Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Trauma Practice Test

An athlete is hit in the chest with a baseball bat causing sudden collapse and no pulse. The most likely cause is:

1. aortic dissection.

2. commotio cordis.

3. pneumothorax.

4. rib fracture.

The correct answer is: aortic dissection.

In this scenario, the most likely cause of the athlete's sudden collapse and absence of pulse after being hit in the chest with a baseball bat is aortic dissection. Aortic dissection is a serious condition where there is a tear in the inner layer of the aorta, the large blood vessel branching off the heart. When a tear occurs, it can cause severe internal bleeding and compromise blood flow to vital organs, leading to shock and cardiac arrest. It is important to recognize aortic dissection in trauma situations like the one described, as immediate medical intervention is necessary to improve the chances of survival. The other options - commotio cordis, pneumothorax, and rib fracture - typically do not result in immediate collapse and the absence of a pulse in the same way that aortic dissection does.