Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Test

A steady slow flow of dark red blood would be indicative of which type of bleed?

1. Venous bleed

2. Arterial bleed

3. Capillary bleed

4. Intracranial bleed

The correct answer is: Venous bleed

A steady slow flow of dark red blood is indicative of a venous bleed. This occurs because veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart, resulting in a darker color compared to the bright red, oxygen-rich blood found in arteries. In a venous bleed, blood tends to flow more steadily and less forcefully than in arterial bleeding, which can spurt with the heartbeat and is typically bright red due to its oxygen content. Capillary bleeding, while also slower and more steady, usually presents with a oozing type of flow rather than a steady stream, and the blood is also darker than arterial blood but not as dark as venous blood. An intracranial bleed may vary, but it typically does not present as a steady flow outside the skull; instead, it may refer more to internal pressure changes and symptoms. Thus, the characteristics of steady slow flow and dark red color specifically support the classification of a venous bleed.