EMT Chapter 17 Exam: Neurological Emergencies
which of the following is not an assessment parameter included in the Cincinnati Stoke Scale? A) memory B) arm drift C) facial droop D) speech
memory
which of the following most accurately describes a focal seizure? A) a seizure that begins in one extremity B) generalized seizures without incontinence C) a seizure that is not preceded by an aura D) a blank stare without muscle contractions
a seizure that begins in one extremity
a patient who is experiencing receptive aphasia is
able to speak clearly but has difficulty understanding
a 58-year-old male presents with confusion, right-sided weakness, and slurred speech. as your partner is applying oxygen, it is most important for you to
ask his wife when she noticed symptoms
when assessing arm movement of a patient with a suspected stroke, you should
ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment
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: A) place a bite block in her mouth in case she has a seizure and transport at once. B) apply oxygen via a nonrebreathing mask, place her on her left side, and transport. C) assist ventilations, perform a rapid exam, and prepare for immediate transport. D) apply oxygen via nonrebreathing mask and transport her for a blood-alcohol test.
assist ventilations, perform a rapid exam, and prepare for immediate transport.
what glascow coma scale would you assign to a patient who responds to painful stimuli, uses inappropriate words, and flexes his or her arms in response to pain?
8
the most basic functions of the body, such as breathing, blood pressure, and swallowing, are controlled by the
brain stem
which of the following medications is not used to treat patients with a history of seizures? A) Tegretol B) Dilantin C) Dilaudid D) Phenobarbital
Dilaudid
which of the following most accurately describes the cause of an ischemic stoke? A) acute atherosclerotic disease B) narrowing of a carotid artery C) rupture of a cerebral artery D) blockage of a cerebral artery
blockage of a cerebral artery
"tips on vowels"
T-trauma I-infection P-psychogenic causes S-seizure/syncope A-alcohol E-electrolytes I-insulin O-opiates U-uremia
which of the following patients would most likely demonstrate typical signs of infection or fever? A) an 88-year-old male with chronic renal problems B) a 17-year-old male with depression and anxiety C) a 3-month-old female who was born prematurely D) a 35-year-old female in the later stages of AIDS
a 17-year-old male with depression and anxiety
you are assessing a 49-year-old man who, according to his wife, experienced a sudden, severe headache and then passed out. He is unresponsive and has slow, irregular breathing. his blood pressure is 190/94 mm Hg and his pulse rate is 50 beats/min. his wife tells you that he has hypertension and diabetes. he has MOST likely experienced: A) acute hypoglycemia. B) a ruptured cerebral artery. C) a complex partial seizure. D) an occluded cerebral artery.
a ruptured cerebral artery
when caring for a child with documented hypoglycemia, you should be most alert for
a seizure
muscle control and body coordination are controlled by the
cerebellum
interruption of cerebral blood flow may result from all of the following, except: A) a thrombus B) cerebral vasodilation C) an acute arterial rupture D) an embolism
cerebral vasodilation
the three major parts of the brain are the
cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem
a 35-year-old mildly obese woman is complaining of localized pain in the upper right quadrant with referred pain to the right shoulder. the most likely cause of her pain is
cholecystitis
successful treatment of a stroke depends on whether or not
clot-buster therapy is given within 2-3 hours of symptom onset
which of the following most accurately describes the postictal state that follows a seizure? A) rapidly improving level of consciousness B) dazed, confused, or combative appearance C) hyperventilation and hypersalivation D) gradually decreasing level of consciousness
dazed, confused, or combative appearance
a patient whose speech is slurred and difficult to understand is experiencing
dysarthria
the anterior aspect of the cerebrum controls
emotion
during the initial assessment of a semiconscious 70-year-old female, you should
ensure a patent airway and support ventilation as needed
a patient without a history of seizures experiences a sudden convulsion. 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
which of the following conditions would most likely mimic the signs and symptoms of a stroke? A) alcohol intoxication B) acute poisoning C) hypoglycemia D) high fever
hypoglycemia
which of the following conditions would be least likely to mimic the signs and symptoms of a stroke? A) postictal state B) hypoglycemia C) intracranial bleeding D) hypovolemia
hypovolemia
you are dispatched to a residence for a 66-year-old male who, according to family members, has suffered a massive stroke. your initial assessment reveals that the patient is pulseless and apneic. you should
initiate CPR and attach an AED as soon as possible
you are transporting a semiconscious patient to the hospital. en route, you note that the patient's mental status is not improving, despite 100% supplemental oxygen. you should suspect that this patient
is hypoglycemic
the mental status of a patient who has experienced a typical seizure
is likely to improve over a period of 5 to 30 minutes
you receive a call to a residence, where a neighbor has found the resident, a 40-year-old female, semiconscious on her living room floor. during your assessment you discover a bottle of Dilantin on a nearby table. you should be most suspicious that this patient
is postictal following a seizure
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 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
You arrive at a local grocery store approximately 5 minutes after a 21-year-old female stopped seizing. She is confused and disoriented; she keeps asking you what happened and tells you that she is thirsty. Her brother, who witnessed the seizure, tells you that she takes phenytoin (Dilantin) for her seizures, but has not taken it in a few days. He also tells you that she has diabetes. In addition to applying high-flow oxygen, you should: A) administer one tube of oral glucose and prepare for immediate transport. B) place her in the recovery position and transport her with lights and siren. C) monitor her airway and breathing status and assess her blood glucose level. D) give her small cups of water to drink and observe for further seizure activity.
monitor her airway and breathing status and assess her blood glucose level
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 had a history of seizures and takes Tegretol. when obtaining further medical history from the girlfriend, it is most important to
obtain a description of how the seizure developed
you are caring for a conscious, confused patient with left-sided hemiparalysis. his airway is patent and his respirations are 22 breaths/min with adequate tidal volume. treatment for this patient should include
oxygen via nonrebreathing mask, left lateral recumbent position, and transport
an absence seizure is also referred to as a
petite mal seizure
which of the following is a metabolic cause of a seizure? A) brain tumor B) massive stroke C) poisoning D) head trauma
poisoning
status epilepticus is characterized by
prolonged seizures without a return on consciousness
in the immediate postictal state you should anticipate
rapid, deep respirations and fast heart rate
when transporting a stable stroke patient with unilateral hemiparalysis, it is best to place the patient in a
recumbent position with the paralyzed side down
which of the following conditions would most likely affect the entire brain? A) blocked cerebral artery in the frontal lobe B) respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest C) reduced blood supply to the left hemisphere D) ruptured cerebral artery in the occipital lobe
respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest
which of the following conditions is not a common cause of seizures? A) acute alcohol withdrawal B) severe hypovolemia C) acute hypoglycemia D) poisoning or overdose
severe hypovolemia
a generalized 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, and is breathing as a normal rate with adequate depth. you should
suction her oropharynx and apply 100% oxygen
which of the following clinical signs would be most suggestive of a ruptured cerebral artery? A) unilateral hemiparesis B) nasal discharge of blood C) confusion and weakness D) sudden, severe headache
sudden, severe headache
a patient experiencing a tonic-clonic seizure exhibits
tachycardia, hyperventilation, sweating, and intense salivation
a transient ischemic attack occurs when
the normal body processes destroy a clot in a cerebral artery
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 male 2-year-old. 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
the most appropriate treatment for a patient with severe abdominal pain and signs of shock includes
transporting the patient without delay
febrile seizures are
usually benign but should be evaluated
the principle clinical difference between a stroke and hypoglycemia is that patients with hypoglycemia
usually have an altered mental status or decreased level or consciousness
when obtaining medical history information from the family of a suspected stroke patient, it is MOST important to determine: A) when the patient last appeared normal. B) if there is a family history of a stroke. C) if the patient has been hospitalized before. D) the patient's overall medication compliance
when the patient last appeared normal
when obtaining medical history information from the family of a suspected stroke patient, it is most important to determine
when the patient last appeared normal