Ch. 18

The MOST important treatment for a patient with severe abdominal pain and signs of shock is:

Transporting the patient without delay

The parietal peritoneum lines the:

Walls of the abdominal cavity

Which of the following is correct about the secondary assessment for a high-priority patient?

You may not have time to complete a secondary assessment

A 59-year-old male presents with sudden-onset severe lower back pain. He is conscious and alert, but very restless and diaphoretic. Your assessment reveals a pulsating mass to the left of his umbilicus. You should:

Administer oxygen and prepare for immediate transport

A 60-year-old female presents with a tearing sensation in her lower back. Her skin is sweaty and she is tachycardic. The EMT should suspect:

Aortic aneurysm

A 47-year-old male presents with severe abdominal pain o 3 hours' duration. His abdomen is distended and guarded. Your MOST important consideration for this patient should be to:

Be alert for signs and symptoms of shock

Which of the following is characteristic of peptic ulcer disease (PUD)?

Burning or pain in the stomach that subsides immediately after eating

Your patient complains of abdominal pain that occurs mostly at night or after eating fatty foods. You should suspect _____________.

Cholecystitis

A 29-year-old pregnant woman has had severe vomiting for the last 2 days. Today, she is vomiting large amounts of blood. Her skin is cool and pale and she is tachycardic. The EMT should suspect:

Mallory-Weiss tear

Peritonitis may result in shock because:

Fluid shifts from the bloodstream into body tissues

Chronic renal failure is a condition that:

Is often caused by hypertension or diabetes

In contrast to the parietal peritoneum, the visceral peritoneum:

Is supplied by nerves of the autonomic nervous system, which are less able to localize pain or sensation

A young female presents with costovertebral angle tenderness. She is conscious and alert with stable vital signs. Which of the following organs is MOST likely causing her pain?

Kidney

Injury to a hollow abdominal organ would MOST likely result in:

Leakage of contents into the abdominal cavity

Most patients with abdominal pain prefer to:

Lie on their side with their knees drawn into the abdomen

Which of the following organs would MOST likely bleed profusely if injured?

Liver

A stangulated hernia is one that:

Loses its blood supply due to compression by local tissues

Which of the following may help reduce your patient's nausea?

Low-flow oxygen

When assessing a patient with abdominal pain, you should:

Palpate the abdomen in a clockwise direction, beginning with the quadrant after the one the patient indicates is painful

Which of the following organs lies in the retroperitoneal space?

Pancreas

Which of the following statements regarding dialysis is correct?

Patients who miss a dialysis treatment often present with weakness

Your patient complains of chronic "burning" stomach pain that improves after eating. You should suspect:

Peptic ulcer disease

A 30-year-old woman with a history of alcoholism presents with severe upper abdominal pain and is vomiting large amounts of bright red blood. Her skin is cool, pale, and clammy; her heart rate is 120 beats/min and weak; and her blood pressure is 70/50 mm Hg. Your MOST immediate action should be to:

Protect her airway from aspiration

An important aspect in the treatment of a patient with severe abdominal pain is to:

Provide emotional support en route to the hospital

Pain that may be perceived at a distant point on the surface of the body, such as the back or shoulder, is called:

Referred pain

The kidneys help to regulate blood pressure by:

Removing sodium and water from the body

Functions of the liver include:

Secretion of bile and filtration of toxic substances

Which of the following helps filter blood and has no digestive function?

Spleen

Which of the following organs assists in the filtration of blood, serves as a blood reservoir, and produces antibodies?

Spleen

Solid abdominal organs include the:

Spleen, kidneys, and pancreas

Which of the following statements regarding the acute abdomen is correct?

The initial pain associated with an acute abdomen tends to be vague and poorly localized

For a patient with a gastrointestinal complaint, it is MOST important for the EMT to ____________.

identify whether the patient requires rapid transport

Urinary tract infections are more common in ____________.

women