Cardiology — MCQs

A 50-year-old female teacher presents to the clinic with complaints of discoloration of the skin around the right ankle accompanied by itching. She began noticing it a month ago and the pruritus worsened over time. She also has some pain and swelling of the region every night, especially on days when she teaches late into the evening. Her past medical history is significant for diabetes mellitus type 2, for which she takes metformin. She lives with her husband and takes oral contraceptive pills. On examination, the physician observes hyperpigmentation of the medial aspect of her right ankle. The skin is dry, scaly, and edematous along with some superficial varicosities. Dorsiflexion of the foot is extremely painful. Peripheral pulses are equally palpable on both lower limbs. There is a small 2 cm ulcer noted near the medial malleolus with thickened neighboring skin and indurated edges. Laboratory studies show D-dimer of 1,000 µg/L and HbA1c of 9%. Doppler ultrasound of the lower extremity reveals an intramural thrombus in the popliteal vein. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

A 19-year-old female student presents to her physician for overall fatigue. She is having a hard time concentrating while studying and feeling tired most of the time. She also has had constipation for more than 3 weeks and rectal bleeding on occasions. She notices she is getting colder and often needs to wear warmer clothes than usual for the same weather. On examination, a small nodule around the size of 1cm is palpated in the left thyroid lobule; the gland is nontender. There is no lymphadenopathy. Her vital signs are: blood pressure is 118/75 mm Hg, respirations are 17/min, pulse is 87/min, and temperature is 36.1°C (97.0°F). Which of the following is the best next step in the management of this patient?

A 36-year-old healthy man presents to his physician to discuss his concerns about developing heart disease. His father, grandfather, and older brother had heart problems, and he has become increasingly worried he might be at risk. He takes no medications and his past medical history is only significant for an appendectomy at 20 years ago. He is married happily with 2 young children and works as a hotel manager and exercises occasionally in the hotel gym. He drinks 3–5 alcoholic beverages per week but denies smoking and illicit drug use. Today his blood pressure is 146/96 mm Hg, pulse rate is 80/min, and respiratory rate is 16/min. He has a body mass index of 26.8 kg/m2. His physical examination is otherwise unremarkable. Laboratory tests show: Laboratory test Serum glucose (fasting) 88 mg/dL Serum electrolytes Sodium 142 mEq/L Potassium 3.9 mEq/L Chloride 101 mEq/L Serum creatinine 0.8 mg/dl Blood urea nitrogen 10 mg/dl Cholesterol, total 350 mg/dL HDL-cholesterol 40 mg/dL LDL-cholesterol 280 mg/dL Triglycerides 130 mg/dL Besides appropriate medications for his cholesterol and a follow-up for his hypertension, which of the following supplements is thought to provide a protective cardiovascular effect?

In a routine medical examination, an otherwise healthy 12-year-old boy is noted to have tall stature with a wide arm span and slight scoliosis. Chest auscultation reveals a heart murmur. Transthoracic echocardiography shows an enlarged aortic root and aortic valve insufficiency. Mutations in fibrillin-1 gene are positive. Plasma homocysteine levels are not elevated. This patient is at high risk for which of the following complications?

A 46-year-old man comes to the physician for routine physical examination. His blood pressure is 158/96 mm Hg. Physical examination shows no abnormalities. Serum studies show a potassium concentration of 3.1 mEq/L. His plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) to plasma renin activity (PRA) ratio is 47 (N < 10). A saline infusion test fails to suppress aldosterone secretion. A CT scan of the abdomen shows bilateral adrenal gland abnormalities. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 78-year-old man with advanced lung cancer with metastases to the brain is brought to the physician by his daughter, with whom he lives. The daughter reports that her father's condition has been slowly deteriorating over the past 2 months. His seizures have been poorly controlled despite maximal medical therapy. He has had progressive loss of mobility, a decrease in executive function, and worsening pain. The patient has Medicaid insurance. Current medications include high-dose corticosteroids and immediate-release opioid analgesics. The need for increased assistance has been distressing to the family, and they are concerned about the patient's overall comfort. The daughter asks the physician about her father's eligibility for hospice care. Which of the following responses from the physician about this model of care is most appropriate?

A 43-year-old man with a history of untreated HIV presents with fever, shortness of breath, and a nonproductive cough for the past week. Past medical history is significant for HIV diagnosed 10 years ago and never treated. His most recent CD4+ T cell count was 105/µL. Physical examination reveals bilateral crepitus over all lobes. No lymphadenopathy is present. A chest radiograph reveals bilateral infiltrates. Which of the following is the best treatment for this patient?

A 55-year-old man is seen in the hospital for new onset shortness of breath. The patient was hospitalized 5 days ago after initially presenting with chest pain. He was found to have an ST-elevation myocardial infarction. He underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with stent placement with resolution of his chest pain. He states that he was doing well until yesterday when he developed dyspnea while walking around the hall and occasionally when getting out of bed to use the bathroom. His shortness of breath has since progressed, and he is now having trouble breathing even at rest. His medical history is also significant for type II diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia. He takes aspirin, clopidogrel, metformin, and atorvastatin. His temperature is 97°F (36.1°C), blood pressure is 133/62, pulse is 90/min, respirations are 20/min, and oxygen saturation is 88% on room air. On physical examination, there is a holosystolic murmur that radiates to the axilla and an S3 heart sound. Coarse crackles are heard bilaterally. An electrocardiogram, a chest radiograph, and cardiac enzyme levels are pending. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 36-year-old right-handed man presents with complaints of difficulty writing for the past 6 months. He denies right-hand weakness, numbness, pain, and trauma. He can do most normal activities with his right hand, but whenever he holds a pen and starts to write, he experiences painful muscle spasms in his hand and arm. He is an account clerk by profession, and this problem causes him so much distress that he has started writing with his left hand. He is physically active. Sleep and appetite are normal. Past medical history is unremarkable. Physical examination is completely within normal limits with normal muscle tone, strength, and deep tendon reflexes. When he is asked to hold a pen and write, his hand becomes twisted with abnormal posturing while attempting to write. What is the next step in the management of this patient?

A 33-year-old woman presents to a walk-in clinic for evaluation of some bumps around her eyes. The bumps are not itchy or painful. They have been getting larger since appearing last year. She has no other complaints. She has not sought out medical attention for the last 20 years due to lack of insurance coverage. Her medical history reveals no problems and she takes no medications. Her periods are regular. A review of systems reveals no other concerns. She does not drink, smoke, or use illicit drugs. Her vital signs show a heart rate of 86/min, respirations of 14/min, and blood pressure of 124/76 mm Hg. On examination, the rash is a series of small papules and plaques around her eyes. The rest of the examination is unremarkable. Which of the following initial blood tests are most appropriate at this time?