A 47-year-old male presents with severe abdominal pain of 3 hours' duration. His abdomen is distended and guarded. Your MOST important consideration for this patient should be to:

A strangulated hernia is one that:

In the presence of ileus, the only way the stomach can empty itself is by:

Pain that may be perceived at a distant point on the surface of the body, such as the back or shoulder, is called:

Injury to a hollow abdominal organ would MOST likely result in:

Elderly patients with abdominal problems may not exhibit the same pain response as younger patients because of:

Which of the following organs lies in the retroperitoneal space?

Esophageal varices MOST commonly occur in patients who:

Patients with acute abdominal pain should not be given anything to eat or drink because:

Which of the following conditions is more common in women than in men?

You respond to the residence of a 70-year-old male who complains of weakness and severe shortness of breath. His wife tells you that he is a dialysis patient, but has missed his last two treatments. After applying high-flow oxygen, you auscultate his lungs and hear diffuse rhonchi. The patient is conscious, but appears confused. His blood pressure is 98/54 mm Hg, his pulse rate is 120 beats/min and irregular, and his respirations are 24 breaths/min and labored. You should:

Pain that radiates to the right lower quadrant from the umbilical area, nausea and vomiting, and anorexia are MOST indicative of:

Chronic renal failure is a condition that:

A young female presents with costovertebral angle tenderness. She is conscious and alert with stable vital signs. Which of the following organs is MOST likely causing her pain?

The parietal peritoneum lines the:

Most patients with abdominal pain prefer to:

A 59-year-old male presents with a sudden onset of severe lower back pain. He is conscious and alert, but very restless and diaphoretic. Your assessment reveals a pulsating mass to the left of his umbilicus. You should:

You are dispatched to an apartment complex for a young male with abdominal pain. Your priority upon arriving at the scene should be to:

Solid abdominal organs include the:

An important aspect in the treatment of a patient with severe abdominal pain is to:

Peritonitis may result in shock because:

The MOST common and significant complication associated with an acute abdomen is:

A 35-year-old mildly obese woman is complaining of localized pain in the right upper quadrant with referred pain to the right shoulder. The MOST likely cause of her pain is:

Which of the following organs assists in the filtration of blood, serves as a blood reservoir, and produces antibodies?

A 30-year-old woman with a history of alcoholism presents with severe upper abdominal pain and is vomiting large amounts of bright red blood. Her skin is cool, pale, and clammy; her heart rate is 120 beats/min and weak; and her blood pressure is 70/50 mm Hg. Your MOST immediate action should be to: