Cardiology — MCQs

A 63-year-old man presents to his primary care provider complaining of changes in his vision. He says that he has been having transient episodes of "shimmering lights" and generalized blurring of his vision for the past 3 months. He is disturbed by this development as he worries it may interfere with his job as a bus driver. He additionally reports a 12-pound weight loss over this time unaccompanied by a change in appetite, and his gout flares have grown more frequent despite conforming to his recommended diet and allopurinol. His temperature is 98.0°F (36.7°C), blood pressure is 137/76 mmHg, pulse is 80/min, and respirations are 18/min. Hemoglobin and hematocrit obtained the previous day were 18.1 g/dL and 61%, respectively. Peripheral blood screening for JAK2 V617F mutation is positive. Which of the following findings is most likely expected in this patient?

A 42-year-old woman presents with complaints of a sharp, stabbing pain in her chest upon coughing and inhalation. She says that the pain started acutely 2 days ago and has progressively worsened. Her past medical history is significant for a rash on her face, joint pains, and fatigue for the past few weeks. The patient is afebrile and her vital signs are within normal limits. On physical examination, there is a malar macular rash that spares the nasolabial folds. There is a friction rub at the cardiac apex that does not vary with respiration. Which of the following additional physical examination signs would most likely be present in this patient?

A 28-year-old woman presents to her physician for follow-up. She was found to be HIV-positive 9 months ago. Currently she is on ART with lamivudine, tenofovir, and efavirenz. She has no complaints and only reports a history of mild respiratory infection since the last follow-up. She is also allergic to egg whites. Her vital signs are as follows: the blood pressure is 120/75 mm Hg, the heart rate is 73/min, the respiratory rate is 13/min, and the temperature is 36.7°C (98.0°F). She weighs 68 kg (150 lb), and there is no change in her weight since the last visit. On physical examination, she appears to be pale, her lymph nodes are not enlarged, her heart sounds are normal, and her lungs are clear to auscultation. Her total blood count shows the following findings: Erythrocytes 3.2 x 106/mm3 Hematocrit 36% Hgb 10 g/dL Total leukocyte count 3,900/mm3 Neutrophils 66% Lymphocytes 24% Eosinophils 3% Basophils 1% Monocytes 7% Platelet count 280,000/mm3 Her CD4+ cell count is 430 cells/µL. The patient tells you she would like to get an influenza vaccination as flu season is coming. Which of the following statements is true regarding influenza vaccination in this patient?

A 23-year-old man presents to the emergency department for altered mental status after a finishing a marathon. He has a past medical history of obesity and anxiety and is not currently taking any medications. His temperature is 104°F (40°C), blood pressure is 147/88 mmHg, pulse is 200/min, respirations are 33/min, and oxygen saturation is 99% on room air. Physical exam reveals dry mucous membranes, hot flushed skin, and inappropriate responses to the physician's questions. Laboratory values are ordered as seen below. Hemoglobin: 15 g/dL Hematocrit: 44% Leukocyte count: 8,500/mm^3 with normal differential Platelet count: 199,000/mm^3 Serum: Na+: 165 mEq/L Cl-: 100 mEq/L K+: 4.0 mEq/L HCO3-: 22 mEq/L BUN: 30 mg/dL Glucose: 133 mg/dL Creatinine: 1.5 mg/dL Ca2+: 10.2 mg/dL AST: 12 U/L ALT: 10 U/L Which of the following is the best next step in management?

A 65-year-old man presents to his primary-care doctor for a 2-month history of dizziness. He describes feeling unsteady on his feet or like he's swaying from side-to-side; he's also occasionally had a room-spinning sensation. He first noticed it when he was in the front yard playing catch with his grandson, and he now also reliably gets it when throwing the frisbee with his dog. The dizziness only happens during these times, and it goes away after a couple of minutes of rest. His medical history is notable for type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with metformin. His vital signs are within normal limits in the office. The physical exam is unremarkable. Which of the following is the next best test for this patient?

A 35-year-old man presents with pain in his feet during exercise and at rest. He says that his fingers and toes become pale upon exposure to cold temperatures. He has an extensive smoking history, but no history of diabetes mellitus nor hyperlipidemia. He used to exercise frequently but has stopped because of the symptoms. On inspection, a tiny ulcer is found on his toe. On laboratory analysis, his blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipids are all within the normal range. Which is the most probable diagnosis?

A 63-year-old man is brought by his wife to the emergency department after he was found with nausea, headache, and agitation 1 hour ago. When the wife left their lakeside cabin earlier in the day to get more firewood, the patient did not have any symptoms. Vital signs are within normal limits. Pulse oximetry on room air shows an oxygen saturation of 98%. Neurologic examination shows confusion and orientation only to person and place. He recalls only one of three objects after 5 minutes. His gait is unsteady. Which of the following is the most effective intervention for this patient's current condition?

A 62-year-old retired professor comes to the clinic with the complaints of back pain and increasing fatigue over the last 4 months. For the past week, his back pain seems to have worsened. It radiates to his legs and is burning in nature, 6/10 in intensity. There is no associated tingling sensation. He has lost 4.0 kg (8.8 lb) in the past 2 months. There is no history of trauma. He has hypertension which is well controlled with medications. Physical examination is normal. Laboratory studies show normocytic normochromic anemia. Serum calcium is 12.2 mg/dL and Serum total proteins is 8.8 gm/dL. A serum protein electrophoresis shows a monoclonal spike. X-ray of the spine shows osteolytic lesions over L2–L5 and right femur. A bone marrow biopsy reveals plasmacytosis. Which of the following is the most preferred treatment option?

A 33-year-old man presents to the emergency department because of an episode of bloody emesis. He has had increasing dyspnea over the past 2 days. He was diagnosed with peptic ulcer disease last year. He has been on regular hemodialysis for the past 2 years because of end-stage renal disease. He skipped his last dialysis session because of an unexpected business trip. He has no history of liver disease. His supine blood pressure is 110/80 mm Hg and upright is 90/70, pulse is 110/min, respirations are 22/min, and temperature is 36.2°C (97.2°F). The distal extremities are cold to touch, and the outstretched hand shows flapping tremor. A bloody nasogastric lavage is also noted, which eventually clears after saline irrigation. Intravenous isotonic saline and high-dose proton pump inhibitors are initiated, and the patient is admitted into the intensive care unit. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?

A 47-year-old woman comes to the physician because of body aches for the past 9 months. She also has stiffness of the shoulders and knees that is worse in the morning and tingling in the upper extremities. Examination shows marked tenderness over the posterior neck, bilateral mid trapezius, and medial aspect of the left knee. A complete blood count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate are within the reference ranges. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?