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Emergency Medicine · EMT-B

EMT Cardiac Emergencies and Rhythms

Chest pain assessment, basic cardiac rhythm recognition, and AED use tested on the EMT-B exam.

40 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.

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What does the O in the OPQRST pain assessment stand for?
Onset
What does the P in OPQRST stand for?
Provocation/palliation (what makes the pain better or worse)
What does the Q in OPQRST stand for?
Quality (how the pain feels, e.g. sharp, dull, crushing)
What does the R in OPQRST stand for?
Radiation (where the pain travels to)
What does the S in OPQRST stand for?
Severity (pain rated on a scale, often 1 to 10)
What does the T in OPQRST stand for?
Time (how long the pain has lasted)
How do patients typically describe cardiac related chest pain?
As pressure, squeezing, or tightness, rather than sharp or stabbing
To which body areas can cardiac chest pain commonly radiate?
The jaw, neck, left arm, and back
What skin finding often accompanies a cardiac event along with chest pain?
Diaphoresis (sweating), often with pale, cool skin
What position is generally most comfortable for a patient with cardiac chest pain?
A semi sitting (Fowler's) position, or whatever position the patient finds most comfortable
When should an EMT-B administer supplemental oxygen to a chest pain patient?
When the patient's oxygen saturation is below 94 percent
What is the typical adult dose of aspirin given for suspected cardiac chest pain?
162 to 324 mg, chewed
Name one contraindication to giving aspirin for chest pain.
A known allergy to aspirin, or an active bleeding disorder
By what route is nitroglycerin given for chest pain?
Sublingually, under the tongue
Why is nitroglycerin withheld when a patient's blood pressure is too low?
Because it dilates blood vessels and can drop blood pressure further, causing dangerous hypotension

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