Autonomic/CV Drugs — MCQs

A 34-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department by fire and rescue after an apparent suicide attempt. She reports ingesting several pills 6 hours prior to presentation but cannot recall what they were. No pills were found on the scene. She complains of severe malaise, ringing in her ears, and anxiety. Her past medical history is notable for bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, and diabetes. She takes lithium, methotrexate, metformin, and glyburide. She has a reported history of benzodiazepine and prescription opioid abuse. Her temperature is 102.2°F (39°C), blood pressure is 135/85 mmHg, pulse is 110/min, and respirations are 26/min. On exam, she appears diaphoretic and pale. Results from an arterial blood gas are shown: pH: 7.48 PaCO2: 32 mmHg HCO3-: 23 mEq/L This patient should be treated with which of the following?

A 47-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with ongoing dyspnea and confusion for 2 hours. She has a history of psychosis and alcohol abuse. She has smoked 1 pack per day for 25 years. She is agitated and confused. Her blood pressure is 165/95 mm Hg; pulse 110/min; respirations 35/min; and temperature, 36.7°C (98.1°F). The pulmonary examination shows tachypnea and mild generalized wheezing. Auscultation of the heart shows no abnormal sounds. The remainder of the physical examination shows no abnormalities. Laboratory studies show: Serum Na+ 138 mEq/L CI- 100 mEq/L Arterial blood gas analysis on room air pH 7.37 pCO2 21 mm Hg pO2 88 mm Hg HCO3- 12 mEq/L Which of the following best explains these findings?

A 7-year-old girl is brought to the physician because of a 1-month history of worsening fatigue, loss of appetite, and decreased energy. More recently, she has also had intermittent abdominal pain and nausea. She is at the 50th percentile for height and 15th percentile for weight. Her pulse is 119/min and blood pressure is 85/46 mm Hg. Physical examination shows darkened skin and bluish-black gums. The abdomen is soft and nontender. Serum studies show: Sodium 133 mEq/L Potassium 5.3 mEq/L Bicarbonate 20 mEq/L Urea nitrogen 16 mg/dL Creatinine 0.8 mg/dL Glucose 72 mg/dL Which of the following is the most appropriate pharmacotherapy?

A 28-year-old woman comes to the physician because of an 8-hour history of painful leg cramping, a runny nose, and chills. She has also had diarrhea and abdominal pain. She appears irritable and yawns frequently. Her pulse is 115/min. Examination shows cool, damp skin with piloerection. The pupils are 7 mm in diameter and equal in size. Bowel sounds are hyperactive. Deep tendon reflexes are 3+ bilaterally. Withdrawal from which of the following substances is most likely the cause of this patient's symptoms?

A crying 4-year-old child is brought to the emergency department with a red, swollen knee. He was in his usual state of health until yesterday, when he sustained a fall in the sandbox at the local park. His mother saw it happen; she says he was walking through the sandbox, fell gently onto his right knee, did not cry or seem alarmed, and returned to playing without a problem. However, later that night, his knee became red and swollen. It is now painful and difficult to move. The child’s medical history is notable for frequent bruising and prolonged bleeding after circumcision. On physical exam, his knee is erythematous, tender, and swollen, with a limited range of motion. Arthrocentesis aspirates frank blood from the joint. Which of the following single tests is most likely to be abnormal in this patient?

A 26-year-old man with a history of alcoholism presents to the emergency department with nausea, vomiting, and right upper quadrant pain. Serum studies show AST and ALT levels >5000 U/L. A suicide note is found in the patient's pocket. The most appropriate initial treatment for this patient has which of the following mechanisms of action?

A 42-year-old man presents with palpitations, 2 episodes of vomiting, and difficulty breathing for the past hour. He says he consumed multiple shots of vodka at a party 3 hours ago but denies any recent drug use. The patient denies any similar symptoms in the past. Past medical history is significant for type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosed 2 months ago, managed with a single drug that has precipitated some hypoglycemic episodes, and hypothyroidism diagnosed 2 years ago, well-controlled medically. The patient is a software engineer by profession. He reports a 25-pack-year smoking history and currently smokes 1 pack a day. He drinks alcohol occasionally but denies any drug use. His blood pressure is 100/60 mm Hg, pulse is 110/min, and respiratory rate is 25/min. On physical examination, the patient appears flushed and diaphoretic. An ECG shows sinus tachycardia. Which of the following medications is this patient most likely taking to explain his symptoms?

A 45-year-old man presents to the emergency department for worsening shortness of breath with exertion, mild chest pain, and lower extremity swelling. The patient reports increasing his alcohol intake and has been consuming a diet rich in salt over the past few days. Physical examination is significant for bilateral crackles in the lung bases, jugular venous distension, and pitting edema up to the knees. An electrocardiogram is unremarkable. He is admitted to the cardiac step-down unit. In the unit, he is started on his home anti-hypertensive medications, intravenous furosemide every 6 hours, and prophylactic enoxaparin. His initial labs on the day of admission are remarkable for the following: Hemoglobin: 12 g/dL Hematocrit: 37% Leukocyte count: 8,500 /mm^3 with normal differential Platelet count: 150,000 /mm^3 Serum: Na+: 138 mEq/L Cl-: 102 mEq/L K+: 4.1 mEq/L HCO3-: 25 mEq/L On hospital day 5, routine laboratory testing is demonstrated below: Hemoglobin: 12.5 g/dL Hematocrit: 38% Leukocyte count: 8,550 /mm^3 with normal differential Platelet count: 60,000 /mm^3 Serum: Na+: 140 mEq/L Cl-: 100 mEq/L K+: 3.9 mEq/L HCO3-: 24 mEq/L Physical examination is unremarkable for any bleeding and the patient denies any lower extremity pain. There is an erythematous and necrotic skin lesion in the left abdomen. Which of the following best explains this patient’s current presentation?

A 65-year old man comes to the emergency department because of altered mental status for 1 day. He has had headaches, severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea for 2 days. He has a history of hypertension, insomnia, and bipolar disorder. His medications include lisinopril, fluoxetine, atorvastatin, lithium, olanzapine, and alprazolam. His temperature is 37.2 °C (99.0 °F), pulse is 90/min, respirations are 22/min, and blood pressure is 102/68 mm Hg. He is somnolent and confused. His mucous membranes are dry. Neurological examination shows dysarthria, decreased muscle strength throughout, and a coarse tremor of the hands bilaterally. The remainder of the examination shows no abnormalities. In addition to IV hydration and electrolyte supplementation, which of the following is the next best step in management?

A 44-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 6-month history of fatigue, constipation, and a 7-kg (15.4-lb) weight gain. Menses occur irregularly in intervals of 40–50 days. Her pulse is 51/min, and blood pressure is 145/86 mm Hg. Examination shows conjunctival pallor and cool, dry skin. There is mild, nonpitting periorbital edema. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration is 8.1 μU/mL. Treatment with the appropriate pharmacotherapy is initiated. After several weeks of therapy with this drug, which of the following hormonal changes is expected?