Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Test

What are the characteristics of neurogenic shock resulting from thoracic or higher injuries?

1. Low blood pressure

2. Decreased pulse

3. Warm, red, dry skin

4. Bruising behind ears

The correct answer is: Low blood pressure

Neurogenic shock is a type of distributive shock that occurs when there is a disruption in the autonomic pathways due to spinal cord injury, particularly above the thoracic region. One of the main characteristics of this condition is low blood pressure, which results from the loss of sympathetic tone that normally helps maintain vascular resistance. Without this tone, vessels dilate, leading to a decrease in blood pressure. In cases of neurogenic shock, the body can also experience bradycardia, but this occurs due to the loss of sympathetic stimulation to the heart, which results in a slower heart rate. However, heart rate dynamics can vary based on individual responses. Moreover, the skin characteristics associated with neurogenic shock typically include a warm, dry appearance, as opposed to the cold, clammy skin observed in hypovolemic or cardiogenic shock. This occurs because blood flow is redistributed towards the periphery due to the vasodilation created by the loss of sympathetic nerve function, resulting in warm and red skin in certain regions. Bruising behind the ears is generally not a characteristic of neurogenic shock and would more likely indicate a traumatic injury, such as a skull fracture or basilar skull fracture, which may not directly correlate with the physiological changes seen in