EMT Ch. 17 Quiz

Which of the following symptoms would lead the EMT to believe that a patient's headache is caused by sinus congestion?

The pain is worse when bending over

You are dispatched to a residence for a 66-year-old male who, according to family members, has suffered a massive stroke. Your primary assessment reveals that the patient is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless. You should:

initiate CPR and attach an AED as soon as possible.

Successful treatment of a stroke depends on whether:

thrombolytic therapy is given within 3 hours of symptoms beginning.

An area of swelling or enlargement in a weakened arterial wall is called:

an aneurysm.

Your patient answers your questions appropriately, although her eyes remain closed the entire time. She moves each extremity on command, although her left side is weaker than the right. You should assign a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of:

12

Your patient opens his eyes, moans, and pulls away from you when you pinch his trapezius muscle. You should assign a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of:

8

Which of the following patients would MOST likely demonstrate typical signs of infection, such as a fever?

A 17-year-old male with anxiety

Which of the following MOST accurately describes a simple partial seizure?

A seizure that begins in one extremity

Which of the following MOST accurately describes the cause of an ischemic stroke?

Blockage of a cerebral artery

Which of the following MOST accurately describes what the patient will experience during the postictal state that follows a seizure?

Confusion and fatigue

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?

He is currently not prescribed any medications

Which of the following conditions is NOT a common cause of seizures?

Hypotension

Which of the following medications would indicate that a patient has a history of seizures?

Levetiracetam (Keppra)

Which of the following findings should concern the EMT the MOST when assessing a patient who complains of a headache?

Neck stiffness or pain

Which of the following is a metabolic cause of a seizure?

Poisoning

Which of the following conditions would MOST likely affect the entire brain?

Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest

Which of the following clinical signs is MOST suggestive of a ruptured aneurysm?

Sudden, severe headache

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when:

a small clot in a cerebral artery causes temporary symptoms.

Law enforcement has summoned you to a nightclub, where a 22-year-old female was found unconscious in an adjacent alley. Your primary assessment reveals that her respirations are rapid and shallow and her pulse is rapid and weak. She is wearing a medical alert bracelet that identifies her as an epileptic. There is an empty bottle of vodka next to the patient. You should:

assist ventilations, perform a rapid exam, and prepare for immediate transport.

The most basic functions of the body, such as breathing, blood pressure, and swallowing, are controlled by the:

brain stem.

A 29-year-old male complains of a severe headache and nausea that has gradually worsened over the past 12 hours. He is conscious, alert, and oriented and tells you that his physician diagnosed him with migraine headaches. He further tells you that he has taken numerous different medications, but none of them seem to help. His blood pressure is 132/74 mm Hg, his pulse is 110 beats/min and strong, and his respirations are 20 breaths/min. Treatment should include:

dimming the lights in the back of the ambulance and transporting without lights and siren.

A patient whose speech is slurred and difficult to understand is experiencing:

dysarthria.

During the primary assessment of a semiconscious 70-year-old female, you should:

ensure a patent airway and support ventilation as needed.

A 40-year-old patient without a history of seizures experiences a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure. The LEAST likely cause of this seizure is:

epilepsy.

The spinal cord exits the cranium through the:

foramen magnum.

A patient who is possibly experiencing a stroke is NOT eligible for thrombolytic (fibrinolytic) therapy if he or she:

has bleeding within the brain.

The MOST significant risk factor for a hemorrhagic stroke is:

hypertension.

Individuals with chronic alcoholism are predisposed to intracranial bleeding and hypoglycemia secondary to abnormalities in the:

liver.

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:

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

A patient with an altered mental status is:

not thinking clearly or is incapable of being aroused.

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:

obtain a description of how the seizure developed.

An absence seizure is also referred to as a:

petit mal seizure.

Status epilepticus is characterized by:

prolonged seizures without a return of consciousness.

When transporting a stable stroke patient with a paralyzed extremity, place the patient in a:

recumbent position with the paralyzed side down.

A generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure is characterized by:

severe twitching of all the body's muscles.

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:

suction her oropharynx and transport immediately.

The left cerebral hemisphere controls:

the right side of the body.

You respond to a residence for a child who is having a seizure. Upon arrival at the scene, you enter the residence and find the mother holding her child, a 2-year-old male. The child is conscious and crying. According to the mother, the child had been running a high fever and then experienced a seizure that lasted approximately 3 minutes. You should:

transport the child to the hospital and reassure the mother en route.

A patient who is experiencing aphasia is:

unable to produce or understand speech.