Mod 5 Test Questions – Flashcards
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Why should EMTs study pharmacology?
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As an EMT, you will be trusted to administer medications in emergency situations; many of these may be lifesaving, but there is potential to do harm.
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Which of the following is a complete list of the medications an EMT can assist the patient in taking or administer under the direction of the Medical Director?
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Aspirin, oral glucose, oxygen, prescribed bronchodilator inhalers, nitroglycerin, and epinephrine auto-injectors
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Why do EMTs give aspirin to the patient on the ambulance?
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Aspirin reduces the blood's ability to clot and works to prevent clot formation in patients suffering chest pain.
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What condition must be present before you give oral glucose?
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The patient must be conscious and able to swallow with an altered mental status and history of diabetes.
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What medication is given when a patient suffers from a medical or traumatic condition called hypoxia?
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Oxygen
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Which of the following statements is true concerning oxygen?
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Never withhold oxygen to any patient who needs it.
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Nitroglycerin is indicated for which of the following chief complaints?
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Chest pain
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Which of the following is a potential side effect of nitroglycerin?
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Decreased blood pressure
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Which of the following is often prescribed for a patient with a heart condition?
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Nitroglycerin
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Epinephrine delivered by auto-injector may be indicated for patients with which of the following conditions?
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Severe allergies to peanut, shellfish, penicillin, or bee stings
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Which of the following is a desired action of epinephrine delivered by auto-injector?
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Constriction of blood vessels
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Which of the following BEST describes a contraindication to a medication?
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A reason why you should avoid giving a medication to a patient
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A drug's form refers to which of the following?
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Its physical state, such as powder, liquid, or gas
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Which of the following describes the sublingual route of medication administration?
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The medication is placed under the tongue
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Your patient is a 59-year-old woman with a history of emphysema. Per protocol, you have assisted the patient in using her medication inhaler. Which of the following must be documented?
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The patient's response to the medication
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As a powder, which is premixed with water
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How is activated charcoal, which is carried by some EMS systems, supplied for use in emergency situations?
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How is activated charcoal, which is carried by some EMS systems, supplied for use in emergency situations?
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As a powder, which is premixed with water
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You have just administered nitroglycerin to a 68-year-old patient. Within a few minutes, she complains of feeling faint and lightheaded, but states that she is still having some chest pain. Which of the following would be the BEST sequence of actions?
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Lower the head of the stretcher and take the patient's blood pressure.
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You respond to a medical call for a 59-year-old female complaining of tightness in her chest. You place her on a high concentration of oxygen and prepare for a short 5-minute transport to the hospital. The patient tells you she is on nitroglycerin, which she has not taken. Your partner tells you that you can give aspirin per protocol. Should you delay the patient transport to give the medication and why?
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Yes, the nitroglycerin will cause the blood vessels to dilate and restore some blood flow, and the aspirin will slow the clotting process.
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Which of the following instructions should you give to a patient whom you are about to assist with administering epinephrine?
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I am going to inject medication into your thigh. .
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Bronchodilator inhalers have several common side effects, which include:
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jitteriness and increased heart rate.
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What is the first step in giving aerosol medications?
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Determine that the inhaler actually belongs to the patient.
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Nitroglycerin (Nitro) is used for patients with recurrent chest pain or a history of heart attack. Nitro is supplied in what two ways?
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Pills and spray
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What are the actions of nitroglycerin on the human body?
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It causes the dilation of coronary blood vessels that supply the heart muscle
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A serious negative interaction for giving Nitrostat is a drug interaction with what medications?
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Viagra, Levitra, or medication for erectile dysfunction
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Name the type of medical direction consisting of standing orders and protocols.
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Off-line
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It will help constrict the patient's blood vessels and relax the airway passages.
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What is the indication for giving an epinephrine auto-injector in a life-threatening allergic reaction?
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What are the names given to each medication listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia?
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Trade, chemical, and generic
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The symptoms or circumstances for which a medication is given are called:
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indications.
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When you give patients nitroglycerin, they sometimes develop a headache. This would be called a:
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untoward effect.
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You are called to the school where a 16-year-old female has trouble breathing from a possible allergic reaction. You arrive and find the patient wheezing, with cool clammy skin, and holding an epinephrine auto-injector. After you assess the patient and contact medical control, you are advised to give the medication. When you give the patient the epinephrine auto-injector she develops symptoms of anxiety: dizziness, headache, nausea, nervousness, paleness, sweating, tremors, vomiting, and weakness. These symptoms are considered:
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side effects
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The epinephrine auto-injector is given via the _______________ route.
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parenteral
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Nitroglycerin is given via the _______________ route.
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sublingual
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Which of the following BEST describes the five rights?
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Right patient, right medication, right time, right dose, right route
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The study of the effects of medications on the body in relation to age and weight is called:
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pharmacodynamics
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The EMT, after administering any medication, must do which of the following?
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Document the administration, reassess the patient, and report to the receiving facility.
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Which of the following signs of inadequate breathing is more prominent in children than in adults?
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See-sawing of the chest and abdomen, Grunting respirations, Nasal flaring
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Which of the following does NOT occur during inspiration?
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Diaphragm relaxes
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Which of the following is TRUE concerning expiration?
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The diaphragm moves upward.
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Which of the following respiratory rates is considered an abnormal respiratory rate for an adult?
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8 breaths/min
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Which of the following respiratory rates should be cause for alarm in a 2-month-old child?
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16 breaths/min
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Which of the following BEST defines inadequate breathing?
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Breathing that is insufficient to sustain life
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You are first on the scene of a 61-year-old female in need of assistance with her respirations. You have a pocket mask with supplemental oxygen. How can you determine that your artificial ventilation is effective?
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You assure oxygen is being delivered at 15 liters per minute.
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Your patient is a 24-year-old woman with asthma who is struggling to breathe and is very agitated. She has cyanosis of her lips and nail beds, and is cool and clammy to the touch. When you attempt to assist her ventilations with a bag-valve-mask device, she becomes combative and repeatedly pushes the mask away from her face. Which of the following is the BEST option?
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Begin transport immediately and contact medical control for advice.
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Your patient is a 15-year-old male with a history of multiple prior hospitalizations for asthma. Upon your arrival the patient responds only to painful stimuli and is making very weak respiratory effort. Which of the following should you do next?
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Assist the patient's ventilations with a bag-valve-mask device and supplemental oxygen.
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Which of the following is a sign of adequate artificial ventilations in a pediatric patient?
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Pulse rate increases.
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When ventilating a child with inadequate respirations, which of the following is the maximum rate at which artificial respirations should be delivered?
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20 per minute
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You are ventilating a 6-year-old child and note that his heart rate has decreased from 70 to 54. Which of the following is NOT appropriate?
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Notify medical control that the patient's condition has improved.
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Your patient is a 6-year-old male who appears very anxious, is using increased effort during expiration, and has a fever. He is wheezing and has a respiratory rate of 34. The patient's skin is very warm and dry. He does not have any cyanosis. The child is drooling and his mother states that he complained of a sore throat and pain on swallowing earlier in the afternoon. Which of the following conditions is most likely causing the patient's distress?
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Epiglottitis
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Which of the following is NOT a sign of difficulty breathing?
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Curling up in the fetal position
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Your patient is a 30-year-old female who may have overdosed on antidepressant medications. On your arrival, she is lying supine on her bed with her head on a pillow. She is unresponsive to painful stimuli and is snoring. She appears to be pale and her skin is cool and clammy. What should you do first?
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Remove the patient's pillow.
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Which of the following patients with difficulty breathing should NOT receive supplemental oxygen?
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None of these patients should have oxygen withheld
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What is the primary effect on the body when an EMT assists a patient with a prescribed inhaler if the patient is short of breath?
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Relaxation of the bronchioles
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Which of the following is proper when assisting a patient with the use of a prescribed inhaler?
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Have the patient hold the inhaled medication in his lungs as long as possible
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In which of the following circumstances is medical control necessary when assisting a patient with the use of a prescribed inhaler?
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Medical control is necessary in all situations in which an EMT assists with a prescribed inhaler.
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When you hear wheezes while auscultating your patient's breath sounds, which of the following is most likely the cause?
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The lower air passages in the lungs are narrowed.
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Which of the following inhalers would NOT be used to reverse an asthma attack?
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Beclomethasone
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Which of the following is the primary cause of COPD?
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Cigarette smoking
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Which of the following is a possible side effect of a prescribed inhaler for respiratory problems?
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Tremors
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Which of the following devices is used by patients with respiratory problems to assist with the delivery of medication from an inhaler to the lungs?
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An AeroChamber
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Which of the following is a benefit of using small-volume nebulizers for the treatment of respiratory problems?
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They allow greater exposure of the patient's lungs to the medication.
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A patient who has shallow, slow, irregular gasping breaths is said to have ________ respirations.
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agonal
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Which of the following may be seen just prior to respiratory arrest?
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Agonal respirations
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Which of the following observations indicate that your patient may have overused his prescription inhaler?
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Nervousness
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Which of the following is a prescribed medication used in an inhaled form for the emergency treatment of respiratory problems?
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Albuterol
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Which of the following sounds may be heard in lower respiratory obstruction?
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Wheezing
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Which of the following is the most proper dose of inhaled medication the EMT can assist the patient with administering?
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The number of sprays directed by medical control
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After the administration of a prescribed inhaler, which of the following should the EMT NOT reassess?
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Pupillary size and reaction
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Which of the following medications is indicated in the treatment of a 52-year-old male with difficulty breathing and a history of emphysema?
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Proventil
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When should the EMT most likely expect to hear wheezes in a patient complaining of shortness of breath secondary to an asthma attack?
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While breathing out
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Which breath sound is the EMT most likely to hear when caring for an adult male with a partial airway obstruction that occurred while eating steak?
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Stridor
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While assessing the airway of a pediatric patient, you will notice that it is different than that of an adult. Which of the following is one of those differences?
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The trachea is smaller, softer, and more flexible, allowing it to be more easily obstructed.
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Contraindications for the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) include which of the following?
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History of pulmonary fibrosis
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You are treating a 68-year-old female with difficulty breathing and you want to apply CPAP. How many centimeters of water would you start your treatment with?
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Follow local protocol
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When the lung collapses without injury or any other cause, it is called which of the following?
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Spontaneous pneumothorax
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Which of the following heart chambers pumps oxygenated blood to the body?
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Left ventricle
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Which of the following would be the result of an obstruction in a branch of the pulmonary artery?
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Blood is not pumped to the lungs
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Which of the following is the way in which the heart muscle receives oxygen?
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Blood from the aorta enters the coronary arteries.
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Which of the following is the general term used to refer to a problem with the heart?
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Cardiac compromise
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Which of the following BEST describes a fluttering sensation in the chest?
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Palpitations
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Your patient is a 49-year-old male with a history of heart problems. Assuming he has a bottle of nitroglycerin tablets with him, under which of the following circumstances could you administer the nitroglycerin to the patient?
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The patient complains of chest pain and has a blood pressure of 132/90 mmHg
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Assuming your protocol allows the administration of nitroglycerin when certain conditions exist, what is the maximum number of tablets to be administered in the prehospital setting?
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3 doses
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In which of the following situations would the administration of aspirin to a cardiac patient be prohibited?
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The patient has a history of asthma.
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Which of the following is the name of the condition in which fatty deposits form in the inner lining of the arteries?
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Coronary artery disease
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A weakened area of an artery that balloons out and may rupture, causing catastrophic bleeding, is called
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aneurysm.
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Which of the following cardiac dysrhythmias cannot produce a pulse?
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Ventricular fibrillation
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Which of the following is the beneficial action of nitroglycerin in some cardiac emergencies?
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It dilates blood vessels throughout the body.
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Which of the following is the result of a portion of the heart muscle dying due to a lack of oxygen?
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Myocardial infarction
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Which of the following is the name given to the condition in which fluid accumulates in the lungs?
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Pulmonary edema
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Which of the following statements concerning heart attacks and cardiac arrest is NOT true?
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The most common initial rhythm in sudden cardiac death is asystole.
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Which of the following statements regarding the administration of nitroglycerin tablets is true?
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The patient may complain of a headache following administration
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Which of the following statements regarding angina pectoris is true?
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It can be brought on by exertion or stress.
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Which of the following is the beneficial action of a beta blocker medication?
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Slows the heart rate
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Which of the following is NOT a typical indication of congestive heart failure?
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Low blood pressure
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Your patient is a 44-year-old female who has collapsed while jogging. She has been unresponsive for 4 to 5 minutes by the time you arrive. Her husband appears to be performing high-quality CPR. Which of the following should be your first action?
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Apply the AED.
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Your patient is a 60-year-old male who is complaining of severe chest pain and difficulty breathing. He is pale, sweaty, and pleads with you, "Don't let me die, I think I'm going to die." Which of the following measures is NOT part of your initial treatment of this patient?
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Applying the defibrillator pads to his chest
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Which of the following BEST describes the EMT's intended role in the ideal provision of emergency cardiac care?
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Early defibrillation
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Your patient is a 59-year-old man who has collapsed while working in the yard. He has been unresponsive for 4 to 5 minutes by the time you arrive. His neighbor is attempting CPR, but the quality is questionable. Which of the following should be your first action?
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Ask the neighbor to stop CPR so you can check the patient's pulse
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Which of the following should NOT be done during defibrillation?
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Continued ventilation during the analysis phase to prevent hypoxia
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Defibrillation is indicated for which of the following situations?
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Pulseless ventricular tachycardia
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Which of the following is NOT a reason that an AED may indicate that there is "no shock advised"?
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The patient is in ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia
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Which of the following is NOT a role of the EMT in providing emergency cardiac care?
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Administration of epinephrine
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Which of the following patients should have an automated external defibrillator applied?
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A 19-year-old college athlete who collapsed during football practice and is pulseless and apneic
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In which of the following ways does cardiac arrest in children differ from cardiac arrest in adults?
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Cardiac arrest in children is more likely to be due to respiratory failure
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When using an AED, which of the following people is responsible for calling to "clear" the patient before delivering a shock?
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The EMT operating the defibrillator
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Which of the following is the basis for applying an AED only to patients who are not breathing and who do NOT have a pulse?
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Defibrillators recognize ventricular tachycardia, which may be accompanied by a pulse.
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Which of the following BEST describes an appropriate shock sequence for the patient in pulseless VT?
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Shock, 2 minutes of CPR, analyze, shock again
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You are transporting a 50-year-old male patient whom you successfully defibrillated at the scene. You are 5 minutes away from the hospital when the patient goes back into cardiac arrest. Which of the following is the best course of action?
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Tell the driver to stop, analyze the cardiac rhythm, and deliver a shock as necessary.
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You are the first on the scene of a 72-year-old patient in cardiac arrest. You have your medical supply kit, oxygen, and an AED. At least 4 to 5 minutes of high-quality CPR has been provided by the police officer who arrived before you. You have confirmed an open airway, apnea, and pulselessness. Which of the following should you do next?
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Apply the defibrillator pads and shock as indicated.
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Your patient is a 66-year-old female who has regained a pulse after a shock with an AED; however, she remains unresponsive and is not breathing adequately. Which of the following should be done next?
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Assist ventilations with a bag-valve-mask device and supplemental oxygen and anticipate that the patient may go back into cardiac arrest.
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Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a continuous quality improvement program for AED?
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Improving patient outcomes in the community
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Which of the following is an action of insulin?
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It increases the movement of sugar from the bloodstream to the cell.
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For the reticular activating system to work correctly, what three substances are needed?
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Oxygen to perfuse brain tissue, glucose to nourish brain tissue, and water to keep the brain hydrated
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Which of the following may result in hypoglycemia in the diabetic patient?
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Vomiting after eating a meal
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During your primary assessment you find your patient has an altered mental status. This could indicate which of the following?
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Failing respiratory system
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Your patient is a 25-year-old female with a history of diabetes. She is confused, agitated, and verbally abusive to you, and she is very sweaty. Although she refuses to give a history of the present illness, you should suspect which of the following as the likely cause of the patient's presentation?
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Failure to intake sufficient sugar
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Your patient is a 44-year-old male with a history of diabetes. He is lying on the living room floor, unresponsive to all stimuli. He has a respiratory rate of 12 breaths per minute, heart rate of 112 beats per minute, and is pale and sweaty. Which of the following should you do to treat this patient?
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Place the patient in the recovery position, administer oxygen, and monitor his airway status.
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Which of the following blood glucose levels is considered normal for an adult?
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80 mg/dL
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A 14-year-old female is found unconscious in the bathroom just before lunch. Several girls say they saw her shoot up earlier in the day and the school resource officer has found a syringe in her backpack. The patient has cool and clammy skin, snoring respirations, and she vomited before she slumped to the floor. What might be the cause of her altered mental status?
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Hypoglycemia
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What is epilepsy?
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A condition in which a person has multiple seizures usually controlled by medication.
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There are two types of seizures; if your patient is having a seizure that affects only one body part and does not cause her to lose consciousness, it is called a:
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partial seizure.
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Your patient is a 19-year-old female who is 7 months pregnant. She has just experienced a seizure, although she has no previous history of seizures other than hypertension associated with the pregnancy. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the seizure?
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Eclampsia
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Your patient is waking up from a seizure; it was the patient's first seizure ever. When you ask what happened, the patient tells you she had the smell of fresh mown grass just before she seized. We call this sensation a(n):
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aura.
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Which of the following is the LEAST important question in obtaining the history of a seizure patient in the prehospital setting?
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Does the patient have a family history of seizures?
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You respond to a 32-year-old female who is having a seizure. You arrive on the scene to find the patient drowsy, confused, and complaining of a headache. This patient is demonstrating the
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postictal phase.
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Your patient is a 21-year-old female with a history of epilepsy. She is having a convulsion upon your arrival. Which of the following should you do?
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Move furniture and other objects away from the patient to prevent injury
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The death of brain tissue due to deprivation of oxygen because of a blocked or ruptured artery in the brain is known as which of the following?
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Stroke
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Which of the following is the cause of most strokes?
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Blockage of an artery supplying part of the brain
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Which of the following is one of the most common characteristics of a stroke?
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Weakness on one side of the body
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Which of the following refers to difficulty in speaking or understanding speech as a result of a stroke?
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Aphasia
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Your patient is a 70-year-old man whose wife called EMS because her husband began exhibiting unusual behavior. Upon your arrival you introduce yourself to the patient, who responds, "Not until nine o'clock." This phenomenon is BEST described as:
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receptive aphasia
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You have arrived on the scene of a call for a possible stroke. On your arrival, the patient denies signs and symptoms, is alert and oriented, and moves all extremities well. Her husband states that before you arrived the patient could not move her right arm and the left side of her face seemed to be "slack." Which of the following has most likely occurred?
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The patient suffered a transient ischemic attack.
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The signs and symptoms of a transient ischemic attack may last up to:
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24 hours.
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Which of the following is NOT a common sign or symptom of stroke?
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Chest pain
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Your patient is a 59-year-old female with a sudden onset of slurred speech and weakness on her right side. Which of the following measures is appropriate?
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Immediately transport the patient to a hospital with specialized treatment for stroke patients.
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Your patient is an unresponsive 30-year-old male wearing a Medic-Alert bracelet indicating that he is a diabetic. The patient's coworkers came by his house to check on him when he did not show up for work and did not call in sick. Your assessment does not clearly indicate to you whether the patient may be hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic. As you are completing your assessment, the patient's sister arrives at the scene. Which of the following should you do next?
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Apply oxygen and begin transport without taking further action.
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Which of the following is the correct position of transport for a stroke patient with left-sided paralysis, a decreased level of consciousness, and an inability to maintain his or her airway?
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Lying on the left side
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Which of the following is characteristic of a patient with hyperglycemia?
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Flushed, hot, dry skin and a "fruity" odor of the breath
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For the EMT, which of the following is the most important question to ask of a diabetic patient or his family members?
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When was the last time you had something to eat?
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Which of the following is within the EMT's scope of practice for the treatment of the diabetic patient?
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Administration of oral glucose
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A patient who demonstrates any one of the three symptoms from the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale has a ______ percent chance of having an acute stroke.
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70
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Which of the following is the most critical piece of equipment to have immediately available for the seizure patient who has just stopped convulsing?
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Suction
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What are the three items that make up the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale?
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Ask the patient to smile, hold his arms straight out in front of him with his eyes closed, and ask him to say a sentence to see if it is clear.
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With advances in clot-busting (thrombolytic) drugs, the patient has a window of _______ hours to receive treatment.
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3
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The medical term for fainting is:
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syncope.
