New York State Basic Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B) Practice Exam

A patient in acute respiratory distress requiring oxygen therapy is LEAST likely to show which of the following symptoms?

1. Anxiety

2. Nasal flaring

3. Intercostal muscle retractions

4. Slow pulse rate

The correct answer is: Anxiety

A patient in acute respiratory distress is likely to exhibit a variety of symptoms as their body attempts to compensate for the low levels of oxygen. Symptoms such as nasal flaring and intercostal muscle retractions are common physiological responses to respiratory distress. Nasal flaring is an effort to increase airflow, especially in pediatric patients. Similarly, intercostal muscle retractions occur when the body struggles to breathe, leading to the use of accessory muscles to assist with ventilation. Anxiety is a typical emotional response to feeling suffocated or experiencing difficulty breathing. Therefore, it is not surprising to find that many patients in respiratory distress may appear anxious as they perceive the threat to their ability to breathe. A slow pulse rate, in contrast, is generally not expected in acute respiratory distress. Typically, a patient experiencing this condition would exhibit tachycardia, or an increased heart rate, as the body attempts to increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues. Therefore, a slow pulse rate is least likely to be a symptom in a patient experiencing acute respiratory distress, as it does not align with the body's compensatory mechanisms under stress.