Emergency Medicine Exam
Questions and Answers Latest
Versions 2025 A+
What type of lung d/o is acutely reversible?
asthma
What causes distress in asthma attacks?
Muscle constriction
Mucus production in lungs
What is a treatment summary of treating asthma
exacerbations in ER?
Duoneb x 3 + steroids
Just albuterol
Magnesium
What does duoneb do to help breathing?
Reduce muscle constriction
What do steroids do to help breathing?
Reduce inflammation (~1hr onset)
What does magnesium do to help breathing?
Stabilize ion flow in the alveolar membrane
How do you make sure someone is using their duoneb
correctly?
Peak Flow Meter (80% = use inhaler; 50% = go to ER)
What is the most common cause of bronchitis?
Viral pathogens
Therefore, do you give abx for bronchitis?
NO - viral
,How do you differentiate Bronchitis from Pneumonia in the
ER?
In bronchitis: CXR = negative (no fluffy infiltrates)
What will a patient with bronchitis usually say?
"I have a fever, cough with sputum, and i'm wheezing a lot"
How do you treat bronchitis?
Bronchodilators
Steroids - reserve these for patients that are really struggling to
breathe
Cough Suppressants
What do you have to check if you are giving someone
steroids?
Blood sugar → can cause bl glucose fluctuations
What part of the lungs does:
Bronchitis affect?
Upper Lung
What part of the lung does Bronchiolitis affect?
Lower Lung
If a child comes in with a cough and difficulty breathing
AFTER AN RSV INFECTION, what do they usually have?
Bronchiolitis
How many views should you get on CXR?
at least 2
What predisposes someone to having a PE? (9 things)
1. Previous PE/DVT
2. Recent surgery (virchows triad) - esp abd/pelvic surgery
3. Clotting disorders
4. Fam hx of PE
5. Immobility/bed bound
6. Malignancy
7. Oral Contraceptive Pills
, 8. Pregnancy
9. Cardiac dz → afib or CHF
What does PERC criteria tell you?
If no to all criteria, chances of having PE is less than 2%.
What is the problem with PERC criteria?
Most females over 18yo are on birth control, therefore this criteria
can really only be used in a subset of patients (has limited
effectiveness for women)
What type of pain does a PE cause?
"Pleuritic chest pain" or "pain as you breath in"
What is the diagnostic imaging of choice to dx PE?
CT
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in alcoholics?
klebsiella, staph aureus (this is due to aspiration)
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in college students?
mycoplasma, chlamydia
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in kids under 1yo?
RSV
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in Immigrants w/ hemoptysis?
TB
Hemoptysis w/ night sweats, weight loss suggests what dx?
TB
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in COPD?
h flu
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in those with exposure to air conditioning or
aerosolized H2O?
Questions and Answers Latest
Versions 2025 A+
What type of lung d/o is acutely reversible?
asthma
What causes distress in asthma attacks?
Muscle constriction
Mucus production in lungs
What is a treatment summary of treating asthma
exacerbations in ER?
Duoneb x 3 + steroids
Just albuterol
Magnesium
What does duoneb do to help breathing?
Reduce muscle constriction
What do steroids do to help breathing?
Reduce inflammation (~1hr onset)
What does magnesium do to help breathing?
Stabilize ion flow in the alveolar membrane
How do you make sure someone is using their duoneb
correctly?
Peak Flow Meter (80% = use inhaler; 50% = go to ER)
What is the most common cause of bronchitis?
Viral pathogens
Therefore, do you give abx for bronchitis?
NO - viral
,How do you differentiate Bronchitis from Pneumonia in the
ER?
In bronchitis: CXR = negative (no fluffy infiltrates)
What will a patient with bronchitis usually say?
"I have a fever, cough with sputum, and i'm wheezing a lot"
How do you treat bronchitis?
Bronchodilators
Steroids - reserve these for patients that are really struggling to
breathe
Cough Suppressants
What do you have to check if you are giving someone
steroids?
Blood sugar → can cause bl glucose fluctuations
What part of the lungs does:
Bronchitis affect?
Upper Lung
What part of the lung does Bronchiolitis affect?
Lower Lung
If a child comes in with a cough and difficulty breathing
AFTER AN RSV INFECTION, what do they usually have?
Bronchiolitis
How many views should you get on CXR?
at least 2
What predisposes someone to having a PE? (9 things)
1. Previous PE/DVT
2. Recent surgery (virchows triad) - esp abd/pelvic surgery
3. Clotting disorders
4. Fam hx of PE
5. Immobility/bed bound
6. Malignancy
7. Oral Contraceptive Pills
, 8. Pregnancy
9. Cardiac dz → afib or CHF
What does PERC criteria tell you?
If no to all criteria, chances of having PE is less than 2%.
What is the problem with PERC criteria?
Most females over 18yo are on birth control, therefore this criteria
can really only be used in a subset of patients (has limited
effectiveness for women)
What type of pain does a PE cause?
"Pleuritic chest pain" or "pain as you breath in"
What is the diagnostic imaging of choice to dx PE?
CT
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in alcoholics?
klebsiella, staph aureus (this is due to aspiration)
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in college students?
mycoplasma, chlamydia
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in kids under 1yo?
RSV
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in Immigrants w/ hemoptysis?
TB
Hemoptysis w/ night sweats, weight loss suggests what dx?
TB
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in COPD?
h flu
What bacteria causes different pneumonia/respiratory
infections in those with exposure to air conditioning or
aerosolized H2O?
