Cardiology — MCQs

A 27-year-old man comes to the physician because of severe fatigue that started 1 week ago. Ten days ago, he finished a course of oral cephalexin for cellulitis. He does not take any medications. He appears tired. His temperature is 37.5°C (99.5°F), pulse is 95/min, and blood pressure is 120/75 mm Hg. Examination shows scleral icterus and pallor of the skin and oral mucosa. The spleen tip is palpated 1 cm below the left costal margin. The remainder of the examination shows no abnormalities. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 10.5 g/dL Hematocrit 32% Reticulocyte count 5% Serum Lactate dehydrogenase 750 IU/L Haptoglobin undetectable Direct antiglobulin test positive for IgG A peripheral blood smear shows spherocytes. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in treatment?

A 62-year-old man presents with multiple episodes of hemoptysis for a week. It is associated with generalized weakness, decreased appetite, and a 5.4 kg (12 lb) weight loss in 2 months. He has a smoking history of a pack a day for the last 47 years. Physical examination reveals pallor, while the rest of the results are within normal limits. Laboratory studies reveal decreased hemoglobin and a serum sodium value of 130 mEq/L. Chest X-ray shows a 3 cm rounded opaque shadow. Which of the following conditions is the patient most likely suffering from?

A 69-year-old woman is brought to the physician by her daughter because of increasing forgetfulness and generalized fatigue over the past 4 months. She is unable to remember recent events and can no longer recognize familiar people. She lives independently, but her daughter has hired a helper in the past month since the patient has found it difficult to shop or drive by herself. She has stopped attending family functions and refuses to visit the neighborhood clubhouse, where she used to conduct game nights for the residents. She has had a 7-kg (15-lb) weight gain over this period. She is alert and oriented to time, place, and person. Her temperature is 36°C (97.6°F), pulse is 54/min, and blood pressure is 122/80 mm Hg. Mental status examination shows impaired attention and concentration; she has difficulty repeating seven digits forward and five in reverse sequence. She cannot recall any of the 3 objects shown to her after 10 minutes. She has no delusions or hallucinations. Further evaluation is most likely to show which of the following?

A 30-year-old man is brought into the emergency room for complaints of acute onset chest pain and shortness of breath. He has a history of mental retardation and lives at home with his adoptive parents. His parents inform you that he has not seen a doctor since he was adopted as child and that he currently takes no medications. The patient's temperature is 99.1°F (37.3°C), pulse is 108/min, blood pressure is 125/70 mmHg, respirations are 25/min, and oxygen saturation is 92% on 2L nasal cannula. Physical exam is notable for a tall, thin individual with high-arched feet and mild pectus excavatum. There is mild asymmetry in the lower extremities with discomfort to dorsiflexion of the larger leg. Lung auscultation reveals no abnormalities. What is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 66-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of shortness of breath. His temperature is 37.2°C (99°F) and pulse is 105/min. When the blood pressure cuff is inflated to 140 mm Hg, the patient's pulse is audible and regular. However, upon inspiration, the pulse disappears and does not reappear until expiration. Only when the blood pressure cuff is inflated to 125 mm Hg is the pulse audible throughout the entire respiratory cycle. Which of the following underlying conditions is most likely responsible for this patient's physical examination findings?

A 56-year-old man comes to the emergency department complaining of substernal chest pain that radiates to the left shoulder. Electrocardiogram (EKG) demonstrates ST-elevations in leads II, III, and aVF. The patient subsequently underwent catheterization with drug-eluting stent placement with stabilization of his condition. On post-operative day 3, the patient experiences stabbing chest pain that is worse with inspiration, diaphoresis, and general distress. His temperature is 98.7°F (37.1°C), blood pressure is 145/97mmHg, pulse is 110/min, and respirations are 23/min. EKG demonstrates diffuse ST-elevations. What is the best treatment for this patient?

A 62-year-old woman presents with fatigue, night sweats, and a 20-pound weight loss. Examination reveals enlarged lymph nodes. Serum electrophoresis shows an abnormally high concentration of a pentameric protein complex. Which of the following conditions is most likely associated with these findings?

A 48-year-old man presents with a productive cough and occasional dyspnea on exertion. He has experienced these symptoms for the past 6 years. Patient denies weight loss, night sweats, or hemoptysis. Past medical history is significant for arterial hypertension, diagnosed 3 years ago, and diabetes mellitus type 2, diagnosed 5 years ago. He also has allergic rhinitis with exacerbations in the spring. The current medications include 12.5 mg of lisinopril and 1,000 mg of metformin daily. The patient reports a 30-pack-year smoking history. He works as a financial advisor and is physically inactive. The vital signs are within normal limits. The BMI is 44.9 kg/m2. Upon physical examination, lung auscultation is significant for occasional wheezes over both lungs. The spirometry shows an FEV1 of 59% of predicted. Which of the following interventions would be most useful to slow the progression of this patient’s most likely condition?

A 47-year-old man presents to his primary care physician for headaches. The patient states that he typically has headaches in the morning that improve as the day progresses. Review of systems reveals that he also experiences trouble focusing and daytime fatigue. The patient drinks 2 to 3 alcoholic beverages daily and smokes 1 to 2 cigarettes per day. His past medical history includes diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. His current medications include insulin, metformin, metoprolol, aspirin, and atorvastatin. His temperature is 98.7°F (37.1°C), blood pressure is 157/98 mmHg, pulse is 90/min, respirations are 15/min, and oxygen saturation is 99% on room air. Physical exam reveals a fatigued-appearing obese man with a BMI of 37 kg/m^2. Which of the following is the best initial step in management?

A 55-year-old woman presents with fatigue, shortness of breath during ordinary activities, and occasional fluttering in her chest. She denies chest pain or lower extremity edema. She has no prior medical history. She does not smoke but drinks alcohol socially. Her blood pressure is 110/70 mm Hg, her temperature is 36.9°C (98.4°F), and her radial pulse is 95/min and regular. On physical examination, lungs are clear to auscultation, the apical impulse is slightly displaced, and a III/VI holosystolic murmur is audible at the apex and radiates to the axilla. Transthoracic echocardiography shows the presence of mitral regurgitation and an ejection fraction of 60 %. Which of the following is the optimal therapy for this patient?