EMS 1100 Chapter 18 Practice

Severe back pain may be associated with which of the following conditions?

abdominal aortic aneurysm

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

Which of the following organs lies in the retroperitoneal space?

Pancreas

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 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

________ commonly produces symptoms about 30 minutes after a particularly fatty meal and usually at night.

cholecystitis

______ occur(s) when there is excess pressure within the portal system and surrounding vessel and may lead to life-threatening bleeding.

esophageal varices

Peritonitis may result in shock because:

fluid shifts from the bloodstream into body tissues.

When the abdominal muscles become rigid in an effort to protect the abdomen from further irritation, this is referred to as:

guarding

You have been dispatched to the home of a 52-year-old woman with severe flank pain. Which of the following would be an appropriate question to ask regarding the pain?

is the pain constant or intermittent?

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

Most patients with abdominal pain prefer to:

lie on their side with their knees drawn into the abdomen

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 statements regarding dialysis is correct?

patients who miss a dialysis treatment often present with weakness

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

provide emotional support en route to the hospital