Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

In assessing a young male with tachypnea who is hyperventilating due to stress, what is the most appropriate treatment?

1. Intravenous medication administration

2. Coached breathing and oxygen as needed

3. Administering a sedative

4. Placement on a ventilator

The correct answer is: Coached breathing and oxygen as needed

In cases of a young male experiencing tachypnea and hyperventilation due to stress, coached breathing alongside the administration of oxygen as needed is considered the most appropriate treatment. Coached breathing focuses on retraining the patient’s breathing pattern to help reduce the rate of breathing and promote more effective, slower breaths. This can alleviate feelings of panic, decrease anxiety, and help restore normal respiratory function. Providing oxygen may also be beneficial if the patient's blood oxygen levels are compromised due to rapid breathing. However, it’s important to avoid excessive oxygenation since hyperventilation can lead to respiratory alkalosis, where carbon dioxide levels drop too low. Coached breathing, therefore, becomes a supportive strategy that empowers the patient to regain control over their respiratory rate. Other treatments listed, such as intravenous medication administration, administering a sedative, and placement on a ventilator, are more invasive and not suited for managing stress-induced hyperventilation in this context. These options may carry risks or are unnecessary when guided breathing techniques can effectively address the immediate symptoms.