EMR Chapter 13: Environmental Emergencies

Which of the following people would be least likely to experience a heat-related illness?

• A 55-year-old woman who has diabetes

• A 78-year-old man who has heart disease

• A 6-month-old infant who was born prematurely

• A 30-year-old man who is slightly overweight

High air temperatures reduce the body’s ability to:

• preserve body heat.

• cool itself by radiation.

• lose heat through evaporation.

• generate heat through shivering.

High humidity reduces the body’s ability to:

• produce sweat.

• cool itself by radiation.

• lose body heat by shivering.

• lose heat through evaporation.

Common signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include all of the following, except:

• flushed, dry skin.

• lightheadedness.

• profuse sweating.

• nausea and dizziness.

Which of the following statements regarding heat exhaustion is correct?

• A classic sign of heat exhaustion is significantly elevated blood pressure.

• Patients experiencing heat exhaustion typically have a slow, bounding pulse.

• Patients experiencing heat exhaustion usually have a normal body temperature.

• Heat exhaustion occurs when a person is exposed to temperatures above 70°F (21°C).

You are assessing a conscious and alert 20-year-old man who complains of dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea that began after working for several hours in the sun. The ambient temperature is 100°F (38°C). After moving the patient to a cooler environment and assessing him, you should:

• give him 1 to 2 L of cool water for rehydration.

• monitor his ABCs and arrange for transport to the hospital.

• rapidly cool him by applying ice packs to his groin region.

• tell him to go home and get rest before returning to work.

Which of the following may occur with heatstroke, but not with heat exhaustion?

• A normal body temperature

• A pulse that is slow and bounding

• Severe irritability or hyperactivity

• A body temperature as high as 104°F (40°C)

Heatstroke is most accurately defined as a condition in which:

• the patient’s body temperature is at least 104°F (40°C).

• the body’s sweating mechanism is overwhelmed.

• a drop in blood pressure leads to irreversible shock.

• the body produces more sweat than it can evaporate.

A patient who is suffering from heatstroke:

• usually has skin that is hot and moist.

• may be semiconscious or unconscious.

• requires gradual cooling of his or her body.

• usually experiences permanent brain damage.

The most important initial treatment for a patient with heatstroke is:

• moving the patient to a cooler place.

• rapidly cooling the patient with water.

• elevating the patient’s lower extremities.

• opening the airway and assessing breathing.