Which of the following is NOT listed as a consideration for altered mental status or syncope?

• A. Dehydration
• B. Hypoglycemia
• C. Stroke
• D. Seizure

Answer: (A)

In evaluating altered mental status or syncope, the focus is on conditions that can acutely threaten life or mimic these presentations and require rapid treatment. Hypoglycemia is a classic reversible metabolic cause of AMS that you must check for and treat, so it’s clearly listed as a consideration. A stroke represents a neurological emergency we must recognize quickly, and seizures can produce an AMS or syncope-like episode, both of which are central concerns in these assessments. Dehydration, while it can contribute to fainting or confusion by lowering perfusion, isn’t an explicit item on the protocol’s list of considerations for AMS or syncope in this context, so it’s the one not listed. That said, it’s still important to assess hydration in the broader patient evaluation, but it isn’t part of the listed considerations here.