Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Test

Which type of bleed is characterized by a spurting, pulsating flow of bright red blood?

1. Arterial bleed

2. Venous bleed

3. Capillary bleed

4. Intramuscular bleed

The correct answer is: Arterial bleed

An arterial bleed is characterized by a spurting, pulsating flow of bright red blood because arteries are responsible for carrying oxygenated blood away from the heart at a high pressure. This means that when an artery is damaged, the blood spurts out forcefully due to the high pressure. A venous bleed, which is the incorrect option, is typically characterized by a steady flow of dark red blood because veins are responsible for carrying deoxygenated blood back to the heart at a lower pressure. A capillary bleed, another incorrect option, is characterized by a slow, oozing flow of blood because capillaries are the smallest blood vessels and have low pressure. An intramuscular bleed, the final incorrect option, occurs when a blood vessel within a muscle is damaged and can cause bruising or swelling, but typically does not result in a spurting, pulsating flow of blood.