Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

For a patient with burn injuries, which lab result is important to monitor?

1. Serum glucose levels

2. Electrolyte imbalances

3. Complete blood count

4. Liver function tests

The correct answer is: Electrolyte imbalances

In the context of a patient with burn injuries, monitoring for electrolyte imbalances is crucial. Burn injuries can lead to significant alterations in fluid balance and homeostasis due to the loss of skin integrity and the onset of systemic inflammatory responses. When the skin is damaged, there is an increased risk of fluid loss through evaporation and potential for third-spacing, where fluids move into spaces that are not normally perfused. This disruption can result in a shift of electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and chloride, leading to complications such as hypokalemia (low potassium) or hypernatremia (high sodium). Hence, monitoring electrolytes helps to detect and manage these imbalances before they lead to severe complications like arrhythmias, muscle dysfunction, or kidney failure. Other lab results may also provide useful information about the patient's overall health, but electrolyte levels directly reflect the physiological changes that occur in response to burns and are vital for guiding treatment and resuscitation strategies. This makes it essential to focus on electrolyte imbalances in burn patients.