ems chapter 17

A 17-year-old male with anxiety

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

dysarthria

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

a small clot in a cerebral artery causes temporary symptoms.

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when:

The pain is worse when bending over

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

severe twitching of all the body's muscles.

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

unable to produce or understand speech

A patient who is experiencing aphasia is:

petit mal seizure.

An absence seizure is also referred to as a:

an aneurysm

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

a ruptured cerebral artery

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:

repeat the arm drift test, but move the patient's arms into position yourself.

You are assessing the arm drift component of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale on a 60-year-old woman. When she holds both of her arms out in front of her and closes her eyes, both of her arms immediately fall to her sides. You should:

suction her oropharynx and transport immediately.

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:

initiate CPR and attach an AED as soon as possible.

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:

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

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:

12

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:

8

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:

neck stiffness or pain

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

cerebral vasodilation.

Interruption of cerebral blood flow may result from all of the following, EXCEPT:

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

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:

prolonged seizures without a return of consciousness.

Status epilepticus is characterized by:

hypertension

The MOST significant risk factor for a hemorrhagic stroke is:

emotion

The anterior aspect of the cerebrum controls:

brain stem

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

foramen magnum

The spinal cord exits the cranium through the:

cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem.

The three major parts of the brain are the:

ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment.

When assessing for arm drift of a patient with a suspected stroke, you should:

a seizure

When caring for a patient with documented hypoglycemia, you should be MOST alert for:

recumbent position with the paralyzed side down.

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

Blockage of a cerebral artery

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

Confusion and fatigue

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

sudden, severe headache

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

Hypotension

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

Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest

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