Neurological Emergencies Flashcards
7 cards from real EMS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Neurological Emergencies flashcards as text
A patient is found confused with a blood glucose of 38 mg/dL. What is the most likely cause of the altered mental status?
Answer: Hypoglycemia
A blood glucose below 60 mg/dL (hypoglycemia) is a common and reversible cause of altered mental status that must always be checked in neurological emergencies.
Status epilepticus is defined as a seizure or series of seizures without recovery lasting longer than:
Answer: 5 minutes
A seizure lasting more than 5 minutes is classified as status epilepticus and requires immediate intervention due to the risk of permanent neurological damage.
Cushing's triad is a late sign of increased intracranial pressure. Which combination of findings defines it?
Answer: Hypertension, bradycardia, and irregular respirations
Cushing's triad—hypertension, bradycardia, and irregular/agonal respirations—indicates dangerous brain herniation and imminent brainstem compromise.
A patient presents with aphasia, right-sided facial droop, and right arm weakness. Which area of the brain is most likely affected?
Answer: Left cerebral hemisphere
The left cerebral hemisphere controls motor function and speech for the right side of the body; deficits on the right with aphasia indicate a left-sided lesion.
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) evaluates which three components?
Answer: Eye opening, verbal response, and motor response
The GCS scores eye opening (1-4), verbal response (1-5), and motor response (1-6) for a maximum total of 15 points.
Which medication is commonly given intramuscularly by EMTs for a hypoglycemic patient who is unconscious and has no IV access?
Answer: Glucagon
Glucagon 1 mg IM stimulates hepatic glycogen breakdown to raise blood glucose and is safe for unconscious hypoglycemic patients when IV access cannot be obtained.
Decorticate posturing (abnormal flexion) in a neurological patient indicates a lesion most likely located:
Answer: Above the brainstem, involving the cerebral hemispheres or internal capsule
Decorticate posturing indicates a lesion in the cerebral hemispheres or internal capsule above the brainstem, while decerebrate posturing suggests brainstem involvement.