EMT Cardiology Practice Test — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Your patient is a 52-year old male complaining of dull, achy chest pains. He is alert & oriented but upon assessment, you notice his skin is pale, cool and clammy. What is your next step?

Obtain SAMPLE History
Apply an AED
Administer Supplemental Oxygen (Correct answer)
Assist the patient with his wife’s nitroglycerin.

Correct answer: Administer Supplemental Oxygen

For a patient presenting with dull, achy chest pain and signs of hypoperfusion (pale, cool, clammy skin), suspected cardiac compromise is a serious concern. Administering supplemental oxygen is the immediate priority to improve oxygen delivery to the heart muscle and vital organs, potentially mitigating ischemia and improving the patient's overall condition before further interventions.

Question 2: Cardiac Compromise is:

Angina
A heart attack
A period of time when the heart stops
Any type of heart problem (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Any type of heart problem

Cardiac compromise is a broad term that encompasses any condition or event that impairs the heart's ability to function effectively. This includes a wide range of problems such as angina, myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure, or arrhythmias. It signifies that the heart's pumping ability or electrical activity is somehow impaired.

Question 3: An AED is used to treat patients in:

Ventricular Fibrillation (Correct answer)
Asystole
Pulseless Electrical Activity
Acute Myocardial Infarction

Correct answer: Ventricular Fibrillation

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is specifically designed to deliver an electrical shock to correct certain life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Its primary indication is for ventricular fibrillation (VF), a chaotic electrical activity in the ventricles that prevents the heart from pumping blood, and pulseless ventricular tachycardia (pVT). It does not treat asystole or PEA, which are non-shockable rhythms.

Question 4: The normal heart rate for a newborn (0-3 months) is:

140 – 160 (Correct answer)
120 – 140
100 – 120
80 – 100

Correct answer: 140 – 160

The normal heart rate for a newborn (0-3 months) is significantly higher than that of an adult, typically ranging from 140 to 160 beats per minute. This elevated rate is necessary to meet the metabolic demands of their rapidly growing bodies and compensate for a smaller stroke volume compared to older children and adults.

Question 5: The two-flap valve located on the left side of the heart is the:

Bivalve
Aortic valve
Bicuspid valve (Correct answer)
Pulmonary Valve

Correct answer: Bicuspid valve

The bicuspid valve, also known as the mitral valve, is located on the left side of the heart, specifically between the left atrium and the left ventricle. It is named 'bicuspid' because it has two cusps or flaps that open and close to regulate blood flow, preventing the backflow of oxygenated blood into the left atrium during ventricular contraction.

Question 6: The cardiovascular system or the circulatory system is made up of three major components; which of the following is not a component of the cardiovascular system?

Heart
Blood vessels
Myoglobin (Correct answer)
Blood

Correct answer: Myoglobin

The cardiovascular system, or circulatory system, is primarily composed of three major components: the heart (which pumps blood), blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries that transport blood), and blood (the fluid that carries oxygen, nutrients, and waste). Myoglobin is an oxygen-binding protein found in muscle tissue, not a structural component of the circulatory system itself.

Question 7: Name the layers of the heart from the outside in.

Pericardium, endocardium, epicardium
Myocardium, epicardium, endocardium
Epicardium, myocardium, endocardium (Correct answer)
Endocardium, myocardium, epicardium

Correct answer: Epicardium, myocardium, endocardium

The heart wall is composed of three distinct layers, from the outermost to the innermost: the epicardium, which is the outer protective layer; the myocardium, the thick muscular middle layer responsible for the heart's pumping action; and the endocardium, the smooth innermost layer that lines the heart chambers and valves.

Question 8: Which of the following complaints is often used to describe chest pain resulting from a cardiac event?

Sharp stabbing pain which can be located with one finger
A ton of bricks on my chest (Correct answer)
A tickling feeling
Dull tooth ache, nagging discomfort

Correct answer: A ton of bricks on my chest

Patients experiencing chest pain related to a cardiac event, such as a heart attack, often describe it as a heavy, crushing, or squeezing sensation. The phrase 'a ton of bricks on my chest' vividly conveys this diffuse, oppressive discomfort, which is characteristic of myocardial ischemia or infarction, rather than sharp, localized pain.

Question 9: What artery carries deoxygenated blood and which vein caries oxygenated blood?

Pulmonary, Aorta
Pulmonary, inferior vena cava
Pulmonary, Pulmonary (Correct answer)
Aorta, Superior vena cava

Correct answer: Pulmonary, Pulmonary

In the pulmonary circulation, the pulmonary artery is unique because it carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. Conversely, the pulmonary veins are unique because they carry oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the left atrium. This is an exception to the general rule where arteries carry oxygenated blood and veins carry deoxygenated blood.

Question 10: Which are not blood components that are responsible for clot formation?

Platelets
Thrombin
Plaque (Correct answer)
Fibrin

Correct answer: Plaque

Platelets, thrombin, and fibrin are all essential components of the coagulation cascade, working together to form a blood clot and stop bleeding. Plaque, however, is a fatty deposit that builds up on artery walls, contributing to atherosclerosis and narrowing of blood vessels. It is not a direct component involved in the physiological process of blood clot formation.

Question 11: You are dispatched to a residence of a 46-year-old female patient ... You are dispatched to a residence of a 46-year-old female patient complaining of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping. She states that the onset occurred shortly after eating some cheesecake. Her only medical history is lactose intolerance. Her blood pressure is 136/88 mm Hg. Her radial pulse is 94 beats per minute and her respiratory rate is 18 breaths per minute. She vomited two times prior to your arrival. From what condition is this patient most likely suffering?

Gastrointestinal reflux disease
Diverticulitis
Acute gastroenteritis (Correct answer)
Peptic ulcer disease

Correct answer: Acute gastroenteritis

The patient's symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping, occurring shortly after eating cheesecake, strongly suggest an acute gastrointestinal issue. Given her history of lactose intolerance, the dairy in cheesecake is a likely trigger for these symptoms. This clinical picture is most consistent with acute gastroenteritis, which is inflammation of the stomach and intestines, often caused by infection or food intolerance.

Question 12: Your patient is a 32-year-old male who was complaining of ... Your patient is a 32-year-old male who was complaining of a severe, crushing feeling in the center of his chest and shortness of breath that began while he was mowing his lawn 45 minutes prior to your arrival. He is now only responding to painful stimuli. Presently, his minute ventilation is still adequate, his pulse oximeter reads 95% on room air, and you find his skin to be pale, cool, and diaphoretic. What would be your initial action?

12- 15 liters oxygen by nonrebreather. (Correct answer)
325 mg aspirin.
4-6 liters oxygen by nasal cannula.
Sublingual nitroglycerin.

Correct answer: 12- 15 liters oxygen by nonrebreather.

This patient presents with classic signs of a severe cardiac event (crushing chest pain, shortness of breath, pale, cool, diaphoretic skin, altered mental status). Despite adequate minute ventilation and 95% SpO2, these symptoms indicate significant myocardial ischemia and potential hypoxemia at the cellular level. Administering high-flow oxygen via a nonrebreather mask (12-15 LPM) is the immediate priority to maximize oxygen delivery to the compromised heart tissue and improve cellular oxygenation.

Question 13: You are called to a nursing home for a patient with swelling to her legs... You are called to a nursing home for a patient with swelling to her legs. Upon arrival, you find a 76-year-old patient sitting in a wheelchair. Assessment confirms pitting edema to both lower legs. You are able to palpate a dorsalis pedal pulse bilaterally. Her skin is warm, pink, and dry. Her lungs are clear bilaterally. Which of the following conditions do you suspect?

Deep vein thrombosis.
Bilateral acute arterial occlusion.
Atherosclerosis.
Chronic CHF (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Chronic CHF

The patient's presentation of bilateral pitting edema in the lower legs, along with clear lung sounds and warm, pink, dry skin, points towards a chronic fluid retention issue without acute pulmonary involvement. While DVT is usually unilateral and arterial occlusion would cause absent pulses and cool skin, chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) often manifests with peripheral edema due to fluid overload and impaired cardiac pumping, even if lung sounds are clear in a compensated state.

Question 14: You are treating a 49-year-old patient... You are treating a 49-year-old patient who complains of an intense pain between his shoulder blades radiating to his lower back. Pain began 10 minutes prior to your arrival while he was eating and has been constant. He rates the pain as a 10 out of 10. Pain is described as a sharp, tearing pain. He has no significant past medical history. Blood pressure is 130/76 mm Hg in the right arm and 78/48 mm Hg in the left arm. Radial pulse in his right arm is 98 beats per minute and regular, and respiratory rate is 20 per minute and non-labored. What condition would you most likely suspect?

Myocardial infarction
Aortic dissection (Correct answer)
Angina pectoris
Congestive heart failure

Correct answer: Aortic dissection

The patient's severe, tearing pain between the shoulder blades radiating to the lower back, sudden onset, and especially the significant difference in blood pressure between the right and left arms (130/76 vs 78/48) are classic signs of an aortic dissection. This condition involves a tear in the inner layer of the aorta, allowing blood to flow between the layers, which can compromise blood flow to extremities and cause severe pain. Myocardial infarction typically presents with more anterior chest pain and less often with differential blood pressures.

Question 15: The single largest cause of death for Americans is/are:

Chronic obstructive airway disease.
Cancer.
Traumatic injuries.
Coronary heart disease. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the single largest cause of death for Americans, accounting for a significant percentage of all fatalities annually. It encompasses conditions like heart attacks and angina, resulting from plaque buildup in the arteries supplying the heart. While cancer and traumatic injuries are also major health concerns, CHD consistently leads as the primary cause of mortality.

EMT Cardiology Practice Test

Your patient is a 52-year old male complaining of dull, achy chest pains.
He is alert & oriented but upon assessment, you notice his skin is pale, cool and clammy.
What is your next step?