A 70-year-old patient is complaining of shortness of breath. She has a history of emphysema. You should

A 70-year-old patient is complaining of shortness of breath. She has a history of emphysema. You should
A . Withhold oxygen, since these patients do not respond to oxygen.
B . Withhold oxygen, because you could eliminate the hypoxic drive.
C . Administer oxygen, because in most cases, the hypoxic drive will not be a problem.
D . Withhold oxygen, because these patients become apneic if they receive high-flow oxygen.

View Answer

Answer: C

Explanation:

While it may be true that providing high levels of oxygen over prolonged time periods may cause the hypoxic drive to fail, it is a rare occurrence in the prehospital field. With the complaint of shortness of breath, it is better to ensure that the patient is fully oxygenated rather than taking a chance that she is hypoxic. The EMT-Basic is prepared to ventilate the patient if she goes into respiratory arrest due to the high levels of oxygen.