You Have Been Called to an Office Building for a 47-Year-Old

question 39

Multiple Choice

You have been called to an office building for a 47-year-old male complaining of chest pain. He is alert, oriented, and complaining of pain in his chest that came on suddenly about 15 minutes ago. His skin is diaphoretic and cool. Which one of the following should you do first?

• A) Apply supplemental oxygen through a nasal cannula.
• B) Obtain a heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and SpO₂ reading.
• C) Determine if there is a family history of cardiac illness.
• D) Administer the first of up to three nitroglycerin tablets.

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Definitions:

Prions

Infectious agents composed entirely of a protein material that can fold in multiple, structurally abstract ways, at least one of which is transmissible to other prion proteins, leading to disease.

Neurological Diseases

Disorders or conditions affecting the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, manifesting in various cognitive, sensory, and motor dysfunctions.

Coup Effects

Injuries to the brain occurring under the site of impact with an object, part of the broader phenomenon including both coup and contrecoup injuries in head traumas.

Contrecoup Effects

Refers to injuries that occur on the side of the brain opposite to where an impact occurs, typically associated with traumatic brain injuries.