Neurological Emergencies & Stroke Care Flashcards
6 cards from real NREMT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Neurological Emergencies & Stroke Care flashcards as text
A patient with a known history of epilepsy is having a seizure. Which finding would MOST concern the EMT?
Answer: Continuous seizure activity for 8 minutes without stopping
Seizure activity lasting more than 5 minutes is considered status epilepticus and is a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate intervention and urgent transport.
When transporting a potential stroke patient, which of the following is the appropriate destination choice?
Answer: A stroke center capable of tPA and thrombectomy, even if it requires bypassing a closer hospital
Stroke patients should be transported to a certified stroke center capable of administering tPA and performing mechanical thrombectomy, even if this means bypassing a closer facility, unless prohibited by local protocol.
A diabetic patient is found unresponsive. Blood glucose reads 28 mg/dL. The EMT administers oral glucose. Within 5 minutes the patient is awake but still confused. The next step is:
Answer: Transport to the hospital for further evaluation regardless of improvement
Even with improvement after glucose administration, hypoglycemic patients require transport because the underlying cause must be identified, and the glucose may be metabolized leading to repeat hypoglycemia.
Which of the following neurological assessments should the EMT perform on every patient with altered mental status?
Answer: Glasgow Coma Scale, blood glucose, and pupils
For altered mental status, the GCS quantifies the level of consciousness, blood glucose rules out hypoglycemia as a correctable cause, and pupils provide information about brainstem function and potential herniation.
A patient with a history of hypertension presents with altered mental status, severe headache, and a blood pressure of 240/130 mmHg. This presentation suggests:
Answer: Hypertensive encephalopathy or hemorrhagic stroke requiring urgent transport
Extreme hypertension (hypertensive crisis) with neurological symptoms suggests hypertensive encephalopathy or hemorrhagic stroke, both of which require urgent transport and controlled blood pressure management at the hospital.
Which of the following statements about transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) is correct?
Answer: TIAs are temporary neurological deficits that resolve completely but are a major warning sign for impending stroke
A TIA produces temporary stroke-like symptoms that resolve completely, but carries a significant risk of subsequent stroke — up to 10-15% within 90 days, with the highest risk in the first 48 hours.