What aspirin dose is commonly given to an adult with chest pain suggestive of a heart attack?
- 81 mg, swallowed whole
- 162 to 324 mg, chewed
- 650 mg, swallowed whole
- 1,000 mg, chewed
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B. 162 to 324 mg, chewed
The usual dose is two to four 81 mg chewable tablets (162 to 324 mg), chewed so the drug is absorbed quickly. A single 81 mg tablet is a daily preventive dose, not the emergency dose.
Reference: National EMS Education Standards (EMT): Pharmacology, aspirin; AHA acute coronary syndrome guidance
Which three things does the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale test?
- Pupils, grip strength and gait
- Eye opening, speech and movement
- Memory, balance and vision
- Face droop, arm drift, speech
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D. Face droop, arm drift, speech
The Cincinnati scale checks for facial droop when smiling, one arm drifting down when both are held out, and slurred or wrong words. Eye opening, verbal and motor responses make up the Glasgow Coma Scale instead.
Reference: National EMS Education Standards (EMT): Medicine, stroke assessment
What does wheezing tell you about the patient's airways?
- The upper airway is partly blocked
- The air sacs are filled with fluid
- The lower airways are narrowed
- The lung has collapsed on one side
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C. The lower airways are narrowed
Wheezing is a whistling sound made as air squeezes through narrowed bronchioles, as in asthma. Upper airway blockage produces stridor, and fluid in the air sacs produces crackles.
Reference: National EMS Education Standards (EMT): Medicine, respiratory emergencies