A patient informs you that he was recently diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). He states that the surgeon did not want to operate on it immediately because he felt it was stable and not worth the risks that surgery posed. Tonight the patient states that he suddenly developed abdominal pain and wants to be evaluated in the hospital to see if the AAA has increased in size. Given this history, which of the following assessment findings would cause the EMT to suspect that the AAA is the cause of the abdominal pain?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) can cause severe and sudden abdominal pain that radiates to the back. This is often described as a "tearing" pain. The other options, such as fever (B), pain that subsides with rest (C), and inability to urinate (D), are not specific to AAA and can be present with a variety of medical conditions.

A Patient Informs You That He Was Recently Diagnosed with an Abdominal