Platinum Cardiac Practice Exam

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• What is the MOST important role an EMT plays in the emergency cardiac care system relating to a cardiac arrest event?
• One of the most common reasons CPR is unsuccessful is when:
• Cardiac arrest in children and infants is most commonly caused by:
• Which step is least essential when preparing a patient for a 12-lead ECG in an emergent setting?
• Which of the following is a common, observable nitroglycerin side effect after administration?
• In treating an adult unwitnessed cardiac arrest, how can you increase the effectiveness of defibrillation when indicated?
• A 65-year-old patient is found to be confused; which piece of historical information would be most important to pass along to other providers during transport?
• Which SAMPLE finding would indicate dehydration in a neonate due to diarrhea?
• During transport after reviving a cardiac arrest victim, if the heart stops again and no pulse is found, what is the immediate action?
• What is the correct chest compression to ventilation ratio for two rescuers performing CPR on an infant?
• When you arrive on the scene where CPR is being performed on a cardiac arrest victim, you find the person who is performing ventilations is doing so at about 30 per minute. Which method would be best for correcting this and guaranteeing that ventilations are delivered correctly?
• The key to an AED successfully converting a lethal rhythm after an underwater event is:
• Which SAMPLE finding would indicate a neonate is most likely dehydrated related to diarrhea?
• Which of the following is NOT a typical stroke symptom?
• During cardiac arrest, if an ALS crew arrives before you deliver the first shock, what is the most effective action to assure the best possible care?
• Which statement about nitroglycerin use is true?
• What neurological deficit was observed in the described stroke patient?
• You have successfully resuscitated an adult cardiac arrest patient who is not breathing. What is the recommended initial ventilation approach?
• Choose the AED technology that allows for less energy to be used and measures the amount of power needed to reverse a lethal rhythm.
• Which action is the primary reason for applying an AED as soon as possible?
• A 55-year-old patient presents with severe heartburn. This symptom is often related to which condition?
• Which skin assessment finding is most consistent with cardiac compromise?
• In obvious hypothermia, which finding would be least likely?
• What is the principal reason you should wear gloves when placing a nitro tablet under a patient's tongue?
• According to the 2020 AHA Guidelines, the rate of chest compressions for an adult victim of cardiac arrest is:
• Which statement best describes transient ischemic attack duration?
• In a third-trimester pregnancy where the fundus is located above the umbilicus, what should you do to improve the effectiveness of compressions?
• For a patient with an advanced airway during CPR, what is the preferred ventilatory rate according to the 2020 AHA Guidelines?
• Which statement accurately describes nitroglycerin use in prehospital care?
• During CPR on a patient with suspected spinal injury, which precaution should be initiated?
• Which action is inappropriate in the initial response to a patient in cardiac arrest?
• When reviewing chest pain in a patient, why is a history of coronary artery bypass surgery clinically important?
• In a very sick infant, which breathing pattern most strongly indicates hypoperfusion rather than primary respiratory failure?
• Which statement best describes the recommended action when you are alone treating an adult who is unresponsive and apneic?
• What is the guideline-specified minimum chest compression fraction during CPR for an unprotected airway?
• A specific problem that atherosclerosis can cause is?
• Which is true regarding the most common AED electrode placement on an adult patient?
• In transporting a dialysis patient with a fistula, which action is an appropriate priority?
• In a pediatric patient, which sign is MOST reliable indicator of impending cardiovascular arrest?
• Which statement about TIA duration is most accurate?
• Which rhythm is not shockable with an AED?
• Which of the following statements about a patient with dysphasia and hemiplegia who has recurrent episodes over weeks is most accurate?
• Angina pectoris is BEST described as:
• When performing CPR and an AED is ready to analyze, which approach is recommended?
• Which medication is allowed for EMT administration under proper circumstances?
• In a suspected stroke scenario on scene, what is the most important initial action?
• Which medication is commonly used to relieve chest pain due to angina when appropriate for a patient?
• Why do we administer nitroglycerin to a patient with chest pain?
• You are treating a patient who "almost passed out and felt the room spinning". Which of the following BEST describes the condition the patient described?
• A patient who previously had chest pain and then arrest was shocked by an AED and is now awake and complaining of chest pain. Vitals show pulse 110, respirations 14, BP 110/70, SpO2 94%. What is the next best action?
• When moving a patient in cardiac arrest from an upstairs bedroom to a stretcher downstairs, what is the BEST plan?
• A 36-year-old patient is alert but oriented only to person and has slurred speech. Which of the following is the FIRST differential diagnosis to consider?
• You are assessing a 48-year-old male with severe chest pain after shoveling snow. Which item in his medical history is the most important to point out to the team?
• Which of the following is a typical assessment finding in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome?
• Which symptom is used to identify a hypertensive emergency among the following options?
• If a patient is unresponsive, apneic, and has a weak pulse, what should you do regarding the AED?
• In a bus station scenario, where a homeless man becomes unresponsive with no pulse, which action would be appropriate?
• The patient’s red face in a heart attack scenario is most likely due to:
• Where should the nitroglycerin be placed for administration?
• In the described patient, which assessment should guide oxygen therapy?
• In chest pain assessment, which piece of medication history is most important to consider for safety during transport?
• You have successfully resuscitated a cardiac arrest victim. Which of these complications will you see that will require your immediate attention?
• What is the vascular effect of nitroglycerin?
• What is the targeted temperature management range for a post-cardiac arrest patient who is not following commands?
• Which rhythm is most likely to require immediate defibrillation in cardiac arrest?
• In the chest pain scenario, what did the patient admit doing with the nitroglycerin prior to EMS arrival?
• Which action best describes why early CPR is emphasized in the emergency cardiac care system?
• What was the pulse oximetry reading in the described stroke patient scenario?
• Which statement best describes the purpose of a thorough initial EMS training class?
• For infant defibrillation, which option is correct?
• In a scenario where ALS support is delayed due to poor road conditions and the patient remains in cardiac arrest, what should the BLS crew do?
• During resuscitation of a newborn who is apneic and pulseless, what is the correct chest compression rate?
• Which of the following would be the BEST reason an EMT should administer nitroglycerin to a patient with chest pain and trouble breathing?
• In a patient with dysphasia and hemiplegia occurring multiple times over two weeks but resolving quickly, which statement best describes the significance?
• Lead V4 should be placed at which location on the chest?
• You are caring for an unstable, under­water submersion event victim that occurred in the winter. Which of the following would you expect to find during your reassessment?
• A stroke patient who is aphasic and unable to move his right arm and legs. After applying oxygen and ensuring his airway is clear, which treatment will MOST likely benefit this patient?
• Rescuers are deciding whether chest compressions should be continued or stopped during resuscitation of a newborn. Which finding BEST suggests chest compressions should be continued if the baby remains unresponsive?
• Which dysrhythmia is an AED capable of shocking?
• Which patient BEST meets the requirement for AED application?
• For a newly born non-asphyxiated infant, what is the preferred target temperature?
• During CPR, how often should the rhythm be reanalyzed with the AED?
• What is the most valuable reason for having paramedics assist with a cardiac call?
• Why is airway maintenance during CPR important?
• Which sign would indicate stroke in a patient presenting with acute neurologic symptoms?
• After ROSC in a 72-year-old patient who is semi-responsive, which action is most likely beneficial?
• In the context of EMS training, a thorough initial class most directly helps to:
• Why are providers discouraged from checking a carotid pulse immediately after delivering a shock?
• Which statement BEST describes aphasia?
• A BLS or AEMT ambulance crew has just shocked a patient for a 9th time with an AED and ALS has yet to arrive. What should rescuers do if paramedics are delayed and will take 15 more minutes to arrive on scene?
• In the described post-arrest chest pain case, which statement best describes the patient's hemodynamic status?
• Which action is essential during ongoing resuscitation to ensure adequate tissue oxygenation?
• Which error is most likely to lead to a failed resuscitation attempt in cardiac arrest?
• Where is the proper placement for lead V4 in a standard 12-lead ECG?
• During resuscitation of a newborn, which of the following findings BEST suggests chest compressions should be continued if the baby remains unresponsive?
• How should you position an alert patient who presents with slurred speech, facial droop, and right sided paralysis?
• You are dispatched to the scene of a 27-year-old who has fallen off a roof and landed on their head. There is no pulse and you suspect a spinal injury. As your team prepares to begin compressions, what spinal precautions should be started?
• What is the MOST important reason for applying an AED as quickly as possible?
• Which condition is the most likely and gives us the greatest concern as a result of a lightning strike injury?
• Which description correctly defines a transient ischemic attack?
• A patient presents with angina pectoris but no signs of difficulty breathing. Which medication is indicated for this condition?
• Which statement best describes the overall oxygen strategy during CPR?
• Which statement best describes biphasic defibrillation in AEDs?
• You observe a patient taking nitroglycerin during an attack of severe chest pain. The patient’s blood pressure has been normal up to this point. Now the patient reports a hot face and a headache. These new symptoms would lead you to believe that the patient:
• In prehospital TIA management, which is the recommended action to avoid delaying definitive care?
• What is the consequence of stopping chest compressions to check for a pulse immediately after delivering a shock?
• Per the 2020 AHA Guidelines, what is the recommended chest compression depth for adult CPR?
• What is the recommended oxygen delivery for a patient with oxygen saturation around 89% during chest-pain assessment?
• Which sign during resuscitation most strongly suggests return of spontaneous circulation?
• When a dialysis patient has an arteriovenous fistula in one arm, which action should be avoided?
• Which action would be considered the least effective way to demonstrate empathy to a patient with acute stroke symptoms?
• In a scene where an unresponsive patient is found near water, which action is essential to prepare for rescue operations?
• A neonate has just been expulsed and appears unresponsive. Responders find the newly born baby with a clear airway, apneic, and grey. Which of the following treatments would you administer FIRST to reverse the apnea?
• While assessing a 5-year-old patient that has been vomiting for two days, you notice that they appear mildly dehydrated. What technique could you use to help the patient relax during the physical exam?
• During two-rescuer CPR on a child, what is the appropriate compression-to-ventilation ratio?
• Which statement best explains the benefit of mechanical CPR devices?
• Which statement about preparing a patient for a 12-lead ECG in an emergent setting is MOST accurate?
• In the infant assessment, which finding most strongly suggests hypoperfusion rather than respiratory failure?
• Which transport method is most appropriate for moving a patient with chest pain who has been drinking heavily from a bedroom to another room?
• Which medical condition is caused by a blood clot forming within the brain's vasculature?
• In a suspected stroke with facial droop and garbled speech, what is the most important immediate action?
• Careful handling of the hypothermic patient is needed to avoid causing which arrhythmia?
• In cardiac arrest management, which single intervention has proven most effective?
• During treatment of a cardiac arrest patient, which principle is emphasized?
• In an unconscious patient, which position is typically used during transport to protect the airway?
• In a scenario where ALS support is delayed due to poor road conditions and the patient remains in cardiac arrest, what should the BLS crew do?
• After return of spontaneous circulation, which action is most beneficial if the patient is semi-responsive?
• After rescuing an adult drowning victim who is pulseless, apneic, and unresponsive, what should you do next?
• Which finding would suggest adequate perfusion in a pediatric patient?
• Among the symptoms reported by women during a heart attack, which is NOT among the most frequently reported non-chest symptoms?
• At a scene with a 58-year-old male with severe chest pain, which statement BEST describes why you should treat the patient with delivery of his own nitroglycerin?
• Which of the following is a general sign or symptom of a stroke?
• Which sign would most strongly indicate the stroke is continuing to worsen in a patient with facial weakness and left arm paralysis?
• During a suspected stroke scenario on scene, which action is recommended to begin with?
• Which mnemonic is most commonly used to gather a chest pain history in the field?
• Why does an employer mandate AED practice every 90 days?
• Which statement best describes a transient ischemic attack?
• Aphasia is best defined as impairment in which function?
• In the described cerebrovascular accident case, which treatment would be appropriate?
• Which statement best describes the purpose of defibrillation in ventricular fibrillation?
• What is a key advantage of using a mechanical chest compression device during CPR?
• Nitroglycerin should be used with caution in patients with which condition?
• How much inspired oxygen should be administered during CPR?
• Women with heart attack often report which non-chest symptom?
• What is the primary reason for administering nitroglycerin in patients with chest pain?
• Which symptom is commonly expected in a hypertensive emergency?
• For a comatose post-cardiac arrest patient, which temperature range is commonly used?
• Experts advise that the biggest advantage of using an automated external defibrillator is:
• What is the name for the type of cerebrovascular incident where all symptoms resolve within 24 hours of onset?
• Which statement best describes the term aphasia?
• In a newborn, which finding indicates an immediate need for chest compressions?
• Infants found in cardiac arrest are usually in arrest as a result of which cause?
• For a patient with chest pain who is about to be transported on a stretcher, which position will they MOST likely prefer?
• In treating a homeless patient with chest pain who has stable vital signs, what is the correct course of action regarding nitroglycerin?
• According to the 2020 AHA Guidelines, what is the recommended minimum chest compression fraction for a patient in cardiac arrest with an unprotected airway?
• During CPR on a patient in the third trimester with a high-placed uterus, where should you place your hands to maximize compression effectiveness?
• Where do we initially assess the pulse of an unconscious infant?
• While en route to the hospital with a patient showing double vision, dysphasia, hemiplegia, and aphagia, symptoms begin resolving. Which is MOST likely occurring?
• What is the BEST reason for confirming that the patient is pulseless and apneic before applying an AED?
• In an infant in cardiac arrest, what is the most correct action regarding AED use?
• Which statement best explains the purpose of a primary assessment in a suspected heart attack?
• For a 53-year-old with suspected heart attack, which piece of equipment is LEAST likely to be used?
• You have attached AED electrodes and pressed analyze while compressions are ongoing. What should you do NEXT?
• Which is the MOST appropriate technique for moving an intoxicated patient with chest pain from a bedroom to the living room downstairs?
• Which single assessment will determine your course of treatment for a patient with chest pain?
• Which action most directly contributes to obtaining a clean 12-lead ECG?
• What is the most appropriate action when the patient begins to moan and has agonal gasps?
• You are called to the scene of a 47-year-old with a current chief complaint of chest pain. The patient denies a history of any illness or injury. Which of the following will provide you with the greatest information?
• You are assessing a patient who is obviously hypothermic. Which finding would you LEAST likely observe?
• Which term describes a cerebrovascular event with symptoms that resolve within 24 hours?
• Which symptom would lead you to suspect that a stroke is continuing to worsen in a patient with slurred speech and left body paralysis?
• During resuscitation of a child who is unresponsive, which finding BEST suggests chest compressions should be continued?
• Which rhythm is NOT treated with defibrillation?
• Which assessment finding would be a contraindication for nitroglycerin administration?
• Which statement best supports a diagnosis of transient ischemic attack in an elderly patient with acute speech difficulty and unilateral weakness that has resolved?
• What is the primary reason nitroglycerin is given to patients with suspected heart attack?
• Which statement best describes transient ischemic attack?
• In an infant in cardiac arrest, what is the most correct approach to using an automated external defibrillator (AED)?
• What is the primary reason for pushing hard, pushing fast, and minimizing interruptions during chest compressions?
• A patient with suspected heart attack has SpO2 of 89%; how should you administer oxygen?
• You are off duty and in a convenience store when a mother hands you an unresponsive infant. After identifying an infant in cardiac arrest, which of the following should you do NEXT?
• The new onset irregular heartbeat in a patient with back and jaw pain BEST indicates which risk?
• Which finding would indicate poor perfusion in a child with four days of vomiting and diarrhea and awakening difficulties?
• Which oxygen delivery device is appropriate for a patient with a transient ischemic attack presenting with isolated dysphasia?
• What is the best reason, aside from cost, for selecting an AED without a monitor screen?
• An unresponsive 48-year-old patient is cyanotic with a weak pulse. Which finding is a contraindication for AED use?
• Choose the BEST reason for understanding the anatomical differences between adults and children.
• In a patient with chest pain and bradycardia where the pulse falls to 48, which outcome would you expect?
• What is the correct administration method for nitroglycerin in a chest pain emergency, according to the scenario?
• You are assessing an unresponsive 42-year-old who is breathing. How should you assess for the presence of a pulse?
• Which statement about CPR interruptions should be avoided to improve outcomes?
• A 2-year-old child is lethargic, cool and pale, hypotensive, with absent peripheral pulses after two days of vomiting and diarrhea. Which condition is most likely?
• Which procedure MUST be performed when dealing with a patient found unresponsive and face down in a pool?
• Which action could cause an automated external defibrillator to deliver a shock when it would be contraindicated?
• You are treating a 2-year-old patient with a pulse rate of 60 and whose rhythm strip is provided. The patient responds only to painful stimuli, is breathing at 20 times per minute and a blood pressure of 60/40. The patient was exhibiting signs of difficulty breathing prior to the decrease in consciousness. Which of the following interventions will most likely improve the patient's condition?
• Which of the following is considered a symptom of a heart attack?
• In a neonate apneic with a clear airway, what is the FIRST action to attempt to reverse apnea?
• In a 52-year-old male in cardiac arrest who has just had 1 shock with AED and 2 cycles CPR, now moaning with agonal gasps at 4/min, which action is indicated in assessment and treatment?
• During assessment of an unconscious infant, which pulse site is typically checked first?
• During ongoing cardiac arrest management, what is the recommended oxygen strategy?
• According to the 2020 AHA Guidelines, the proper depth of compression for an adult victim of cardiac arrest is:
• An elderly 75-year-old female with fatigue, sweating, gray color, rubbing her sternum but stating no chest pain, is most likely experiencing which condition?
• When preparing to transport an unresponsive stroke patient to the emergency department, what is the BEST position for transport?
• Two minutes after your last shock with an AED and CPR your AED directs you to check a pulse. You are able to palpate a carotid pulse that is too fast to count, and the AED is now directing you to press analyze. You should:
• Your patient is an 85-year-old male with a long cardiac history. During chest pain, the pulse falls to 48. What would you expect to find as a result of this slowing of the pulse?
• Why is aspirin given to patients suspected of having a heart attack?
• Which statement about AED electrode placement on an adult is accurate?
• What is the best immediate prehospital management for suspected TIA?
• In neonatal resuscitation, what is the target temperature range for a newborn?
• What is your first priority when a 72-year-old patient with chest pain and difficulty breathing suddenly vomits and the heart stops?