Paramedics Exam Paramedic Exam EMT 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 22-year-old female is 32 weeks pregnant and presents with a BP of 165/110 mmHg, severe headache, and visual disturbances. What condition does this presentation suggest?
- Gestational hypertension
- HELLP syndrome
- Severe preeclampsia (Correct answer)
- Placenta previa
Correct answer: Severe preeclampsia
Hypertension above 160/110 mmHg with severe symptoms (headache, visual changes) after 20 weeks gestation defines severe preeclampsia, which requires urgent treatment.
Question 2: A patient in diabetic ketoacidosis has the following ABG: pH 7.20, PaCO2 24 mmHg, HCO3 9 mEq/L. What type of acid-base disturbance is present?
- Respiratory acidosis with metabolic compensation
- Metabolic acidosis with respiratory compensation (Correct answer)
- Combined metabolic and respiratory acidosis
- Metabolic alkalosis with respiratory compensation
Correct answer: Metabolic acidosis with respiratory compensation
Low pH with low bicarbonate confirms metabolic acidosis; the low PaCO2 indicates the lungs are compensating by blowing off CO2 (Kussmaul respirations).
Question 3: Which medication is contraindicated when a patient presenting with chest pain is taking a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (e.g., sildenafil) within the last 24 hours?
- Aspirin
- Morphine
- Nitroglycerin (Correct answer)
- Oxygen
Correct answer: Nitroglycerin
Combining nitroglycerin with phosphodiesterase inhibitors can cause severe, potentially fatal hypotension due to synergistic vasodilatory effects.
Question 4: An 18-month-old child presents with a barking seal-like cough, stridor at rest, and mild respiratory distress. What is the most likely diagnosis?
- Epiglottitis
- Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) (Correct answer)
- Bronchiolitis
- Foreign body aspiration
Correct answer: Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis)
The classic barking cough and inspiratory stridor in a toddler are hallmarks of viral croup (laryngotracheobronchitis), most commonly caused by parainfluenza virus.
Question 5: When performing an IO insertion on a pediatric patient, which is the PREFERRED primary site?
- Distal femur
- Proximal tibia, 2 cm below the tibial tuberosity (Correct answer)
- Iliac crest
- Distal humerus
Correct answer: Proximal tibia, 2 cm below the tibial tuberosity
The proximal tibia is the preferred primary IO site in pediatric patients due to its large, flat medial surface and ease of identification.
Question 6: A patient was involved in a high-speed MVA and has paradoxical chest wall movement with decreased breath sounds bilaterally. What injury does this indicate?
- Open pneumothorax
- Tension pneumothorax
- Flail chest with pulmonary contusion (Correct answer)
- Massive hemothorax
Correct answer: Flail chest with pulmonary contusion
Paradoxical chest wall movement (segment moves inward on inspiration) with decreased bilateral breath sounds indicates flail chest with underlying pulmonary contusion from blunt trauma.
Question 7: A patient with a suspected spinal cord injury at C5 will most likely retain which function?
- Full motor and sensory function of the hands
- Diaphragmatic breathing (Correct answer)
- Intercostal muscle function
- Bladder control
Correct answer: Diaphragmatic breathing
The phrenic nerve (C3–C5) controls the diaphragm; a C5 injury may spare diaphragmatic breathing while eliminating intercostal and accessory muscle function.
Paramedics Exam Paramedic Exam EMT 5
A 22-year-old female is 32 weeks pregnant and presents with a BP of 165/110 mmHg, severe headache, and visual disturbances.
What condition does this presentation suggest?