26) Your patient is an unresponsive 30-year-old male wearing a Medic-Alert bracelet indicating
that he is a diabetic. The patient’s coworkers came by his house to check on him when he did not
show up for work and did not call in sick. Your assessment does not clearly indicate to you
whether the patient may be hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic. Which of the following should you
do next?
A) Apply oxygen and begin transport without taking further action.
B) Use your glucometer to check his blood sugar level.
C) Use the patient’s glucometer to check his blood sugar level.
D) Administer oral glucose, as it will not cause additional harm in hyperglycemia, but may
prevent brain damage if the patient is hypoglycemic.
Objective: 19.7
27) For the EMT, which of the following is the most important question to ask of a diabetic
patient or his family members?
A) When was the last time you had something to eat?
B) Do you have a fruity taste in your mouth?
C) Do you have a family history of diabetes?
D) What kind of insulin do you take?
Objective: 19.7
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28) Which of the following is within the EMT’s scope of practice for the treatment of the diabetic
patient?
A) Assisting the patient with the administration of his insulin
B) Administration of oral glucose
C) Rectal administration of glucose
D) Both A and B
Objective: 19.7
29) Which of the following would be an acceptable substitute for the administration of
commercially prepared oral glucose solution?
A) Having the patient eat a banana
B) Diet soda
C) Having the patient eat something high in protein, such as a deli sandwich
D) Cake icing
Objective: 19.7
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30) Many diabetics today have an insulin pump. Which of the following statements about insulin
pumps is NOT true?
A) They are about the size of an MP3 player or a pager.
B) They are usually worn on the belt.
C) They have a catheter that enters into the abdomen.
D) They are usually worn around the ankle.
Objective: 19.7
31) Which of the following conditions may be mimicked by hypoglycemia?
A) Intoxication
B) Respiratory distress
C) Heart attack
D) All of the above
Objective: 19.8
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32) A seizure that occurs spontaneously from an unknown cause is called:
A) toxinic.
B) hypoxic.
C) idiopathic.
D) hypoglycemic.
Objective: 19.8
33) Which of the following refers to difficulty in speaking or understanding speech as a result of
a stroke?
A) Hemiparesis
B) Ischemia
C) Ataxia
D) Aphasia
Objective: 19.8
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34) Which statement below is NOT true about seizures?
A) A partial seizure affects one part, or one side, of the brain.
B) A generalized seizure affects the entire brain.
C) The most common seizure that EMTs are likely to be called on is a tonic-clonic seizure.
D) Many seizures are followed by an aura.
Objective: 19.8
35) What is epilepsy?
A) A condition in which a person has multiple seizures usually controlled by medication.
B) A condition in which a person has an aura followed by seizure usually controlled by
medication.
C) A condition caused by congenital brain abnormalities that causes seizures only twice a year.
D) A condition in which a person has general seizures that start in childhood.
Objective: 19.8
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36) The signs and symptoms of a transient ischemic attack (TIA) may last up to:
A) 1 hour.
B) 30 minutes.
C) 24 hours.
D) 6 hours.
Objective: 19.8
37) Which of the following is the most common cause of seizures in adults?
A) Failure to take prescribed medication
B) Withdrawal from alcohol
C) Fever
D) Head trauma
Objective: 19.9
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38) Your patient is a 19-year-old female who is 7 months pregnant. She just experienced a
seizure. Although she has no previous history of seizures or any other medical condition, she was
just diagnosed with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Which of the following is the most likely
cause of the seizure?
A) Trauma
B) Hypoglycemia
C) Eclampsia
D) Any of the above
Objective: 19.9
39) Which of the following is a typical cause of seizures in children 6 months to 3 years of age?
A) Administration of glucose to a hyperglycemic patient
B) Fever
C) Asthma
D) Chest pain
Objective: 19.9
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40) Which of the following is the LEAST important question in obtaining the history of a seizure
patient in the prehospital setting?
A) How did the patient behave during the seizure?
B) Did the patient lose control of his bladder?
C) Does the patient have a family history of seizures?
D) What was the patient doing before the seizure?
Objective: 19.10
41) You respond to a 32-year-old female who is having a seizure. You arrive on the scene to find
the patient drowsy, confused, and complaining of a headache. This patient is demonstrating the:
A) aura phase.
B) clonic phase.
C) postictal phase.
D) tonic phase.
Objective: 19.10
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42) Your patient is a 21-year-old female with a history of epilepsy. She is having a convulsion
upon your arrival. Which of the following should you do?
A) Insert a bite block, cloth, wallet, or similar item between the patient’s teeth to prevent her
from biting her tongue.
B) Move furniture and other objects away from the patient to prevent injury.
C) Restrain the patient’s extremities to prevent injury from flailing of the arms and legs.
D) Place a tongue depressor or spoon in the back of the mouth to prevent the patient from
swallowing her tongue.
Objective: 19.10
43) Which of the following is LEAST important for the patient who has stopped seizing before
the EMT’s arrival at the scene?
A) Checking for mechanism of injury
B) Requesting advanced life support
C) Suctioning
D) Administering oxygen
Objective: 19.10
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