JBL EMT Practice Exam

You are assessing a 49-year-old man who, according to his wife, experienced a sudden, severe headache and then passed out. He is unresponsive and has slow, irregular breathing. His blood pressure is 190/94 mm Hg, and his pulse rate is 50 beats/min. His wife tells you that he has hypertension and diabetes. He has MOST likely experienced:

1. acute hypoglycemia

2. a complex partial seizure

3. a ruptured cerebral artery

4. an occluded cerebral artery

The correct answer is: a ruptured cerebral artery

This patient's presentation is consistent with a ruptured cerebral artery, also known as a hemorrhagic stroke. The sudden, severe headache and loss of consciousness are common symptoms of a hemorrhagic stroke. The high blood pressure may have contributed to the rupture of the artery. Diabetes and hypertension are both risk factors for strokes, increasing the likelihood of a ruptured cerebral artery in this patient. Acute hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, typically causes symptoms like dizziness, confusion, and weakness, but not a sudden, severe headache or loss of consciousness. A complex partial seizure is characterized by altered consciousness and repetitive, involuntary movements, but would not cause the other symptoms described in this patient. An occluded cerebral artery, also known as an ischemic stroke, would cause symptoms such as weakness, numbness, and difficulty speaking, but not a sudden, severe headache or loss of consciousness.