Cardiology — MCQs

A 48-year-old male accountant presents to the family practice clinic for his first health check-up in years. He has no complaints, and as far as he is concerned, he is well. He does not have any known medical conditions. His blood pressure is 140/89 mm Hg and his heart rate is 89/min. Physical examination is otherwise unremarkable. What is the single best initial management for this patient?

A 73-year-old male presents to the ED with several days of fevers, cough productive of mucopurulent sputum, and pleuritic chest pain. He has not been to a doctor in 30 years because he “has never been sick”. His vital signs are: T 101F, HR 98, BP 100/55, RR 31. On physical exam he is confused and has decreased breath sounds and crackles on the lower left lobe. Gram positive diplococci are seen in the sputum. Which of the following is the most appropriate management for his pneumonia?

A 65-year-old man presents to the emergency department for shortness of breath. He was at home working on his car when he suddenly felt very short of breath, which failed to improve with rest. He states he was working with various chemicals and inhalants while trying to replace a broken piece in the engine. The patient was brought in by paramedics and is currently on 100% O2 via nasal cannula. The patient has a 52 pack-year smoking history and drinks 2 to 3 alcoholic drinks every night. He has a past medical history of asthma but admits to not having seen a physician since high school. His temperature is 98.2°F (36.8°C), blood pressure is 157/108 mmHg, pulse is 120/min, respirations are 29/min, and oxygen saturation is 77%. Physical exam demonstrates tachycardia with a systolic murmur heard best along the right upper sternal border. Breath sounds are diminished over the right upper lobe. Bilateral lower extremity pitting edema is noted. Which of the following best describes the most likely diagnosis?

A 68-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because of right-sided weakness for 2 hours. He has hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. Current medications include hydrochlorothiazide, metoprolol, amlodipine, pravastatin, and metformin. His pulse is 87/min and blood pressure is 164/98 mm Hg. Neurological examination shows right-sided weakness, facial droop, and hyperreflexia. Sensation is intact. Which of the following is the most likely cause of these findings?

A 42-year-old woman comes to the physician because of 2 episodes of loss of consciousness over the past week. She recovered immediately and was not confused following the episodes. During the past 5 months, she has also had increased shortness of breath and palpitations. She has been unable to carry out her daily activities. She also reports some chest tightness that resolves with rest. She has no history of serious illness and takes no medications. She immigrated with her family from India 10 years ago. Her temperature is 37.3°C (99.1°F), pulse is 115/min and irregular, and blood pressure is 108/70 mm Hg. Examination shows jugular venous distention and pitting edema below the knees. Bilateral crackles are heard at the lung bases. Cardiac examination shows an accentuated and split S2. There is an opening snap followed by a low-pitched diastolic murmur in the fifth left intercostal space at the midclavicular line. An ECG shows atrial fibrillation and right axis deviation. Which of the following is the most likely underlying mechanism of these findings?

A 21-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 1-day history of right leg pain. The pain is worse while walking and improves when resting. Eight months ago, she was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism and was started on warfarin. Anticoagulant therapy was discontinued two months ago. Her mother had systemic lupus erythematosus. On examination, her right calf is diffusely erythematous, swollen, and tender. Cardiopulmonary examination shows no abnormalities. On duplex ultrasonography, the right popliteal vein is not compressible. Laboratory studies show an elevated serum level of D-dimer and insensitivity to activated protein C. Further evaluation of this patient is most likely to show which of the following?

A 33-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 6-month history of worsening shortness of breath and fatigue. Her paternal uncle had similar symptoms and died of respiratory failure at 45 years of age. The lungs are clear to auscultation. Pulmonary function testing shows an FVC of 84%, an FEV1/FVC ratio of 92%, and a normal diffusion capacity. An ECG shows a QRS axis greater than +90 degrees. Genetic analysis shows an inactivating mutation in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II (BMPR2) gene. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's symptoms?

A 33-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician for non-bloody nipple discharge. She states that it has been going on for the past month and that it sometimes soils her shirt. The patient drinks 2 to 3 alcoholic beverages per day and smokes 1 pack of cigarettes per day. She is currently seeking mental health treatment with an outpatient psychiatrist after a recent hospitalization for auditory hallucinations. Her psychiatrist prescribed her a medication that she can not recall. Otherwise, she complains of headaches that occur frequently. Her temperature is 98.6°F (37.0°C), blood pressure is 137/68 mmHg, pulse is 70/min, respirations are 13/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Physical exam is notable for bilateral galactorrhea that can be expressed with palpation. Which of the following is the best next step in management?

A 25-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician with 3 weeks of palpitations and shortness of breath while exercising. She says that these symptoms have been limiting her ability to play recreational sports with her friends. Her past medical history is significant for pharyngitis treated with antibiotics and her family history reveals a grandfather who needed aortic valve replacements early due to an anatomic abnormality. She admits to illicit drug use in college, but says that she stopped using drugs 4 years ago. Physical exam reveals a clicking sound best heard at the apex. This sound occurs between S1 and S2 and is followed by a flow murmur. Which of the following is most likely associated with the cause of this patient's disorder?

A 30-year-old African American woman comes to the physician because of fatigue and muscle weakness for the past 5 weeks. During this period, she has had recurrent headaches and palpitations. She has hypertension and major depressive disorder. She works as a nurse at a local hospital. She has smoked about 6–8 cigarettes daily for the past 10 years and drinks 1–2 glasses of wine on weekends. Current medications include enalapril, metoprolol, and fluoxetine. She is 168 cm (5 ft 6 in) tall and weighs 60 kg (132 lb); BMI is 21.3 kg/m2. Her temperature is 37°C (98.6°F), pulse is 75/min, and blood pressure is 155/85 mm Hg. The lungs are clear to auscultation. Cardiac examination shows no abnormalities. The abdomen is soft and nontender; bowel sounds are normal. Her skin is dry and there is no edema in the lower extremities. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 13.3 g/dL Serum Na+ 146 mEq/L Cl- 105 mEq/L K+ 3.0 mEq/L HCO3- 30 mEq/L Urea nitrogen 10 mg/dL Glucose 95 mg/dL Creatinine 0.8 mg/dL Urine Blood negative Glucose negative Protein negative RBC 0–1/hpf WBC none Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?