Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

A 19-year-old male struck in the occipital region exhibits a brief loss of consciousness and amnesia. What is his most likely condition?

1. Contusion

2. Cerebral concussion

3. Subdural hematoma

4. Post-traumatic stress syndrome

The correct answer is: Cerebral concussion

The most likely condition for a 19-year-old male who has been struck in the occipital region and exhibits a brief loss of consciousness and amnesia aligns with cerebral concussion. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury resulting from a blow to the head or body that causes the brain to move rapidly within the skull. The symptoms of a concussion can include temporary loss of consciousness, confusion, and amnesia, particularly concerning events before or after the injury. In this case, the combination of a transient loss of consciousness and amnesia following a head injury strongly suggests a concussive event. In contrast, while a contusion refers to bruising of the brain tissue, it may not specifically lead to amnesia or confusion in the same way that a concussion would; it could result in more persistent symptoms based on the severity of bruising. A subdural hematoma, which involves bleeding between the brain and its outermost covering, often presents with more severe symptoms and a more gradual onset of symptoms, rather than the immediate post-injury effects observed here. Post-traumatic stress syndrome typically manifests after psychological trauma rather than a direct physical trauma like a concussion. Thus, given the mechanism of injury and the symptoms presented, cerebral concussion