EMT Chapter 17 Neurologic emergencies Quiz

Individuals with chronic alcoholism are predisposed to intracranial bleeding and hypoglycemia secondary to abnormalities in the: Select one: a. brain. b. kidneys. c. pancreas. d. liver.

D. Liver

A 58-year-old male presents with confusion, right-sided weakness, and slurred speech. His airway is patent and his breathing is adequate. His wife is present and is very upset. Which of the following has the MOST immediately priority? Select one: a. Asking his wife when she noticed the symptoms b. Administering glucose to rule out hypoglycemia c. Obtaining a complete set of baseline vital signs d. Documenting all of his current medications

a. Asking his wife when she noticed the symptoms

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

a. Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest

Febrile seizures: Select one: a. are usually benign but should be evaluated. b. are also referred to as absence seizures. c. often result in permanent brain damage. d. occur when a child's fever rises slowly.

a. are usually benign but should be evaluated.

The three major parts of the brain are the: Select one: a. cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. b. brain stem, midbrain, and spinal cord. c. cerebellum, medulla, and occiput. d. midbrain, cerebellum, and spinal cord.

a. cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem.

A 40-year-old patient without a history of seizures experiences a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure. The LEAST likely cause of this seizure is: Select one: a. epilepsy. b. a serious infection. c. intracranial bleeding. d. a brain tumor.

a. epilepsy.

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: Select one: a. maintain her airway with manual head positioning, suction her airway to remove the vomitus, insert a nasopharyngeal airway, and administer high-flow oxygen. b. restrain her extremities to prevent her from injuring herself, suction her airway to remove the vomitus, and assist her ventilations with a bag-mask device. c. place a bite block in between her teeth, apply high-flow oxygen via a nonrebreathing mask, and consider inserting a nasopharyngeal airway. d. wait for the seizure to stop, manually open her airway, insert an oropharyngeal airway, and assess her oxygen saturation with the pulse oximeter.

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

You are caring for a 70-year-old female with signs and symptoms of an acute stroke. She is conscious, has secretions in her mouth, is breathing at a normal rate with adequate depth, and has an oxygen saturation of 96%. You should: Select one: a. suction her oropharynx and transport immediately. b. assist her ventilations with a bag-valve mask. c. insert an oral airway, apply oxygen, and transport. d. administer one tube of oral glucose and transport.

a. suction her oropharynx and transport immediately.

Which of the following patients would MOST likely demonstrate typical signs of infection, such as a fever? Select one: a. An 88-year-old male with chronic renal problems b. A 17-year-old male with anxiety c. A 35-year-old female in the later stages of AIDS d. A 3-month-old female who was born prematurely

b. A 17-year-old male with anxiety CorrectCorrect

An area of swelling or enlargement in a weakened arterial wall is called: Select one: a. a thrombus. b. an aneurysm. c. an embolism. d. atherosclerosis.

b. an aneurysm. CorrectCorrect

You arrive at a grocery store shortly after a 35-year-old male stopped seizing. Your assessment reveals that he is confused and incontinent of urine. The patient's girlfriend tells you that he has a history of seizures and takes topiramate (Topamax). When obtaining further medical history from the girlfriend, it is MOST important to: Select one: a. determine when he was last seen by his physician. b. obtain a description of how the seizure developed. c. ask her how long the patient has been taking his medication. d. determine if the patient is a known alcohol abuser.

b. obtain a description of how the seizure developed.

An absence seizure is also referred to as a: Select one: a. total body seizure. b. petit mal seizure. c. grand mal seizure. d. generalized motor seizure.

b. petit mal seizure.

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

c. 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: Select one: a. cerebellum. b. cerebral cortex. c. brain stem. d. cerebrum.

c. brain stem.

Status epilepticus is characterized by: Select one: a. generalized seizures that last less than 5 minutes. b. profound tachycardia and total muscle flaccidity. c. prolonged seizures without a return of consciousness. d. an absence seizure that is not preceded by an aura.

c. prolonged seizures without a return of consciousness.

A 30-year-old male experienced a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure, which stopped before you arrived at the scene. The patient is conscious, is answering your questions appropriately, and refuses EMS transport. Which of the following would be the MOST compelling reason to disagree with his refusal of transport? Select one: a. His Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is 15 b. His wife states that this was his "usual" seizure c. He has experienced seizures since he was 20 d. He is currently not prescribed any medications

d. He is currently not prescribed any medications

Which of the following conditions would be the LEAST likely to mimic the signs and symptoms of a stroke? Select one: a. Intracranial bleeding b. Hypoglycemia c. A postictal state d. Hypovolemia

d. Hypovolemia

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when: Select one: a. signs and symptoms resolve spontaneously within 48 hours. b. a small cerebral artery ruptures and causes minimal damage. c. medications are given to dissolve a cerebral blood clot. d. a small clot in a cerebral artery causes temporary symptoms.

d. a small clot in a cerebral artery causes temporary symptoms.

A patient who is possibly experiencing a stroke is NOT eligible for thrombolytic (fibrinolytic) therapy if he or she: Select one: a. has had a prior heart attack. b. is older than 60 years of age. c. has a GCS score that is less than 8. d. has bleeding within the brain.

d. has bleeding within the brain.