Respiratory Emergencies Questions with Detailed
Verified Answers for Accuracy
You are assisting an asthma patient with his prescribed
metered-dose inhaler. After the patient takes a deep breath and
depresses the inhaler, you should:
✓✓ instruct him to hold his breath for as long as he
comfortably can.
A 30-year-old male presents with acute shortness of breath,
widespread hives, facial swelling, and a red rash on his neck
and chest. He denies any past medical history and takes no
medications. During your assessment, you hear wheezing over
all lung fields. His blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg and his
heart rate is 110 beats/min. According to the NM EMT-Basic
Scope of Practice and in addition to giving him 100% oxygen,
the MOST important medication for this patient is:
✓✓ epinephrine.
A 62-year-old man with a history of congestive heart failure
presents with severe respiratory distress and an oxygen
saturation of 82%. When you auscultate his lungs, you hear
widespread rales. He is conscious and alert, is able to follow
simple commands, and can only speak in two- to three-word
sentences at a time. With all resources at your disposal, which
of the following treatment plans will benifit the patient the
MOST:
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✓✓ apply a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device,
monitor his blood
pressure, and observe him for signs of improvement or
deterioration.
Harsh, high-pitched inspiratory sounds are characteristic of:
✓✓ Stridor
Which of the following conditions would LEAST likely result in
hypoxia (low oxygen levlel in the blood)?
✓✓ severe anxiety
Hyperventilation could be associated with all of the following,
EXCEPT:
✓✓ a narcotic overdose.
Of the following choices, the onset of acute pulmonary edema
would MOST likely develop as the result of:
✓✓ toxic chemical inhalation.
While auscultating an elderly woman's breath sounds, you hear
low-pitched "rattling"
sounds at the bases of both of her lungs. With which of the
following conditions is this finding MOST consistent?
✓✓ aspiration pneumonia
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A 59-year-old male with a history of emphysema complains of
an acute worsening of his dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain
following a forceful cough. Your assessment reveals that he has
a barrel-shaped chest, unilaterally diminished breath sounds,
and tachycardia. What is the MOST likely cause of this patient's
condition?
✓✓ spontaneous pneumothorax
Common signs and symptoms of acute hyperventilation
syndrome include
✓✓ tachypnea and tingling in the extremities.
Respiratory alkalosis is a condition that occurs when
✓✓ blood acidity is reduced by excessive breathing.
According to the chart on page 479 of the EMT-Basic textbook,
paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND), rales, and dependent
edema are clinical indicators of:
✓✓ congestive heart failure.
A 67-year-old male who smokes three packs of cigarettes per
day complains of a productive cough, chills, and generalized
weakness. He is in mild respiratory distress; auscultation of his
lungs reveals rhonchi to the lower left lobe. This patient's
clinical presentation is MOST consistent with:
A. pneumonia.
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B. bronchitis.
C. heart failure.
✓✓ A. pneumonia
You are treating a 2-year-old boy who is experiencing
respiratory distress. During your assessment, you note that the
child has mild inspiratory stridor, a barking cough, and a low-
grade fever. The child is otherwise conscious, is acting
appropriate for his age, and has strong radial pulses. Treatment
should include:
A. an IV fluid bolus.
B. a beta antagonist.
C. assisted ventilation.
D. humidified oxygen.
✓✓ D. humidified oxygen
When treating a patient who complains of dyspnea, it is
important for the AEMT to: