RCIS Practice Test 2025 – All-in-One Exam Prep

The indication of back pain that is not relieved by nitroglycerin (NTG), morphine, or oxygen, and is not associated with any EKG changes can be indicative of an aortic dissection. This condition occurs when the innermost layer of the aorta tears, allowing blood to flow between the layers of the artery wall, which can lead to severe pain typically described as a sudden, sharp, or tearing sensation in the back or chest.

The key characteristic of aortic dissection is that the pain is often unresponsive to typical medications for cardiac-related chest pain, such as NTG or morphine. Additionally, because the pain can occur due to a structural issue rather than ischemia or heart attack, it may not produce any EKG changes, which are commonly observed with other cardiac events like an acute myocardial infarction.

In contrast, while conditions like acute myocardial infarction can also cause back pain, they are usually accompanied by significant EKG changes. Acute ischemic stroke can cause varied symptoms, but back pain is not typically a primary characteristic. Musculoskeletal pain generally responds to morphine or changes in posture, making it less likely to present in this specific scenario where conventional pain management techniques have failed. Thus, in this