Red flags in pregnancy — MCQs

A 25-year-old pregnant woman at 28 weeks gestation presents with a headache. Her pregnancy has been managed by a nurse practitioner. Her temperature is 99.0°F (37.2°C), blood pressure is 164/104 mmHg, pulse is 100/min, respirations are 22/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Physical exam is notable for a comfortable appearing woman with a gravid uterus. Laboratory tests are ordered as seen below. Hemoglobin: 12 g/dL Hematocrit: 36% Leukocyte count: 6,700/mm^3 with normal differential Platelet count: 100,500/mm^3 Serum: Na+: 141 mEq/L Cl-: 101 mEq/L K+: 4.4 mEq/L HCO3-: 25 mEq/L BUN: 21 mg/dL Glucose: 99 mg/dL Creatinine: 1.0 mg/dL AST: 32 U/L ALT: 30 U/L Urine: Color: Amber Protein: Positive Blood: Negative Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 25-year-old primigravida woman at 35 weeks estimated gestational age presents with a headache for the past 5 hours. She describes the headache as severe and incapacitating and showing no response to acetaminophen. In the emergency department, her blood pressure is found to be 150/100 mm Hg, pulse is 88/min, respiratory rate is 30/min, and temperature is 37.0°C (98.6°F). Her records show that her blood pressure was the same yesterday during her regular antenatal visit. Chest auscultation reveals bilateral crackles along the lung base. Abdominal examination reveals a gravid uterus consistent with a gestational age of 32 weeks and a floating fetus in a cephalic presentation. Pelvic examination is performed which shows a closed firm cervix with no evidence of bleeding or discharge. Moderate pitting edema is noted and neurologic examination shows generalized hyperreflexia. Laboratory findings are significant for the following: Hemoglobin 12.5 g/dL Platelets 185,000/μL Serum creatinine 0.4 mg/dL Spot urine creatinine 110 mg/dL Spot urine protein 360 mg/dL AST 40 IU/L Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

A 28-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 1, at 30 weeks' gestation comes to the physician because of headache for the past 5 days. Her pregnancy has been uncomplicated to date. Pregnancy and vaginal delivery of her first child were uncomplicated. The patient does not smoke or drink alcohol. She does not use illicit drugs. Medications include folic acid and a multivitamin. Her temperature is 37°C (98.6°F), pulse is 82/min, and blood pressure is 150/92 mm Hg. Physical examination reveals 2+ pitting edema in the lower extremities. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 11.8 g/dL Platelet count 290,000/mm3 Urine pH 6.3 Protein 2+ WBC negative Bacteria occasional Nitrites negative The patient is at increased risk of developing which of the following complications?

A 32-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 1, at 38 weeks' gestation comes to the emergency department because of vaginal bleeding for the past hour. The patient reports that she felt contractions prior to the onset of the bleeding, but the contractions stopped after the bleeding started. She also has severe abdominal pain. Her first child was delivered by lower segment transverse cesarean section because of a nonreassuring fetal heart rate. Her pulse is 110/min, respirations are 17/min, and blood pressure is 90/60 mm Hg. Examination shows diffuse abdominal tenderness with no rebound or guarding; no contractions are felt. The fetal heart rate shows recurrent variable decelerations. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 31-year-old G1P0 woman with a history of hypertension presents to the emergency department because she believes that she is in labor. She is in her 38th week of pregnancy and her course has thus far been uncomplicated. This morning, she began feeling painful contractions and noted vaginal bleeding after she fell off her bike while riding to work. She is experiencing lower abdominal and pelvic pain between contractions as well. Her temperature is 97.6°F (36.4°C), blood pressure is 177/99 mmHg, pulse is 100/min, respirations are 20/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Physical exam is notable for a gravid and hypertonic uterus and moderate blood in the vaginal vault. Ultrasound reveals no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 29-year-old woman presents to a medical office complaining of fatigue, nausea, and vomiting for 1 week. Recently, the smell of certain foods makes her nauseous. Her symptoms are more pronounced in the mornings. The emesis is clear-to-yellow without blood. She has had no recent travel out of the country. The medical history is significant for peptic ulcer, for which she takes pantoprazole. The blood pressure is 100/60 mm Hg, the pulse is 70/min, and the respiratory rate is 12/min. The physical examination reveals pale mucosa and conjunctiva, and bilateral breast tenderness. The LMP was 9 weeks ago. What is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?

A previously healthy 29-year-old Taiwanese woman comes to the emergency department with vaginal bleeding and pelvic pressure for several hours. Over the past 2 weeks, she had intermittent nausea and vomiting. A home urine pregnancy test was positive 10 weeks ago. She has had no prenatal care. Her pulse is 80/min and blood pressure is 150/98 mm Hg. Physical examination shows warm and moist skin. Lungs are clear to auscultation bilaterally. Her abdomen is soft and non-distended. Bimanual examination shows a uterus palpated at the level of the umbilicus. Her serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin concentration is 110,000 mIU/mL. Urine dipstick is positive for protein and ketones. Transvaginal ultrasound shows a central intrauterine mass with hypoechoic spaces; there is no detectable fetal heart rate. An x-ray of the chest shows no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 55-year-old man presents to his primary care physician for trouble swallowing. The patient claims that he used to struggle when eating food if he did not chew it thoroughly, but now he occasionally struggles with liquids as well. He also complains of a retrosternal burning sensation whenever he eats. He also claims that he feels his throat burns when he lays down or goes to bed. Otherwise, the patient has no other complaints. The patient has a past medical history of obesity, diabetes, constipation, and anxiety. His current medications include insulin, metformin, and lisinopril. On review of systems, the patient endorses a 5 pound weight loss recently. The patient has a 22 pack-year smoking history and drinks alcohol with dinner. His temperature is 99.5°F (37.5°C), blood pressure is 177/98 mmHg, pulse is 90/min, respirations are 17/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. On physical exam, you note an overweight man in no current distress. Abdominal exam is within normal limits. Which of the following is the best next step in management?

A 67-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus and benign prostatic hyperplasia comes to the physician because of a 2-day history of sneezing and clear nasal discharge. He has had similar symptoms occasionally in the past. His current medications include metformin and tamsulosin. Examination of the nasal cavity shows red, swollen turbinates. Which of the following is the most appropriate pharmacotherapy for this patient's condition?

A 14-year-old boy presents with abdominal pain and diarrhea after returning from an East Asian vacation. Stool sample reveals the presence of red and white blood cells. Stool culture shows growth of immobile, non-lactose fermenting gram-negative rods. The attending physician explains to the medical students that the bacteria function by invading intestinal M-cells. The bacterium responsible for this patient's infection is: