Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

Patients with thrombophilia are at an increased risk for:

1. pulmonary embolism

2. stroke

3. chronic fatigue syndrome

4. deep vein thrombosis

The correct answer is: pulmonary embolism

Patients with thrombophilia are indeed at an increased risk for pulmonary embolism due to their tendency to form abnormal blood clots. Thrombophilia refers to a group of disorders that make an individual more susceptible to developing blood clots, typically in the veins. When these clots form in the deep veins, particularly in the legs, they can dislodge and travel to the lungs, resulting in a pulmonary embolism. This condition can be life-threatening as it blocks blood flow to the lungs, leading to severe respiratory distress and potential cardiovascular complications. While deep vein thrombosis also poses a significant risk to these patients and is often the precursor to a pulmonary embolism, the question specifically asks for the condition most directly associated with the increased risk due to thrombophilia, which is the pulmonary embolism, as it follows the progression of clot formation. Stroke can also occur due to thrombophilia, but the immediate and most well-recognized risk is associated with the formation of clots traveling to the pulmonary circulation. Chronic fatigue syndrome, while a serious condition, is not related to the clotting abnormalities seen in thrombophilia.