NREMT- Cardiology Questios And Answers 2022

In addition to chest pain or discomfort, a patient experiencing an acute coronary syndrome would MOST likely present with: A: severe projectile vomiting and flushed skin. B: irregular breathing and low blood pressure. C: ashen skin color, diaphoresis, and anxiety. D: profound cyanosis, dry skin, and a headache. - Answer - C; Chest pain, pressure, or discomfort is the most common symptom of acute coronary syndrome, or ACS (eg, unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction); it occurs in approximately 80% of cases. Patients with ACS are usually anxious and may have a feeling of impending doom. Nausea and vomiting are common complaints; however, projectile vomiting, which is typically associated with increased intracranial pressure, is uncommon. The skin is often ashen gray and clammy (diaphoretic) because of poor cardiac output and decreased perfusion. Less commonly, the patient's skin is cyanotic. Respirations are usually unlabored unless the patient has congestive heart failure, in which case respirations are rapid and labored; irregular breathing, however, is not common. Blood pressure may fall as a result of decreased cardiac output; however, most patients will have a normal or elevated blood pressure. If the patient complains of a headache, it is usually a side effect of the nitroglycerin they took before your arrival; ACS itself usually does not cause a headache. Which of the following patients would MOST likely present with vague or unusual symptoms of an acute myocardial infarction? A: 55-year-old obese female B: 66-year-old male with angina C: 72-year-old female with diabetes D: 75-year-old male with hypertension - Answer - C; Not all patients experiencing acute myocardial infarction (AMI) present with the classic signs and symptoms one would expect. Middle-aged men often minimize their symptoms and attribute their chest pain or discomfort to indigestion. Some patients, however, do not experience any pain. In particular, elderly women with diabetes may present with vague, unusual, or atypical symptoms of AMI; their only presenting complaint may be fatigue or syncope. Do not rule out a cardiac problem just because a patient is not experiencing chest pain, pressure, or discomfort; this is especially true in elderly females with diabetes. During your assessment of a 70-year-old man with crushing chest pain, you note that his blood pressure is 80/50 mm Hg. Your MOST important action should be to: A: assess his oxygen saturation. B: keep the patient warm. C: give high-flow oxygen.