EMT Chapter 20: Endocrine Emergencies Quiz & Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

Based on the clinical presentation of a 28-year-old female patient with type 1 diabetes, what should you suspect?

Is significantly hyperglycemic. (correct)
Has a urinary tract infection.
Has overdosed on her insulin. (correct)
Has a low BG level.

What should the EMT do for a 31-year-old male with a seizure who is unresponsive and has rapid, shallow breathing?

Assist the patient's ventilations with a bag-valve mask. (correct)
Position the patient on his side and give oxygen via non-rebreathing mask.
Place a thin layer of oral glucose between his cheek and gums. (correct)
Administer oxygen by nasal cannula and assess his BG level. (correct)

What should you do in response to a 35-year-old male patient who is confused, diaphoretic, and holding a baseball bat?

Retreat at once and call law enforcement. (correct)
Be assertive and talk the patient down. (correct)
Calm him down so you can assess him.
Contact medical control for instructions. (correct)

What should you do for a 19-year-old male who cannot remember if he took his insulin?

Transport only with close, continuous monitoring en route. (A), Assist him with his insulin injection and reassess him. (B), Contact medical control and administer oral glucose. (C), Request a paramedic ambulance to administer IV glucose. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What should you suspect for a 42-year-old male found unresponsive with a BG level of 75 mg/dL?

Suspect that he has intracranial bleeding, assist his ventilations, and transport rapidly to an appropriate hospital. (A), Suspect that he has internal bleeding and is in shock, administer high-flow oxygen, and transport at once. (B), Administer high-flow oxygen, perform a detailed secondary assessment at the scene, and transport promptly. (C), Administer oxygen via a non-rebreathing mask, apply oral glucose in between his cheek and gum, and transport. (D) Signup and view all the answers

A 75-year-old male with type 1 diabetes complains of chest pain. What should you treat him as though he is experiencing?

A heart attack. (A), An acute stroke. (B), Hyperglycemia. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which clinical sign would MOST likely indicate the correct diagnosis in a patient with altered mental status and diabetes?

Deep and rapid breathing. (A), Restlessness and irritability. (B), Hypotension and tachycardia. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for a 29-year-old female with confusion, rapid respirations, and a low oxygen saturation?

Provide ventilatory support. (B), Transport immediately. (C), Treat her for hyperglycemia. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What are classic signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia?

Cold, clammy skin; bradycardia; hunger; and deep, rapid respirations. (B), Cool, clammy skin; weakness; tachycardia; and rapid respirations. (C), Warm, dry skin; hunger; abdominal pain; and deep, slow respirations. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Diabetes is MOST accurately defined as a(n):

Mass excretion of glucose by the kidneys. (A), Disorder of glucose metabolism. (B), Lack of insulin production in the pancreas. (C), Abnormally high blood glucose level. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when:

Insulin is not available in the body. (A), Blood glucose levels rapidly fall. (B), The cells rapidly metabolize glucose. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Excessive eating caused by cellular 'hunger' is called:

Dyspepsia. (C), Polyphagia. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Hemoglobin is:

Found within the red blood cells and is responsible for carrying oxygen. (A), A key component of the blood and is produced in response to an infection. (B), The fluid portion of the blood that transports cells throughout the body. (C), Essential for the formation of clots, such as when vessel damage occurs. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Oral glucose should be given to any patient who:

Has documented hypoglycemia and an absent gag reflex. (A), Is unresponsive, even in the absence of a history of diabetes. (B), Has an altered mental status and a history of diabetes. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Patients with thrombophilia are at an increased risk for:

Various cancers. (A), Pulmonary embolism. (B), Hemorrhagic stroke. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following does NOT control type 2 diabetes?

Tolbutamide (Orinase). (B), Supplemental insulin. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Patients with uncontrolled diabetes experience polyuria because:

High blood sugar levels cause permanent kidney damage. (B), They drink excess amounts of water due to dehydration. (C), Excess glucose in the blood is excreted by the kidneys. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Proper procedure for administering oral glucose to a patient includes all of the following, EXCEPT:

Checking the medications expiration date. (A), Requesting permission from medical control. (B), Ensuring the absence of a gag reflex. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Symptomatic hypoglycemia will MOST likely develop if a patient:

Takes too much of his or her prescribed insulin. (A), Eats a regular meal followed by mild exertion. (B), Markedly overeats and misses an insulin dose. (C), Misses one or two prescribed insulin injections. (D) Signup and view all the answers

The normal blood glucose level is between:

80 and 120 mg/dL. (A), 160 and 200 mg/dL. (D) Signup and view all the answers

To which of the following diabetic patients should you administer oral glucose?

A conscious 37-year-old female with nausea and vomiting. (A), A semiconscious 40-year-old female without a gag reflex. (B), A confused 55-year-old male with tachycardia and pallor. (C), An unconscious 33-year-old male with cool, clammy skin. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Type 1 diabetes is defined as:

Is typically treated with medications such as metformin. (A), Is defined as a BG level that is less than 120 mg/dL. (B), Is a condition in which no insulin is produced by the body. (C), Typically occurs in patients between 50 and 70 years of age. (D) Signup and view all the answers

When assessing an unresponsive diabetic patient, the primary visible difference between hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia is the:

Presence of a medical identification tag. (A), Rate of the patient's pulse. (B), Patient's mental status. (C), Rate and depth of breathing. (D) Signup and view all the answers

When obtaining a SAMPLE history from a patient with diabetes who has an altered mental status, it would be MOST important to determine:

If there is a family history of diabetes or related conditions. (A), Approximately how much water the patient drank that day. (B), If he or she has had any recent illnesses or excessive stress. (C), The name of the physician who prescribed his or her insulin. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is a diabetic patient at an increased risk of developing?

Depression. (A), Blindness. (B), Alcoholism. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which sign or symptom would the EMT MOST likely encounter in a patient with new-onset type 1 diabetes?

Weight loss and polyuria. (A), Total lack of appetite. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement regarding sickle cell disease is correct?

Because of their abnormal shape, red blood cells in patients with sickle cell disease are less apt to lodge in a blood vessel. (A), Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that causes the blood to clot too quickly. (B), In sickle cell disease, the red blood cells are abnormally shaped and less able to carry oxygen. (C), The red blood cells of patients with sickle cell disease are round and contain hemoglobin. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Hyperglycemia symptoms

Excessive urination, confusion, unresponsiveness

Diabetic patient, shallow breathing

Support ventilations with bag-valve mask. Monitor breathing, cyanosis