Chapter 18 Neurological Emergencies
Questions and Answers|Latest Update
Which of the following would MOST likely cause a sustained increase in intracranial pressure?
Intracranial tumor
When neurons are deprived of oxygen and glucose: they convert to anaerobic
metabolism.
You arrive at the scene shortly after a 7-year-old girl experienced a seizure. According to the
child's mother, she was sitting at the dinner table and then suddenly stopped speaking and
started blinking her eyes very rapidly. The episode lasted less than 1 minute, after which the
child's condition rapidly improved. This clinical presentation is consistent with a(n)
_____________ seizure. absence
Which of the following causes of altered mental status is NOT an acute process? Uremia
A 51-year-old man complains of chronic headaches that have worsened progressively over the
past 3 months. Today, he called 9-1-1 because his headache is severe and he is nauseated. His
,vital signs are stable and he is breathing adequately. The patient denies any medical problems
and states that he has been taking acetaminophen for the headaches. You should be MOST
suspicious for:. an intracranial neoplasm.
A 59-year-old woman presents with acute onset of confusion, left-sided hemiparesis, and a
right-sided facial droop. Her airway is patent and she is breathing adequately. Her blood
pressure is 150/100 mm Hg and her pulse is 70 beats/min. The cardiac monitor displays atrial
fibrillation with a variable rate of 60 to 90 beats/min. When obtaining the patient's medical
history from her husband, the MOST important question to ask him is: "When did you
first notice your wife's symptoms?"
A 29-year-old man, who was recently prescribed an antipsychotic medication, presents with an
acute onset of bizarre contortions of the face. Treatment should include:
diphenhydramine, 25 mg.
A 39-year-old woman presents with signs and symptoms of an acute hemorrhagic stroke. She is
responsive to deep painful stimuli only and has bilaterally dilated and sluggishly reactive pupils.
Her respirations are slow and irregular, blood pressure is 80/50 mm Hg, and pulse is 40 and
bounding. Initial treatment for this patient involves: positive-pressure ventilatory
support.
, A 56-year-old diabetic woman presents with numbness and tingling to both of her hands that
have gradually intensified over the past few weeks. Your assessment reveals stable vital signs,
adequate breathing, and a blood glucose level of 190 mg/dL. The cardiac monitor reveals a
normal sinus rhythm. The patient tells you that she has eaten but has not taken her insulin yet.
You should: provide supportive care and safely transport her to the hospital
A loss of balance and equilibrium suggests injury to the: cerebellum
A patient experiences severe, shock-like or stabbing pain to one side of the face. This is
consistent with: trigeminal neuralgia
A patient who is unable to use a common object is said to be: apraxic
A patient with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or less may require definitive airway
control.
A patient with a unilateral eyelid droop when smiling may be experiencing Bell palsy.
Questions and Answers|Latest Update
Which of the following would MOST likely cause a sustained increase in intracranial pressure?
Intracranial tumor
When neurons are deprived of oxygen and glucose: they convert to anaerobic
metabolism.
You arrive at the scene shortly after a 7-year-old girl experienced a seizure. According to the
child's mother, she was sitting at the dinner table and then suddenly stopped speaking and
started blinking her eyes very rapidly. The episode lasted less than 1 minute, after which the
child's condition rapidly improved. This clinical presentation is consistent with a(n)
_____________ seizure. absence
Which of the following causes of altered mental status is NOT an acute process? Uremia
A 51-year-old man complains of chronic headaches that have worsened progressively over the
past 3 months. Today, he called 9-1-1 because his headache is severe and he is nauseated. His
,vital signs are stable and he is breathing adequately. The patient denies any medical problems
and states that he has been taking acetaminophen for the headaches. You should be MOST
suspicious for:. an intracranial neoplasm.
A 59-year-old woman presents with acute onset of confusion, left-sided hemiparesis, and a
right-sided facial droop. Her airway is patent and she is breathing adequately. Her blood
pressure is 150/100 mm Hg and her pulse is 70 beats/min. The cardiac monitor displays atrial
fibrillation with a variable rate of 60 to 90 beats/min. When obtaining the patient's medical
history from her husband, the MOST important question to ask him is: "When did you
first notice your wife's symptoms?"
A 29-year-old man, who was recently prescribed an antipsychotic medication, presents with an
acute onset of bizarre contortions of the face. Treatment should include:
diphenhydramine, 25 mg.
A 39-year-old woman presents with signs and symptoms of an acute hemorrhagic stroke. She is
responsive to deep painful stimuli only and has bilaterally dilated and sluggishly reactive pupils.
Her respirations are slow and irregular, blood pressure is 80/50 mm Hg, and pulse is 40 and
bounding. Initial treatment for this patient involves: positive-pressure ventilatory
support.
, A 56-year-old diabetic woman presents with numbness and tingling to both of her hands that
have gradually intensified over the past few weeks. Your assessment reveals stable vital signs,
adequate breathing, and a blood glucose level of 190 mg/dL. The cardiac monitor reveals a
normal sinus rhythm. The patient tells you that she has eaten but has not taken her insulin yet.
You should: provide supportive care and safely transport her to the hospital
A loss of balance and equilibrium suggests injury to the: cerebellum
A patient experiences severe, shock-like or stabbing pain to one side of the face. This is
consistent with: trigeminal neuralgia
A patient who is unable to use a common object is said to be: apraxic
A patient with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or less may require definitive airway
control.
A patient with a unilateral eyelid droop when smiling may be experiencing Bell palsy.
