TL;DR
Study cardiac assessment techniques, pathophysiology, and emergency management of cardiovascular conditions. Cardiology is one of the most heavily weighted domains on the NREMT EMT Certification.
Free Cardiac Assessment Practice Questions
NREMT EMT Certification · Cardiology & Resuscitation
This module covers Cardiac Assessment as part of the Cardiology & Resuscitation section, testing your understanding of core concepts and their practical application.
| Exam | NREMT EMT Certification |
| Pass Rate | 67% |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Module | Cardiac Assessment |
Why Cardiac Assessment matters
Cardiac Assessment questions appear frequently on the NREMT EMT Certification because accurate assessment is the foundation of all clinical decision-making.
Sample Practice Questions (5)
1. You are treating a 55-year-old male with crushing chest pain. You have administered 324 mg aspirin and applied high-flow oxygen. During transport, the patient becomes unresponsive, pulseless, and apneic. What is your FIRST action?
- Begin high-quality CPR starting with chest compressions
- Apply the AED and analyze the rhythm
- Ventilate with BVM for 2 minutes then check pulse
- Administer a second dose of aspirin
2. A 45-year-old female calls 911 for "indigestion." She has epigastric discomfort, mild shortness of breath, and reports feeling "anxious" for the past hour. She has a history of hypertension and smoking. Vital signs: BP 150/90, HR 96, RR 20, SpO2 96%. What is your MOST appropriate approach?
- Treat as a potential cardiac event: apply oxygen, administer aspirin per protocol, obtain OPQRST/SAMPLE, and transport to a cardiac-capable facility
- Reassure the patient that this is likely acid reflux and suggest she see her doctor
- Transport to the nearest facility non-emergently since vital signs are stable
- Administer oral glucose in case of hypoglycemia
3. A 48-year-old female presents with sudden onset of sharp, tearing chest pain that radiates to her back between the shoulder blades. Her blood pressure is 180/110 in the right arm and 140/80 in the left arm. What should you suspect and what is the MOST important EMT action?
- Aortic dissection; keep the patient calm, apply oxygen, and transport immediately without aspirin
- Acute myocardial infarction; administer 324 mg aspirin and transport
- Pulmonary embolism; elevate the legs and apply a NRB
- Musculoskeletal chest pain; transport non-emergently
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Start practicing free →4. A 70-year-old male with a history of coronary artery disease is complaining of chest pain. He states he took three of his prescribed nitroglycerin tablets over the past 15 minutes with no relief. His BP is 88/56 and HR is 104. He asks you to help him take another nitroglycerin. What is the BEST action?
- Do NOT assist with additional nitroglycerin due to hypotension; administer aspirin if not already taken, apply oxygen, and transport rapidly
- Assist with one more nitroglycerin since the maximum is four doses
- Assist with nitroglycerin after giving a fluid bolus
- Withhold all medications and wait for ALS backup
5. A chest pain patient tells you the pain started 30 minutes ago while shoveling snow. He describes it as a "heavy pressure" on his chest that gets worse with exertion and is accompanied by shortness of breath. Which OPQRST component is MOST concerning for cardiac origin?
- Onset during physical exertion and quality described as "pressure" or "heaviness"
- The pain started only 30 minutes ago
- The patient is experiencing shortness of breath
- The pain is localized to the chest
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