Question

skills
assessment review
answer the following questions pertaining to the types of emergencies discussed in this chapter.
questions 1 - 4 are derived from the following scenario: you are dispatched to a local residence for a change in mental status. on arrival, you find a 67 - year - old man sitting at his kitchen table. the patient seems to be having trouble speaking and is leaning to his left. the patients wife called 9 - 1 - 1 because she thought her husband was having a stroke.

1. which of the following is not part of the cincinnati prehospital stroke scale criteria?

a. facial droop
b. speech
c. gait
d. arm drift

1. the patients wife tells you the patient has a history of hypertension, myocardial infarction, renal failure, diabetes, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (gerd). based on the patients history, what are possible conditions that could explain his symptoms?

a. heart attack
b. hypoglycemia
c. hyperglycemia
d. hyperkalemia

1. as you are packaging the patient, the wife says she called 9 - 1 - 1 right away because she read about how time was an important factor with stroke patients. with regard to thrombolytic therapy at the hospital, what is the timeline that will allow this therapy to be most effective?

a. given within 3 hours of symptom onset
b. given within 12 hours of symptom onset
c. given within the first 24 hours of symptom onset
d. there is no optimal time requirement for this treatment.

1. while transporting the patient to the hospital, his left - sided weakness and speech improve. by the time you reach the hospital, the patient appears almost normal. which of the following is most likely to be the underlying cause of the patients condition?

a. hemorrhagic stroke
b. ischemic stroke
c. transient ischemic attack
d. partial simple seizure

Explanation:

1. The Cincinnati Pre - hospital Stroke Scale criteria include facial droop, speech, and arm drift, not gait.
2. Hypoglycemia can cause neurological symptoms like confusion and speech problems in a patient with diabetes history. Heart attack typically presents with chest - related symptoms, hyperglycemia usually has different manifestations, and hyperkalemia mainly affects the heart and muscles in a different way.
3. Thrombolytic therapy for stroke is most effective when given within 3 hours of symptom onset to dissolve the clot and restore blood flow.
4. Transient ischemic attack (TIA) presents with temporary neurological deficits that resolve within 24 hours, which is consistent with the patient's improving symptoms during transport.

Answer:

1. C. Gait
2. B. Hypoglycemia
3. A. Given within 3 hours of symptom onset
4. C. Transient ischemic attack