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Paramedic Final Exam Review Questions and
Correct Answers
A 71-year-old man with a history of emphysema, coronary artery
disease, and hypertension presents with increased shortness of
breath and fatigue. His oxygen saturation is 80% on home oxygen
at 2 L/min via nasal cannula. His blood pressure is 140/76 mm Hg,
pulse rate is 104 beats/min, and respirations are 28 breaths/min
and labored. His medications include an albuterol inhaler,
prednisone, hydrochlorothiazide, and lisinopril. Auscultation of
his lungs reveals scattered wheezing in all fields. Which of the
following prehospital interventions is NOT indicated for this
patient? Ans: Subcutaneous epinephrine
After falls, _______________ is/are the second leading cause of
accidental death among elderly people. Ans: motor vehicle
crashes
After obtaining an elderly patient's chief complaint, gathering
additional information about the history of present illness would
MOST likely be complicated because: Ans: chronic problems may
affect the acute problem.
Aging brings a widespread decrease in bone mass, especially: Ans:
in postmenopausal women
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, 2 | Page
Aging kidneys have a decreased glomerular filtration rate, which
predisposes an older person to all of the following conditions,
EXCEPT: Ans: profound dehydration
A key element of the "G" in the GEMS diamond includes: Ans:
recalling that elderly patients often present atypically.
An 82-year-old man presents with confusion that has worsened
progressively over the past 2 weeks. Because of his confusion and
the fact that he is hearing impaired, you obtain the majority of
your medical history information from his daughter. She tells you
that her father has high blood pressure but refuses to take
medication for it. She also tells you that she thinks he fell about 3
weeks ago, although he denies falling. The patient's blood pressure
is 168/98 mm Hg, pulse rate is 60 beats/min and occasionally
irregular, and respirations are 22 breaths/min and regular. This
patient MOST likely: Ans: is experiencing a subdural hematoma
An elderly person is at increased risk for aspiration, primarily
from: Ans: decreased cough and gag reflexes
An increase in blood pressure that commonly occurs with aging is
physiologically exacerbated by: Ans: an overproduction of
collagen and decreased quantities of elastin.
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, 3 | Page
Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative change in the cervical spine
that causes: Ans: narrowing of the spinal canal and pressure on
the spinal cord.
Components of the environmental assessment of an elderly
patient include all of the following, EXCEPT: Ans: inquiring about
any delays in obtaining food.
Decreased elasticity of the lungs and calcification of the
costochondral cartilage results in: Ans: an increase in residual
lung volume.
Failure of the heart's primary pacemaker and the development of
alternate pacemakers in the atria would MOST likely result in: Ans:
atrial fibrillation
Heat gain or loss in response to environmental changes is delayed
in elderly people for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT: Ans:
chronic hyperthyroidism
Hypotension and orthostatic vital sign changes would MOST likely
occur in elderly people who take: Ans: diuretics
In contrast to a 30-year-old man, if a 70-year-old man were to
consume an excessive amount of alcohol: Ans: he would
experience a higher blood alcohol concentration due to decreases
in body mass and total body water.
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, 4 | Page
MOST age-related visual disturbances are the result of: Ans:
cataracts or glaucoma
Physiologic age-related decreases in skin elasticity are the result
of: Ans: decreased collagen and elastin production.
Presbycusis is defined as: Ans: loss of high-frequency sounds and
the inability to differentiate a particular sound from background
noise.
Resting tremor of an extremity and bradykinesia are associated
with: Ans: Parkinson Disease
The medical assessment of an elderly patient can be complex
because: Ans: he or she often has more than one medical
condition.
Therapeutic doses of certain drugs may reach toxic levels in older
people due to deterioration of the: Ans: liver
The son of a 76-year-old woman called 9-1-1 because his mother is
"ill". The patient presents with mild confusion, poor skin turgor,
and tachycardia. She is incontinent of urine and asks you for a
glass of water. Her son tells you that she had not been feeling well
for the past several weeks, but would not allow him to take her to
the doctor. Which of the following assessment parameters will
© 2025 All rights reserved
Paramedic Final Exam Review Questions and
Correct Answers
A 71-year-old man with a history of emphysema, coronary artery
disease, and hypertension presents with increased shortness of
breath and fatigue. His oxygen saturation is 80% on home oxygen
at 2 L/min via nasal cannula. His blood pressure is 140/76 mm Hg,
pulse rate is 104 beats/min, and respirations are 28 breaths/min
and labored. His medications include an albuterol inhaler,
prednisone, hydrochlorothiazide, and lisinopril. Auscultation of
his lungs reveals scattered wheezing in all fields. Which of the
following prehospital interventions is NOT indicated for this
patient? Ans: Subcutaneous epinephrine
After falls, _______________ is/are the second leading cause of
accidental death among elderly people. Ans: motor vehicle
crashes
After obtaining an elderly patient's chief complaint, gathering
additional information about the history of present illness would
MOST likely be complicated because: Ans: chronic problems may
affect the acute problem.
Aging brings a widespread decrease in bone mass, especially: Ans:
in postmenopausal women
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
Aging kidneys have a decreased glomerular filtration rate, which
predisposes an older person to all of the following conditions,
EXCEPT: Ans: profound dehydration
A key element of the "G" in the GEMS diamond includes: Ans:
recalling that elderly patients often present atypically.
An 82-year-old man presents with confusion that has worsened
progressively over the past 2 weeks. Because of his confusion and
the fact that he is hearing impaired, you obtain the majority of
your medical history information from his daughter. She tells you
that her father has high blood pressure but refuses to take
medication for it. She also tells you that she thinks he fell about 3
weeks ago, although he denies falling. The patient's blood pressure
is 168/98 mm Hg, pulse rate is 60 beats/min and occasionally
irregular, and respirations are 22 breaths/min and regular. This
patient MOST likely: Ans: is experiencing a subdural hematoma
An elderly person is at increased risk for aspiration, primarily
from: Ans: decreased cough and gag reflexes
An increase in blood pressure that commonly occurs with aging is
physiologically exacerbated by: Ans: an overproduction of
collagen and decreased quantities of elastin.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative change in the cervical spine
that causes: Ans: narrowing of the spinal canal and pressure on
the spinal cord.
Components of the environmental assessment of an elderly
patient include all of the following, EXCEPT: Ans: inquiring about
any delays in obtaining food.
Decreased elasticity of the lungs and calcification of the
costochondral cartilage results in: Ans: an increase in residual
lung volume.
Failure of the heart's primary pacemaker and the development of
alternate pacemakers in the atria would MOST likely result in: Ans:
atrial fibrillation
Heat gain or loss in response to environmental changes is delayed
in elderly people for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT: Ans:
chronic hyperthyroidism
Hypotension and orthostatic vital sign changes would MOST likely
occur in elderly people who take: Ans: diuretics
In contrast to a 30-year-old man, if a 70-year-old man were to
consume an excessive amount of alcohol: Ans: he would
experience a higher blood alcohol concentration due to decreases
in body mass and total body water.
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4 | Page
MOST age-related visual disturbances are the result of: Ans:
cataracts or glaucoma
Physiologic age-related decreases in skin elasticity are the result
of: Ans: decreased collagen and elastin production.
Presbycusis is defined as: Ans: loss of high-frequency sounds and
the inability to differentiate a particular sound from background
noise.
Resting tremor of an extremity and bradykinesia are associated
with: Ans: Parkinson Disease
The medical assessment of an elderly patient can be complex
because: Ans: he or she often has more than one medical
condition.
Therapeutic doses of certain drugs may reach toxic levels in older
people due to deterioration of the: Ans: liver
The son of a 76-year-old woman called 9-1-1 because his mother is
"ill". The patient presents with mild confusion, poor skin turgor,
and tachycardia. She is incontinent of urine and asks you for a
glass of water. Her son tells you that she had not been feeling well
for the past several weeks, but would not allow him to take her to
the doctor. Which of the following assessment parameters will
© 2025 All rights reserved
