Question

An emergency room social worker is asked to evaluate a 43-year-old woman who was

brought in complaining of heart palpitations and an inability to sleep. The social worker
notes that the woman's pupils are dilated and that she is wrapped in a large blanket
despite the reasonable temperature in the ER. The client has most likely been using:
A. Cocaine
B. Oxycontin
C. Alcohol
D. Heroine

Answer 1

The woman's symptoms of heart palpitations, inability to sleep, dilated pupils, and wrapping herself in a blanket suggest cocaine use, as it causes increased heart rate, insomnia, and dilated pupils.

Step-by-step explanation:

The emergency room social worker is evaluating a 43-year-old woman presenting with symptoms that could be indicative of substance use: heart palpitations, an inability to sleep, dilated pupils, and using a large blanket in a reasonably warm room. Among the substances listed, cocaine matches closely with the symptoms described. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that can cause increased heart rate (tachycardia), insomnia, and dilated pupils (mydriasis). Conversely, substances such as Oxycontin, Alcohol, and Heroin tend to present with symptoms of slowing down bodily functions such as depressed heart rate or constricted pupils, which are not aligned with the symptoms the woman is exhibiting.