Toxicology Practice Questions And
Correct Answers 2025
1. Substance abuse is MOST accurately defined as: A. knowingly selling illicit drugs in order to
buy more drugs. B. willfully using a therapeutic drug to treat a medical illness. C. unwillingly
and unknowingly consuming drugs or alcohol. D. knowingly misusing a substance to produce
a desired effect. -(correct answer)D 2. The EMT's primary responsibility to the patient who has
been poisoned is to: A. administer the appropriate antidote. B. recognize that a poisoning
occurred. C. administer 25 g of activated charcoal. D. contact poison control immediately.
-(correct answer)B 3. Heroin is an example of a(n): A. opioid. B. hypnotic. C. cholinergic. D.
sympathomimetic. -(correct answer)A 4. Hypotension, hypoventilation, and pinpoint pupils
would be expected following an overdose of: A. ecstasy. B. oxycodone (Percocet). C.
amphetamine sulfate (Benzedrine). D. crack cocaine. -(correct answer)B 5. Signs and
symptoms of a sympathomimetic drug overdose include: A. sedation. B. tachycardia. C.
hypotension. D. slurred speech. -(correct answer)B 6. Which of the following drugs is NOT a
sedative-hypnotic? A. secobarbital (Seconal) B. diazepam (Valium) C. cocaine D.
flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) -(correct answer)C 7. Your paramedic partner administers atropine
to a 49-year-old male with bradycardia. Which of the following side effects would you expect
the patient to experience? A. pupillary constriction B. excessive lacrimation C. a fall in blood
pressure D. dry mucous membranes -(correct answer)D 8. Which of the following questions
would be of LEAST pertinence during the initial questioning of a patient who ingested a
substance? A. How much of the substance was taken? B. How long ago was it taken? C. What
type of substance was taken? D. Why was the substance ingested? -(correct answer)D 9. A
poison that enters the body by __________ is the MOST difficult to treat. A. injection B.
ingestion C. inhalation D. absorption -(correct answer)A 10. The poison control center will be
able to provide you with the most information regarding the appropriate treatment for a patient
with a drug overdose if the center: A. knows the location of the closest hospital. B. is aware of
the patient's age and gender. C. is aware of the substance that is involved. D. knows why the
, patient overdosed on the drug. -(correct answer)C 11. Which of the following statements
regarding inhaled poisons is correct? A. Lung damage may progress after the patient is
removed from the environment. B. Carbon monoxide is very irritating to the upper airway and
may cause swelling. C. Burns around the eyes are the most common indication of an
inhalation poisoning. D. Chlorine is a colorless and odorless gas that causes hypoxia and
pulmonary edema. -(correct answer)A 12. Your priority in caring for a patient with a surface
contact poisoning is to: A. move the patient to a safe area. B. avoid contaminating yourself. C.
decontaminate the patient's skin. D. obtain and maintain a patent airway. -(correct answer)B
13. Phosphorus or elemental sodium should be brushed off of the skin instead of irrigated with
water because: A. water makes these chemicals impossible to remove. B. severe swelling will
occur when mixed with water. C. this will eliminate the chances of you being exposed. D. these
chemicals may ignite upon contact with water. -(correct answer)D 14. Most poisonings occur
via the __________ route. A. ingestion B. injection C. inhalation D. absorption -(correct
answer)A 15. Syrup of ipecac is no longer recommended to treat patients who have ingested a
poisonous substance because it: A. has been linked to hypotension. B. does not effectively
induce vomiting. C. may result in aspiration of vomitus. D. has toxic effects on the myocardium.
-(correct answer)C 16. Activated charcoal is given to patients who have ingested certain
substances because it: A. induces vomiting and empties the stomach. B. binds to the
substance and prevents absorption. C. decreases absorption of poisons into the lungs. D. is a
direct antidote for many toxic substances. -(correct answer)B 17. In general, injected poisons
are impossible to dilute or remove because they: A. are usually absorbed quickly into the body.
B. are usually fatal within 30 minutes of exposure. C. absorb slowly into the body, despite their
potency. D. react with the blood, which increases their toxicity. -(correct answer)A 18. As you
enter the residence of a patient who has possibly overdosed, you should: A. be alert for
personal hazards. B. look for drug paraphernalia. C. observe the scene for drug bottles. D.
quickly gain access to the patient. -(correct answer)A 19. Your unit is dispatched to the county
jail for an intoxicated inmate. Upon arrival, you find the patient, a 33-year-old male, lying
Correct Answers 2025
1. Substance abuse is MOST accurately defined as: A. knowingly selling illicit drugs in order to
buy more drugs. B. willfully using a therapeutic drug to treat a medical illness. C. unwillingly
and unknowingly consuming drugs or alcohol. D. knowingly misusing a substance to produce
a desired effect. -(correct answer)D 2. The EMT's primary responsibility to the patient who has
been poisoned is to: A. administer the appropriate antidote. B. recognize that a poisoning
occurred. C. administer 25 g of activated charcoal. D. contact poison control immediately.
-(correct answer)B 3. Heroin is an example of a(n): A. opioid. B. hypnotic. C. cholinergic. D.
sympathomimetic. -(correct answer)A 4. Hypotension, hypoventilation, and pinpoint pupils
would be expected following an overdose of: A. ecstasy. B. oxycodone (Percocet). C.
amphetamine sulfate (Benzedrine). D. crack cocaine. -(correct answer)B 5. Signs and
symptoms of a sympathomimetic drug overdose include: A. sedation. B. tachycardia. C.
hypotension. D. slurred speech. -(correct answer)B 6. Which of the following drugs is NOT a
sedative-hypnotic? A. secobarbital (Seconal) B. diazepam (Valium) C. cocaine D.
flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) -(correct answer)C 7. Your paramedic partner administers atropine
to a 49-year-old male with bradycardia. Which of the following side effects would you expect
the patient to experience? A. pupillary constriction B. excessive lacrimation C. a fall in blood
pressure D. dry mucous membranes -(correct answer)D 8. Which of the following questions
would be of LEAST pertinence during the initial questioning of a patient who ingested a
substance? A. How much of the substance was taken? B. How long ago was it taken? C. What
type of substance was taken? D. Why was the substance ingested? -(correct answer)D 9. A
poison that enters the body by __________ is the MOST difficult to treat. A. injection B.
ingestion C. inhalation D. absorption -(correct answer)A 10. The poison control center will be
able to provide you with the most information regarding the appropriate treatment for a patient
with a drug overdose if the center: A. knows the location of the closest hospital. B. is aware of
the patient's age and gender. C. is aware of the substance that is involved. D. knows why the
, patient overdosed on the drug. -(correct answer)C 11. Which of the following statements
regarding inhaled poisons is correct? A. Lung damage may progress after the patient is
removed from the environment. B. Carbon monoxide is very irritating to the upper airway and
may cause swelling. C. Burns around the eyes are the most common indication of an
inhalation poisoning. D. Chlorine is a colorless and odorless gas that causes hypoxia and
pulmonary edema. -(correct answer)A 12. Your priority in caring for a patient with a surface
contact poisoning is to: A. move the patient to a safe area. B. avoid contaminating yourself. C.
decontaminate the patient's skin. D. obtain and maintain a patent airway. -(correct answer)B
13. Phosphorus or elemental sodium should be brushed off of the skin instead of irrigated with
water because: A. water makes these chemicals impossible to remove. B. severe swelling will
occur when mixed with water. C. this will eliminate the chances of you being exposed. D. these
chemicals may ignite upon contact with water. -(correct answer)D 14. Most poisonings occur
via the __________ route. A. ingestion B. injection C. inhalation D. absorption -(correct
answer)A 15. Syrup of ipecac is no longer recommended to treat patients who have ingested a
poisonous substance because it: A. has been linked to hypotension. B. does not effectively
induce vomiting. C. may result in aspiration of vomitus. D. has toxic effects on the myocardium.
-(correct answer)C 16. Activated charcoal is given to patients who have ingested certain
substances because it: A. induces vomiting and empties the stomach. B. binds to the
substance and prevents absorption. C. decreases absorption of poisons into the lungs. D. is a
direct antidote for many toxic substances. -(correct answer)B 17. In general, injected poisons
are impossible to dilute or remove because they: A. are usually absorbed quickly into the body.
B. are usually fatal within 30 minutes of exposure. C. absorb slowly into the body, despite their
potency. D. react with the blood, which increases their toxicity. -(correct answer)A 18. As you
enter the residence of a patient who has possibly overdosed, you should: A. be alert for
personal hazards. B. look for drug paraphernalia. C. observe the scene for drug bottles. D.
quickly gain access to the patient. -(correct answer)A 19. Your unit is dispatched to the county
jail for an intoxicated inmate. Upon arrival, you find the patient, a 33-year-old male, lying
