Cardiology — MCQs

A 65-year-old woman was referred to a specialist for dysphagia and weight loss. She has a history of difficulty swallowing solid foods, which has become worse over the past year. She has unintentionally lost 2.3 kg (5 lb). A previous gastroscopy showed mild gastritis with a positive culture for Helicobacter pylori. A course of triple antibiotic therapy and omeprazole was prescribed. Follow-up endoscopy appeared normal with no H. pylori noted on biopsy. Her heartburn improved but the dysphagia persisted. She had a myocardial infarction four years ago, complicated by acute mitral regurgitation. Physical examination revealed a thin woman with normal vital signs. Auscultation of the heart reveals a 3/6 blowing systolic murmur at the apex radiating to the axilla. Breath sounds are reduced at the base of the right lung. The abdomen is mildly distended but not tender. The liver and spleen are not enlarged. Electrocardiogram shows sinus rhythm with a non-specific intraventricular block. Chest X-ray shows an enlarged cardiac silhouette with mild pleural effusion. What is the most probable cause of dysphagia?

A 62-year-old man is brought to the physician by his wife for increased forgetfulness and unsteady gait over the past 3 months. He is a journalist and has had difficulty concentrating on his writing. He also complains of urinary urgency recently. His temperature is 36.8°C (98.2°F) and blood pressure is 139/83 mm Hg. He is oriented only to person and place. He is able to recall 2 out of 3 words immediately and 1 out of 3 after five minutes. He has a slow, broad-based gait and takes short steps. Neurological examination is otherwise normal. Urinalysis is normal. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 19-year-old woman presents with worsening pain in her neck for the past 5 days. She says she is not able to wear her tie for her evening job because it is too painful. She also reports associated anxiety, palpitations, and lethargy for the past 10 days. Past medical history is significant for a recent 3-day episode of flu-like symptoms about 20 days ago which resolved spontaneously. She is a non-smoker and occasionally drinks beer with friends on weekends. Her vital signs include: blood pressure 110/80 mm Hg, pulse 118/min. On physical examination, her distal extremities are warm and sweaty. There is severe bilateral tenderness to palpation of her thyroid gland, as well as mild symmetrical swelling noted. No nodules palpated. An ECG is normal. Laboratory findings are significant for low thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), elevated T4 and T3 levels, and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 30 mm/hr. Which of the following is the most appropriate treatment for this patient's most likely diagnosis?

A 62-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because of headache, blurring of vision, and numbness of the right leg for the past 2 hours. He has hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Current medications include enalapril and metformin. He is oriented only to person. His temperature is 37.3°C (99.1°F), pulse is 99/min and blood pressure is 158/94 mm Hg. Examination shows equal pupils that are reactive to light. Muscle strength is normal in all extremities. Deep tendon reflexes are 2+ bilaterally. Sensation to fine touch and position is decreased over the right lower extremity. The confrontation test shows loss of the nasal field in the left eye and the temporal field in the right eye with macular sparing. He is unable to read phrases shown to him but can write them when they are dictated to him. He has short-term memory deficits. Which of the following is the most likely cause for this patient's symptoms?

A 61-year-old man comes to the physician for shortness of breath and chest discomfort that is becoming progressively worse. He has had increasing problems exerting himself for the past 5 years. He is now unable to walk more than 50 m on level terrain without stopping and mostly rests at home. He has smoked 1–2 packs of cigarettes daily for 40 years. He appears distressed. His pulse is 85/min, blood pressure is 140/80 mm Hg, and respirations are 25/min. Physical examination shows a plethoric face and distended jugular veins. Bilateral wheezing is heard on auscultation of the lungs. There is yellow discoloration of the fingers on the right hand and 2+ lower extremity edema. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's symptoms?

A 64-year-old homeless man comes to the emergency department with right ear pain and difficulty hearing for 2 weeks. Over the last 5 days, he has also noticed discharge from his right ear. He does not recall the last time he saw a physician. His temperature is 39.0°C (102.2°F), blood pressure is 153/92 mm Hg, pulse is 113/minute, and respirations are 18/minute. He appears dirty and is malodorous. Physical examination shows mild facial asymmetry with the right corner of his mouth lagging behind the left when the patient smiles. He experiences severe ear pain when the right auricle is pulled superiorly. On otoscopic examination, there is granulation tissue at the transition between the cartilaginous and the osseous part of the ear canal. Which of the following is most likely associated with this patient's condition?

A 63-year-old woman comes to the physician for a routine health maintenance examination. She reports feeling tired sometimes and having itchy skin. Over the past 2 years, the amount of urine she passes has been slowly decreasing. She has hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with diabetic nephropathy. Her current medications include insulin, furosemide, amlodipine, and a multivitamin. Her nephrologist recently added erythropoietin to her medication regimen. She follows a diet low in salt, protein, potassium, and phosphorus. Her temperature is 37°C (98.6°F), pulse is 80/min, and blood pressure is 145/87 mm Hg. Physical examination shows 1+ edema around the ankles bilaterally. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 9.8 g/dL Serum Glucose 98 mg/dL Albumin 4 g/dL Na+ 145 mEq/L Cl– 100 mEq/L K+ 5.1 mEq/L Urea nitrogen 46 mg/dL Creatinine 3.1 mg/dL Which of the following complications is the most common cause of death in patients receiving long-term treatment for this patient's renal condition?

A 55-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus comes to the physician because of a 3-month history of progressively worsening urinary incontinence. She has started to wear incontinence pads because of frequent involuntary dribbling of urine that occurs even when resting. She has the sensation of a full bladder even after voiding. Her only medication is insulin. Physical examination shows a palpable suprapubic mass. Urinalysis is unremarkable. Urodynamic studies show an increased post-void residual volume. Which of the following interventions is most likely to benefit this patient?

A 55-year-old man with a past medical history of diabetes and hypertension presents to the emergency department with crushing substernal chest pain. He was given aspirin and nitroglycerin en route and states that his pain is currently a 2/10. The patient's initial electrocardiogram (ECG) is within normal limits, and his first set of cardiac troponins is 0.10 ng/mL (reference range < 0.10 ng/mL). The patient is sent to the observation unit. During a pharmacologic stress test, the patient is given dipyridamole, which causes his chest pain to recur. Which of the following is the most likely etiology of this patient's current symptoms?

A 15-year-old male presents to his pediatrician after school for follow-up after an appendectomy one week ago. The patient denies any abdominal pain, fevers, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation. He eats solids and drinks liquids without difficulty. He is back to playing basketball for his school team without any difficulty. He notes that his urine appears more amber than usual but suspects that it is due to dehydration. His physical exam is unremarkable; his laparoscopic incision sites are all clean without erythema. The pediatrician orders an urinalysis, which is notable for the following: Urine: Epithelial cells: Scant Glucose: Negative Protein: 3+ WBC: 3/hpf Bacteria: None Leukocyte esterase: Negative Nitrites: Negative The patient is told to return in 3 days for a follow up appointment; however, his urinalysis at that time is similar. What is the best next step in management?