North Carolina EMT State Practice Exam

What should be done to manage supine hypotensive syndrome in pregnant patients?

1. Elevate the legs

2. Put on the left side

3. Administer oxygen

4. Monitor vital signs

The correct answer is: Put on the left side

Managing supine hypotensive syndrome in pregnant patients is crucial for ensuring both maternal and fetal well-being. This condition typically arises when the weight of the uterus compresses the inferior vena cava when the patient is lying flat on her back, thereby reducing venous return to the heart and leading to decreased blood flow and potential hypotension. The most effective strategy to alleviate this condition is to position the patient on her left side. This lateral position helps to relieve pressure on the inferior vena cava, enabling better blood flow back to the heart and increasing cardiac output. The left lateral position is particularly recommended because it optimally enhances venous return and improves perfusion to vital organs. While elevating the legs, administering oxygen, and monitoring vital signs are important aspects of general patient care, they do not specifically target the underlying cause of supine hypotensive syndrome. Elevating the legs can sometimes help, but it does not address the compression of the inferior vena cava effectively as turning the patient onto her left side does. Therefore, positioning on the left side is the most critical and immediate action to manage this syndrome.