This causes metabolic acidosis, which is a critical sign of systemic oxygen debt.
Carbon dioxide rises with respiratory failure, but lactic acid is a more specific indicator of cellular hypoxia.
[References:, , NREMT Medical Emergencies: Shock, , Brady Emergency Care, Chapter: Shock and Resuscitation, , Advanced EMT Curriculum – Pathophysiology of Shock, ]
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