You Are Ventilating an Intubated Patient Who Suffered Multisystem Trauma

Multiple Choice

You are ventilating an intubated patient who suffered multisystem trauma. While the paramedic with whom you are working is starting an IV, you both glance at the capnometer device and see that the numeric display is dropping quickly. If there has been no change in ventilatory rate or depth, what could be another cause for this end-tidal carbon dioxide change?

A) There is a drop in blood flow to the lungs from the heart.
B) Patient's blood pressure is rising.
C) Patient's lungs are receiving too much oxygen.
D) The body's metabolic activity is finally starting to improve.