West Coast EMT Chapter 12 -- Shock

A 20-year-old male has a large laceration to his wrist. He is holding a blood-soaked towel over the wound, but it continues to bleed rapidly. You should:

Select one:

A. administer high-flow supplemental oxygen.

B. apply a tourniquet proximal to the wrist.

C. apply pressure to the brachial artery.

D. wrap the towel with pressure bandages.

B. apply a tourniquet proximal to the wrist.

A 25-year-old unrestrained female struck the steering wheel with her chest when her car hit a tree while traveling at a high rate of speed. She has signs and symptoms of shock, which you suspect are the result of intrathoracic bleeding. Which of the following interventions will provide this patient with the greatest chance for survival?

Select one:

A. High-flow oxygen administration

B. Rapid transport to a trauma center

C. Full immobilization of her spine

D. Intravenous fluid administration

B. Rapid transport to a trauma center

As you approach a patient lying at the side of the roadway, you observe severe bleeding from the leg. What should your first action be?

Select one:

A. Check for a pulse.

B. Control the bleeding.

C. Administer oxygen.

D. Open the airway.

B. Control the bleeding.

Distributive shock occurs when:

Select one:

A. severe bleeding causes tachycardia in order to distribute blood to the organs faster.

B. an injury causes restriction of the heart muscle and impairs its pumping function.

C. temporary but severe vasodilation causes a decrease in blood supply to the brain.

D. widespread dilation of the blood vessels causes blood to pool in the vascular beds.

D. widespread dilation of the blood vessels causes blood to pool in the vascular beds.

Foods, medications, and insects are common causes of ________.

Select one:

A. anaphylactic shock

B. septic shock

C. neurogenic shock

D. psychogenic shock

A. anaphylactic shock

Hypovolemic shock caused by severe burns is the result of a loss of:

Select one:

A. plasma.

B. platelets.

C. whole blood.

D. red blood cells.

A. plasma.

In an acute injury setting, neurogenic shock is commonly accompanied by:

Select one:

A. tachycardia.

B. hypovolemia.

C. diaphoresis.

D. hypothermia.

D. hypothermia.

Inadequate circulation of blood throughout the body is called ________.

Select one:

A. perfusion

B. hypoxia

C. hypotension

D. shock

D. shock

Pulmonary edema and impaired ventilation occur during:

Select one:

A. septic shock.

B. neurogenic shock.

C. cardiogenic shock.

D. anaphylactic shock.

C. cardiogenic shock.

Shock due to severe infection is called ________.

Select one:

A. anaphylactic shock

B. septic shock

C. hypovolemic shock

D. neurogenic shock

B. septic shock

To protect vital organs, the body compensates by directing blood flow away from organs that are more tolerant of low flow, such as:

Select one:

A. the lungs.

B. the brain.

C. the skin.

D. the heart.

C. the skin.

What are the three components of the "perfusion triangle"?

Select one:

A. Heart, blood vessels, blood

B. Plasma, red blood cells, platelets

C. Heart, brain, lungs

D. Arteries, veins, capillaries

A. Heart, blood vessels, blood

When assessing a patient with signs and symptoms of shock, it is important to remember that:

Select one:

A. irreversible shock often responds well to a prompt blood transfusion.

B. multiple fractures are the most common cause of hypovolemic shock.

C. blood pressure may be the last measurable factor to change in shock.

D. the patient's respirations are deep during the early stages of shock.

C. blood pressure may be the last measurable factor to change in shock.

When should nonlifesaving interventions be performed for your multisystem trauma patient?

Select one:

A. En route to the hospital

B. During the primary assessment

C. Prior to transport

D. Immediately after the injuries are discovered

A. En route to the hospital

When treating an 80-year-old patient who is in shock, it is important to remember that:

Select one:

A. the older patient's central nervous system usually reacts more briskly to compensate for shock.

B. medications older patients take for hypertension often cause an unusually fast heart rate.

C. changes in gastric motility may delay gastric emptying, which increases the risk for vomiting.

D. compensation from the respiratory system usually manifests with increased tidal volume.

C. changes in gastric motility may delay gastric emptying, which increases the risk for vomiting.

Which of the following injuries would MOST likely cause obstructive shock?

Select one:

A. Spinal cord injury

B. Simple pneumothorax

C. Liver laceration

D. Cardiac tamponade

D. Cardiac tamponade

Which of the following is the ONLY action that can prevent eventual death from a tension pneumothorax?

Select one:

A. Early administration of high-flow oxygen

B. Rapid administration of intravenous fluids

C. Decompression of the injured side of the chest

D. Positive-pressure ventilation with a bag-valve mask

C. Decompression of the injured side of the chest

You suspect your patient is in shock. You note the patient's skin is pale. This is likely due to ___________.

Select one:

A. an increased heart rate

B. peripheral vasoconstriction

C. peripheral vasodilation

D. hypothermia

B. peripheral vasoconstriction

Your patient has a decreased cardiac output and poor myocardial contractility. This will likely lead to ___________.

Select one:

A. neurogenic shock

B. cardiogenic shock

C. hypovolemic shock

D. septic shock

B. cardiogenic shock

Your patient is in shock, but the body's defense mechanisms are currently able to maintain adequate circulation. This is called ___________.

Select one:

A. irreversible shock

B. compensated shock

C. decompensated shock

D. late shock

B. compensated shock