Ch 19 gastrointestinal and urologic emergencies quiz

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.

Functions of the liver include:

secretion of bile and filtration of toxic substances.

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

Pain that is localized to the lower back and/or lower abdominal quadrants is MOST suggestive of:

an aortic aneurysm.

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

Pain that radiates to the right lower quadrant from the umbilical area, nausea and vomiting, and lack of appetite are MOST indicative of:

appendicitis

A 47-year-old male presents with severe abdominal pain of 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.

You are transporting a 49-year-old male with "tearing" abdominal pain. You are approximately 30 miles away from the closest hospital. During your reassessment, you determine that the patient's condition has deteriorated significantly. You should:

consider requesting a rendezvous with an ALS unit.

Esophageal varices MOST commonly occur in patients who:

consume a lot of alcohol.

Peritonitis may result in shock because:

fluid shifts from the bloodstream into body tissues.

Your patient's past medical history includes hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and seizures. Today, he presents with signs of acute renal failure. Which of his medical problems MOST likely caused this?

heart failure

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.

You respond to the residence of a 70-year-old male who complains of weakness and severe shortness of breath. His wife tells you that he is a dialysis patient, but has missed his last two treatments. After applying oxygen, you auscultate his lungs and hear diffuse rhonchi. The patient is conscious, but appears confused. His blood pressure is 98/54 mm Hg, his pulse rate is 120 beats/min and irregular, and his respirations are 24 breaths/min and labored. You should:

leave him in a sitting position, keep him warm, and prepare for immediate transport.

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.

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.

Solid abdominal organs include the:

spleen, kidneys, and pancreas.

Patients with acute abdominal pain should not be given anything to eat or drink because:

substances in the stomach increase the risk of aspiration.