Chapter 17 EMT

When caring for a patient with documented hypoglycemia, you should be MOST alert for:

a seizure.

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when:

a small clot in a cerebral artery causes temporary symptoms.

Febrile seizures:

are usually benign but should be evaluated.

When assessing for arm drift of a patient with a suspected stroke, you should:

ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment.

Which of the following MOST accurately describes a simple partial seizure? Select one: A. A seizure that causes the patient to stare blankly B. A generalized seizure without incontinence C. A seizure that begins in one extremity D. A seizure that is not preceded by an aura

A seizure that begins in one extremity

The most basic functions of the body, such as breathing, blood pressure, and swallowing, are controlled by the:

brain stem.

Which of the following is a metabolic cause of a seizure? Select one: A. Head trauma B. Massive stroke C. Poisoning D. Brain tumor

Poisoning

Which of the following conditions would MOST likely affect the entire brain? Select one: A. Ruptured cerebral artery in the occipital lobe B. Reduced blood supply to the left hemisphere C. Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest D. Blocked cerebral artery in the frontal lobe

Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest

Interruption of cerebral blood flow may result from all of the following, EXCEPT: Select one: A. a thrombus. B. an acute arterial rupture. C. cerebral vasodilation. D. an embolism.

cerebral vasodilation.

The three major parts of the brain are the:

cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem.

You are dispatched to a residence for a 66-year-old male who, according to family members, has suffered a massive stroke. Your primary assessment reveals that the patient is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless. You should:

initiate CPR and attach an AED as soon as possible.

A patient whose speech is slurred and difficult to understand is experiencing:

dysarthria.

The MOST significant risk factor for a hemorrhagic stroke is:

hypertension.

Individuals with chronic alcoholism are predisposed to intracranial bleeding and hypoglycemia secondary to abnormalities in the:

liver.

You arrive at the residence of a 33-year-old woman who is experiencing a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure. She has a small amount of vomitus draining from the side of her mouth. After protecting her from further injury, you should:

maintain her airway with manual head positioning, suction her airway to remove the vomitus, insert a nasopharyngeal airway, and administer high-flow oxygen.

You arrive at a local grocery store approximately 5 minutes after a 21-year-old female stopped seizing. She is confused and disoriented; she keeps asking you what happened and tells you that she is thirsty. Her brother, who witnessed the seizure, tells you that she takes valproate (Depakote) for her seizures, but has not taken it in a few days. He also tells you that she has diabetes. In addition to administering oxygen, you should:

monitor her airway and breathing status and assess her blood glucose level.

A patient with an altered mental status is:

not thinking clearly or is incapable of being aroused.

When transporting a stable stroke patient with a paralyzed extremity, place the patient in a:

recumbent position with the paralyzed side down.

You are assessing the arm drift component of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale on a 60-year-old woman. When she holds both of her arms out in front of her and closes her eyes, both of her arms immediately fall to her sides. You should:

repeat the arm drift test, but move the patient's arms into position yourself.

The left cerebral hemisphere controls:

the right side of the body.