EMT Chapter 35 Geriatric Emergencies

Which of the following is a physiologic change that occurs during the process of aging?

A decline in kidney function

Osteoperosis is defined as:

A decrease in bone mass and density

You receive a call for a sick person. When you arrive, you find the patient, a 75-year-old male, lying unresponsive in his bed. His respirations are slow and irregular and his pulse is slow and weak. His daughter tells you that he fell the day before, but refused to allow her to call 9-1-1. His past medical history is significant for hypothyroidism, deep vein thrombosis, heavy alcohol use, and liver cirrhosis. His medications include blood thinners and vitamins. You should be MOST suspicious that this patient is experiencing:

A subdural hematoma

When assessing an older patient who has multiple bruises in various stages of healing, the EMT should do all of the following, EXCEPT: Factually document all findings Accuse a caregiver of physical abuse Ask the patient how the bruises occurred Review the patient's activities of daily living

Accuse a caregiver of physical abuse

A 73-year-old female experienced a syncopal episode while watching TV. She is now conscious, but is diaphoretic, tachycardic, and hypotensive. Your assessment reveals abdominal tenderness and a pulsating mass to the left of her umbilicus. You should suspect:

An aortic aneurysm

A 710year-old man with a history of hypertension and vascular disease presents with tearing abdominal pain. His blood pressure is 80/60 mm Hg, his heart rate is 120 beats/min, and his respirations are 28 breaths/min. Your assessment rev3eals that his abdomen is rigid and distended. Considering his medical history and vital signs, you should be MOST suspicious for a(n):

Aortic aneurysm

A condition that clouds thee lens of the eye is called:

Cataract

Syncope in the older patient is:

Caused by an interruption of blood flow to the brain

As a person ages, the heart may enlarge as a result of:

Chronically increases afterload

The slow onset of progressive disorientation, shortened attention span, and loss of cognitive function is called:

Dementia

You are dispatched to a skilled nursing care facility for an 80-year-old female with abnormal behavior. The patient is clearly confused and asks you if you are her husband. You should:

Determine the patient's baseline mental status

Upon arriving at the residence of an elderly female who apparently fainted, you find the patient lying supine on her living room floor. She is not moving and her eyes are closed. A neighbor tells you that she found the patient this way, but did not move her. When you gently tap the patient, she does not respond. You should:

Direct your partner to manually stabilize her head while you quickly visualize her chest for signs of breathing

The LEAST common cause of death in patients over 65 years of age is: Stroke Diabetes Heart attack Drug overdose

Drug overdose

Good general communication techniques with the elderly include:

Frequently asking the patient if he or she understands

The purpose of the GEMS diamond is to:

Help EMS personnel remember what is different about elderly patients

Which of the following is NOT a reason why the exact extent and prevalence of elder abuse is unknown? It has been largely hidden form society The definitions of abuse and neglect vary Human resource agencies fail to investigate Victims of elder abuse are hesitant to report it

Human resource agencies fail to investigate

In contrast to delirium, dementia:

Is usually considered irreversible

Polypharmacy is a term used to describe a patient who takes:

Multiple medications

Which of the following statements regarding suicide in the older patient is correct?

Older patients tend to use more lethal means than younger patients

Which of the following conditions makes the elderly patient prone to fractures from even minor trauma?

Osteoporosis

A productive cough, fever, and chills in an 80-year-old patient with a compromised immune system should make you MOST suspicious for:

Pneumonia

The use of multiple prescription drugs by a single patient, causing the potential for negative effects such as overdosing or drug interaction, is called:

Polypharmacy

When performing your secondary assessment on an older patient who has been injured, it is important to:

Recall that it will take a less severe mechanism of injury to cause significant injuries

You are dispatched to a residence for an 80-year-old female who fell. When you arrive, you find the patient conscious, lying in a recumbent position on the floor in her living room. In addition to providing the appropriate treatment, you should ask the patient if:

She became dizzy or fainted before falling

You are called to a neatly kept residence for an 80-year-old woman who lives by herself. She burned her hand on the stove and experienced a full-thickness burn. When treating this patient, it is important to note that:

Slowing of reflexes cause a delayed pain reaction in older people

According to the GEMS diamond, a person's activities of daily living are evaluated during the?

Social assessment

Inflicted bruises are commonly found in all of the following areas, EXCEPT: the buttocks. the lower back. the inner thighs. the forearms.

The forearms

When caring for a geriatric patient with a traumatic injury, it is important to consider that:

The injury may have been preceded by a medical condition

In contrast to a living will, a "do not resuscitate" (DNR) order becomes valid when:

The patient develops cardiac arrest

Which of the following statements regarding the aging process is correct?

The process of aging is gradual, and the rate at which a person loses functions does not increase with age