Gastroenterology — MCQs

A 19-year-old man with unknown medical history is found down on a subway platform and is brought to the hospital by ambulance. He experiences two episodes of emesis en route. In the emergency department, he appears confused and is complaining of abdominal pain. His temperature is 37.0° C (98.6° F), pulse is 94/min, blood pressure is 110/80 mmHg, respirations are 24/min, oxygen saturation is 99% on room air. His mucus membranes are dry and he is taking rapid, deep breathes. Laboratory work is presented below: Serum: Na+: 130 mEq/L K+: 4.3 mEq/L Cl-: 102 mEq/L HCO3-: 12 mEq/L BUN: 15 mg/dL Glucose: 362 mg/dL Creatinine: 1.2 mg/dL Urine ketones: Positive The patient is given a bolus of isotonic saline and started on intravenous insulin drip. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 54-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician complaining of watery diarrhea for the last 3 weeks. She reports now having over 10 bowel movements per day. She denies abdominal pain or rash. A basic metabolic profile is notable for the following: Na: 127 mEq/L; K 2.1 mEq/L; Glucose 98 mg/dL. Following additional work-up, octreotide was started with significant improvement in symptoms and laboratory values. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A previously healthy 31-year-old woman comes to the emergency department because of sudden, severe epigastric pain and vomiting for the past 4 hours. She reports that the pain radiates to the back and began when she was having dinner and drinks at a local brewpub. Her temperature is 37.9°C (100.2°F), pulse is 98/min, respirations are 19/min, and blood pressure is 110/60 mm Hg. Abdominal examination shows epigastric tenderness and guarding but no rebound. Bowel sounds are decreased. Laboratory studies show: Hematocrit 43% Leukocyte count 9000/mm3 Serum Na+ 140 mEq/L K+ 4.5 mEq/L Ca2+ 9.0 mg/dL Lipase 170 U/L (N = < 50 U/L) Amylase 152 U/L Alanine aminotransferase (ALT, GPT) 140 U/L Intravenous fluid resuscitation is begun. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 40-year-old woman presents with ongoing heartburn despite being on treatment for the last few months. She describes a burning sensation in her chest even after small meals. She has stopped eating fatty and spicy foods as they aggravate her heartburn significantly. She has also stopped drinking alcohol but is unable to quit smoking. Her attempts to lose weight have failed. Three months ago, she was started on omeprazole and ranitidine, but she still is having symptoms. She had previously used oral antacids but had to stop because of intolerable constipation. Past medical history is significant for a mild cough for the past several years. Her vital signs are pulse 90/min, blood pressure 120/67 mm Hg, respiratory rate 14/min, and temperature of 36.7°C (98.0°F). Her current BMI is 26 kg/m2. Her teeth are yellow-stained, but the physical examination is otherwise unremarkable. What is the next best step in her management?

A 38-year-old woman presents with dysphagia. She says the dysphagia is worse for solids than liquids and is progressive. She also complains of associated weakness, fatigue, and dyspnea. The patient denies any recent history of weight loss. Laboratory findings are significant for a hemoglobin of 8.7 g/dL. A peripheral blood smear shows evidence of microcytic hypochromic anemia. Which of the following is the most likely cause of her dysphagia?

A 50-year-old woman comes to the physician for a routine health maintenance examination. She has no personal or family history of serious illness. She smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for 5 years during her 20s. Her pulse is 70/min, and blood pressure is 120/78 mm Hg. Serum lipid studies and glucose concentration are within the reference ranges. Which of the following health maintenance recommendations is most appropriate at this time?

A 72-year-old man presents to the emergency department when he discovered a large volume of blood in his stool. He states that he was going to the bathroom when he saw a large amount of bright red blood in the toilet bowl. He was surprised because he did not feel pain and felt it was a normal bowel movement. The patient has a past medical history of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, anxiety, fibromyalgia, diabetic nephropathy, and schizotypal personality disorder. His current medications include atorvastatin, lisinopril, metformin, insulin, clonazepam, gabapentin, sodium docusate, polyethylene glycol, fiber supplements, and ibuprofen. His temperature is 99.5°F (37.5°C), blood pressure is 132/84 mmHg, pulse is 80/min, respirations are 11/min, and oxygen saturation is 96% on room air. On physical exam, the patient's cardiac exam reveals a normal rate and rhythm, and his pulmonary exam is clear to auscultation bilaterally. Abdominal exam is notable for an obese abdomen without tenderness to palpation. Which of the following is an appropriate treatment for this patient's condition?

A 45-year-old man presents to the emergency department for sudden pain in his foot. The patient states that when he woke up, he experienced severe pain in his right great toe. The patient’s wife immediately brought him to the emergency department. The patient has a past medical history of diabetes mellitus, obesity, and hypertension and is currently taking insulin, metformin, lisinopril, and ibuprofen. The patient is a current smoker and smokes 2 packs per day. He also drinks 3 glasses of whiskey every night. The patient is started on IV fluids and corticosteroids. His blood pressure, taken at the end of this visit, is 175/95 mmHg. As the patient’s symptoms improve, he asks how he can avoid having these symptoms again in the future. Which of the following is the best initial intervention in preventing a future episode of this patient’s condition?

A 25-year-old woman presents with abdominal pain and discomfort for the past 3 days. She was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) a couple of years ago, managed until recently with imipramine, psyllium, and loperamide. 5 days ago, because she had developed alternating diarrhea and constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain on her medication, she was started on alosetron. Her current temperature is 39.0°C (102.2°F), the heart rate is 115/min, the blood pressure is 90/60 mm Hg and the respiratory rate is 22/min. Abdominal examination shows diffuse tenderness to palpation with guarding but no rebound. Bowel sounds are hypoactive on auscultation. A fecal occult blood test is positive and laboratory tests show her white cell count to be 15,800/µL. Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis reveals a metabolic acidosis. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

A 56-year-old woman presents to the ER with 12 hours of right flank pain that radiates from her groin down her inner thigh. The patient complains of dysuria, hematuria, and reports of "passing gravel" when urinating. She was diagnosed with gout and hypertension 5 years ago. Physical examination is unremarkable. The emergency department team orders urinalysis and a CT scan that shows a mild dilation of the right ureter associated with multiple small stones of low Hounsfield unit values (HU). Which of the following findings is most likely to appear in the urinalysis of this patient?