SAEM EMERGENCY MEDICINE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
WhatA2areA2theA2topA23A2causesA2ofA2morbidity/mortalityA2inA2acuteA2chestA2pain?A2-
A2Ans--ACS
pulmonaryA2embolism
aorticA2dissection
WhatA2isA2theA2cardioversionA2andA2defibrillationA2joules?A2-A2Ans--cardioversionA2=A250-
100A2J
defibrillationA2=A2200A2J
WhatA2isA2theA2mostA2commonA2EKGA2findingA2inA2aA2pulmonaryA2embolus?
A2WhatA2shouldA2youA2beA2onA2theA2lookoutA2for?A2-A2Ans--
mostA2commonA2=A2sinusA2tachycardia
lookA2forA2=A2"S1Q3T3"A2(largeA2SA2waveA2inA2leadA2IA2+A2QA2waveA2inA2leadA23A2+A2TA2wa
veA2inversionA2inA2leadA23)
WhatA2shouldA2youA2worryA2aboutA2ifA2aA2patient'sA2EKGA2showsA2electricalA2alternans?
A2WhatA2doesA2thisA2lookA2like?A2-A2Ans--cardiacA2tamponade!
A2looksA2likeA2alternatingA2bigA2andA2smallA2spikes
DescribeA2theA2basicA2evolutionA2ofA2theA2EKGA2ofA2aA2patientA2havingA2aA2STEMIA2-
A2Ans--1-normal
2-A2TA2wavesA2becomeA2wideA2andA2tall
3-A2STA2elevation
4-A2QA2wavesA2andA2TA2waveA2inversion
5-A2QA2wavesA2persistA2butA2TA2waveA2normalizes
chestA2pain,A2weakness,A2nausea,A2fatigueA2
classicA2presentationA2ofA2___________________A2-A2Ans--ACS!
pleuriticA2chestA2pain,A2shortnessA2ofA2breath,A2anxiety
classicA2presentationA2ofA2___________________A2-A2Ans--pulmonaryA2embolism
aA2patientA2withA2SOBA2isA2foundA2onA2physicalA2examA2toA2haveA2tachycardia,A2clearA2lu
ngA2sounds,A2andA2aA2swollenA2leg
classicA2presentationA2ofA2___________________A2-A2Ans--pulmonaryA2embolism
, suddenA2onA2setA2severeA2chestA2painA2thatA2ripsA2throughA2toA2theA2back;A2unequalA2blo
odA2pressuresA2onA2PE
classicA2presentationA2ofA2___________________A2-A2Ans--aorticA2dissection
HowA2doesA2cardioversionA2work?A2-A2Ans--usedA2toA2stopA2tachyarrhythmiasA2--
>A2theA2impulseA2isA2deliveredA2atA2theA2peakA2ofA2anA2RA2waveA2(preventsA2goingA2intoA2
vA2fib)
WhatA2areA25A2indicationsA2forA2cardioversion?A2-A2Ans--
1.A2ventricularA2tachycardiaA2withA2aA2pulse
2.A2supraventricularA2tachycardiasA2withA2hypotension
3.A2atrialA2fibrillation
4.A2atrialA2flutter
5.A2AVNRT
WhatA2areA2threeA2indicationsA2forA2defibrillation?A2-A2Ans--
ventricularA2tachycardiaA2withoutA2aA2pulse
ventricularA2fibrillation
torsadesA2deA2pointesA2withoutA2pulse
WhatA2areA2fiveA2indicationsA2forA2ICD?A2-A2Ans--1.A2hxA2ofA2suddenA2cardiacA2death
2.A2BrugadaA2syndromeA2
3.A2CHFA2patientsA2withA2EFA2<A235%A2onA2maxA2medicalA2therapy
4.A2longA2QTA2syndrome
5.A2hypertrophicA2cardiomyopathy
CPRA2shouldA2beA2conductedA2withA2chestA2compressionsA2andA2breathsA2viaA2bagA2mas
kA2inA2thisA2ratioA2-A2Ans--30A2chestA2compressionsA2thenA22A2breathsA2
(ifA2intubatedA2thenA2continuousA2compressionsA2andA21A2breathA2everyA26A2seconds)
DescribeA2highA2qualityA2chestA2compressionsA2-A2Ans--100-
120A2compressionsA2perA2minuteA2atA2aA2depthA2ofA22A2toA22.4A2inchesA2
patientA2onA2hardA2surfaceA2orA2backA2boardA2
watchA2forA2fullA2chestA2recoilA2inA2between
DuringA2CPR,A2providersA2givingA2chestA2compressionsA2shouldA2switchA2everyA2-A2Ans--
2A2minutesA2(5A2cyclesA2ofA230A2compressionsA2andA22A2breaths)
DescribeA2ventricularA2tachycardiaA2-A2Ans--wideA2regularA2QRSA2complexes
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
WhatA2areA2theA2topA23A2causesA2ofA2morbidity/mortalityA2inA2acuteA2chestA2pain?A2-
A2Ans--ACS
pulmonaryA2embolism
aorticA2dissection
WhatA2isA2theA2cardioversionA2andA2defibrillationA2joules?A2-A2Ans--cardioversionA2=A250-
100A2J
defibrillationA2=A2200A2J
WhatA2isA2theA2mostA2commonA2EKGA2findingA2inA2aA2pulmonaryA2embolus?
A2WhatA2shouldA2youA2beA2onA2theA2lookoutA2for?A2-A2Ans--
mostA2commonA2=A2sinusA2tachycardia
lookA2forA2=A2"S1Q3T3"A2(largeA2SA2waveA2inA2leadA2IA2+A2QA2waveA2inA2leadA23A2+A2TA2wa
veA2inversionA2inA2leadA23)
WhatA2shouldA2youA2worryA2aboutA2ifA2aA2patient'sA2EKGA2showsA2electricalA2alternans?
A2WhatA2doesA2thisA2lookA2like?A2-A2Ans--cardiacA2tamponade!
A2looksA2likeA2alternatingA2bigA2andA2smallA2spikes
DescribeA2theA2basicA2evolutionA2ofA2theA2EKGA2ofA2aA2patientA2havingA2aA2STEMIA2-
A2Ans--1-normal
2-A2TA2wavesA2becomeA2wideA2andA2tall
3-A2STA2elevation
4-A2QA2wavesA2andA2TA2waveA2inversion
5-A2QA2wavesA2persistA2butA2TA2waveA2normalizes
chestA2pain,A2weakness,A2nausea,A2fatigueA2
classicA2presentationA2ofA2___________________A2-A2Ans--ACS!
pleuriticA2chestA2pain,A2shortnessA2ofA2breath,A2anxiety
classicA2presentationA2ofA2___________________A2-A2Ans--pulmonaryA2embolism
aA2patientA2withA2SOBA2isA2foundA2onA2physicalA2examA2toA2haveA2tachycardia,A2clearA2lu
ngA2sounds,A2andA2aA2swollenA2leg
classicA2presentationA2ofA2___________________A2-A2Ans--pulmonaryA2embolism
, suddenA2onA2setA2severeA2chestA2painA2thatA2ripsA2throughA2toA2theA2back;A2unequalA2blo
odA2pressuresA2onA2PE
classicA2presentationA2ofA2___________________A2-A2Ans--aorticA2dissection
HowA2doesA2cardioversionA2work?A2-A2Ans--usedA2toA2stopA2tachyarrhythmiasA2--
>A2theA2impulseA2isA2deliveredA2atA2theA2peakA2ofA2anA2RA2waveA2(preventsA2goingA2intoA2
vA2fib)
WhatA2areA25A2indicationsA2forA2cardioversion?A2-A2Ans--
1.A2ventricularA2tachycardiaA2withA2aA2pulse
2.A2supraventricularA2tachycardiasA2withA2hypotension
3.A2atrialA2fibrillation
4.A2atrialA2flutter
5.A2AVNRT
WhatA2areA2threeA2indicationsA2forA2defibrillation?A2-A2Ans--
ventricularA2tachycardiaA2withoutA2aA2pulse
ventricularA2fibrillation
torsadesA2deA2pointesA2withoutA2pulse
WhatA2areA2fiveA2indicationsA2forA2ICD?A2-A2Ans--1.A2hxA2ofA2suddenA2cardiacA2death
2.A2BrugadaA2syndromeA2
3.A2CHFA2patientsA2withA2EFA2<A235%A2onA2maxA2medicalA2therapy
4.A2longA2QTA2syndrome
5.A2hypertrophicA2cardiomyopathy
CPRA2shouldA2beA2conductedA2withA2chestA2compressionsA2andA2breathsA2viaA2bagA2mas
kA2inA2thisA2ratioA2-A2Ans--30A2chestA2compressionsA2thenA22A2breathsA2
(ifA2intubatedA2thenA2continuousA2compressionsA2andA21A2breathA2everyA26A2seconds)
DescribeA2highA2qualityA2chestA2compressionsA2-A2Ans--100-
120A2compressionsA2perA2minuteA2atA2aA2depthA2ofA22A2toA22.4A2inchesA2
patientA2onA2hardA2surfaceA2orA2backA2boardA2
watchA2forA2fullA2chestA2recoilA2inA2between
DuringA2CPR,A2providersA2givingA2chestA2compressionsA2shouldA2switchA2everyA2-A2Ans--
2A2minutesA2(5A2cyclesA2ofA230A2compressionsA2andA22A2breaths)
DescribeA2ventricularA2tachycardiaA2-A2Ans--wideA2regularA2QRSA2complexes
