EMS Chapter 12 Principles of pharmacology

With the flowmeter set at 6 L/min, the nasal cannula will deliver up to _______ oxygen.

44%

An example of an anti-inflammatory is:

Aspirin

For which of the following conditions is albuterol prescribed?

Asthma

An EMT may administer aspirin to a patient if:

Authorization from medical control has been obtained

You are treating a 45-year-old woman who was stung by a hornet and has a rash. She tells you that she is allergic to hornets and has her own epinephrine auto-injector. She also tells you that she takes medication for hypertension. Her breath sounds do not reveal any wheezing, her breathing is unlabored, and her blood pressure is 154/94 mm Hg. What should you do if you are not able to make contact with medical control?

Begin transport to the hospital and closely monitor her condition while en route.

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of epinephrine?

Decreases heart rate and blood pressure

Which of the following statements regarding glucose is correct?

Glucose is a simple sugar that is readily absorbed by the cells.

Which of the following is the MOST rapidly acting medication administration route?

Intravenous (IV)

To reverse the effects of a narcotic overdose you should administer:

Narcan

Which of the following is an example of a rules-based medication error?

The EMT administers a drug that is not approved by the medical director.

Which of the following clinical signs would necessitate the administration of naloxone (Narcan) in a suspected narcotic overdose?

Slow respirations

Which of the following statements regarding the epinephrine auto-injector is correct?

The epinephrine auto-injector delivers a preset amount of the drug.

You are dispatched to a state park for a young female experiencing an allergic reaction. Your assessment reveals that her breathing is severely labored and her blood pressure is very low. You carry epinephrine auto-injectors on your ambulance and have been trained and approved by your medical director to administer them. As your partner gives the patient supplemental oxygen, you attempt to contact medical control but do not have a signal from your cell phone. You should:

administer epinephrine to the patient, begin immediate transport, and attempt to contact medical control en route to the hospital.

A 49-year-old male with an extensive cardiac history presents with 2 hours of crushing chest pain and shortness of breath. He is pale and diaphoretic and tells you that he feels like he is going to die. His medications include nitroglycerin, sildenafil (Viagra), and enalapril (Vasotec). His blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg and his heart rate is 110 beats/min. In addition to administering supplemental oxygen if needed, you should:

ask him if he took his Viagra within the past 24 hours.

A medication with antagonistic properties is one that:

blocks receptor sites and prevents other chemicals from attaching to them.

When assessing an elderly male who complains of nausea and generalized weakness, you find that he takes atorvastatin (Lipitor) and amlodipine (Norvasc). These medications suggest a history of:

cardiovascular disease.

The medical term for a low blood glucose level is:

hypoglycemia.

A mucosal atomizer device (MAD) is used to deliver certain medications via the:

intranasal route.

Which of the following medication routes has the slowest rate of absorption?

oral

EMTs arrive at the scene of a patient who was "found down." A family member states that she gave naloxone (Narcan) to the patient before the ambulance arrived. The EMTs should suspect that the patient:

overdosed on an opioid drug.

Shortly after assisting a 65-year-old female with her prescribed nitroglycerin, she begins complaining of dizziness and experiences a drop of 30 mm Hg in her systolic blood pressure. The patient remains conscious and her breathing is adequate. You should:

place her in a supine position.

Aspirin is beneficial to patients suspected of having a heart attack because it:

prevents the aggregation of platelets.

A 31-year-old female is experiencing an acute asthma attack. She is conscious and alert, but in obvious respiratory distress. After assisting her with her prescribed MDI, you should:

reassess the patient and document her response to the medication.

A 74-year-old woman complains of heaviness in her chest, nausea, and sweating that suddenly began about an hour ago. She is conscious and alert, but anxious. Her blood pressure is 144/84 mm Hg and her heart rate is 110 beats/min. She took two of her prescribed nitroglycerin (0.4-mg tablets) before your arrival but still feels heaviness in her chest. You should:

recall that geriatric patients often take multiple medications and that interactions can occur with potentially negative effects.

Nitroglycerin, when given to patients with cardiac-related chest pain:

relaxes the walls of the coronary arteries.