Anxiety — MCQs

A 17-year-old girl is brought to the physician for the evaluation of fatigue for the past 6 months. During this period, she has had a 5-kg (11-lbs) weight loss. She states that she has no friends. When she is not in school, she spends most of her time in bed. She has no history of serious illness. Her mother has major depressive disorder. She appears pale and thin. She is at 25th percentile for height, 10th percentile for weight, and 20th percentile for BMI; her BMI is 19.0. Her temperature is 37°C (98.6°F), pulse is 65/min, and blood pressure is 110/70 mm Hg. Examination shows dry skin, brittle nails, and calluses on the knuckles. The remainder of the examination shows no abnormalities. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 12.3 g/dL Serum Na+ 133 mEq/L Cl- 90 mEq/L K+ 3.2 mEq/L HCO3- 30 mEq/L Ca+2 7.8 mg/dL Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 5-year-old boy is brought in by his parents for recurrent abdominal pain. The child has been taken out of class 5 times this past week for abdominal pain that resulted in him being sent home. The mother reports that her son's stools have remained unchanged during this time and are brown in color, without blood, and with normal consistency and scent. She also notes that while at home he seems to be his usual self and does not complain of any symptoms. Of note she presents to you that she has been preparing her son's lunches which consist of couscous, vegetables, fried rice, and chicken. The patient denies difficulty with producing stool and does not complain of any functional pain. The child's vitals and labs including BMP and CBC are unremarkable and within normal limits. An abdominal exam is performed and there is no tenderness upon palpation, and the abdomen is soft and non-distended. After a conversation with the child exploring his symptoms, which of the following is the next step in management for this child?

A 32-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department by her neighbors 30 minutes after they found her unconscious in her yard. Her neighbors report that she has been spending more time at home by herself because she recently lost her job. On arrival, she is unable to provide a history. She appears anxious. Her pulse is 76/min, respirations are 13/min, and blood pressure is 114/72 mm Hg. Examination shows significant weakness of the left upper and lower extremities. She is unable to plantarflex the ankle while supine. She is able to stand on her toes. Her gait is unsteady. Deep tendon reflexes are 3+ and symmetric. A CT scan of the head shows no abnormalities. An MRI of the brain and MR angiography show no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 26-year-old woman comes to the physician because of recurrent thoughts that cause her severe distress. She describes these thoughts as gory images of violent people entering her flat with criminal intent. She has had tremors and palpitations while experiencing these thoughts and must get up twenty to thirty times at night to check that the door and windows have been locked. She says that neither the thoughts nor her actions are consistent with her "normal self". She has a history of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. She drinks 1–2 alcoholic beverages weekly and does not smoke or use illicit drugs. She takes no medications. She appears healthy and well nourished. Her vital signs are within normal limits. On mental status examination, she is calm, alert and oriented to person, place, and time. She describes her mood as ""good.""; her speech is organized, logical, and coherent. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 9-year-old boy is brought to his physician for behavioral problems in school. The patient’s parents have noted that he often will “shake his hands” abnormally at times and does so on his own without provocation. This has persisted for the past year. Additionally, the child has made loud grunting sounds in school that disturb the other students and the teacher. The patient has a past medical history of asthma and atopic dermatitis, and his current medications include ibuprofen, albuterol, and topical corticosteroids during flares. On physical exam, you note an active young child who is playing with toys in the office. You observe the grunting sounds he makes at this office visit. The child seems mistrustful, does not reply to your questions, and does not look you in the eyes. Which of the following is most likely also found in this patient?

A 35-year-old woman presents to her dermatologist with complaints of discoloration of the skin on her hands and wrists. She says her symptoms started about 6-months ago. Around this time, she recalls moving into her new house with her husband and children. She had to quit her job to relocate and says she is having difficulty maintaining a clean and happy household. She admits to being stressed most of the time. She was previously in good health. No significant past medical history. The patient is afebrile and vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination reveals patchy red, scaly skin on both hands. Upon further questioning, the patient admits to having to continuously wash her hands because she has this irrational idea that her hands are dirty. She tries her best to ignore these thoughts but eventually succumbs to wash her hands over and over to ease the anxiety. Which of the following statements is correct concerning this patient’s most likely condition?

A 35-year-old man with no past medical history presents to his primary care physician with complaints of fatigue. He states that his life has been hectic lately and that everything seems to be falling apart. He is scared that he will lose his job, that his wife will leave him, and that his children will not be able to afford to go to college. His worries are severe enough that they have begun to interfere with his daily activities. His wife is also present and states that he has a very secure job and that they are well off financially. She says that he has always worried about something since she met him years ago. What medication would benefit this patient long term?

A 27-year-old man presents to his primary care physician with concerns about poor sleep quality. The patient states that he often has trouble falling asleep and that it is negatively affecting his studies. He is nervous that he is going to fail out of graduate school. He states that he recently performed poorly at a lab meeting where he had to present his research. This has been a recurrent issue for the patient any time he has had to present in front of groups. Additionally, the patient is concerned that his girlfriend is going to leave him and feels the relationship is failing. The patient has a past medical history of irritable bowel syndrome for which he takes fiber supplements. His temperature is 98.9°F (37.2°C), blood pressure is 117/68 mmHg, pulse is 80/min, respirations are 12/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Physical exam is within normal limits. Which of the following is the best initial step in management?

A 42-year-old man presents to his primary care provider complaining of insomnia. He describes 3 months of frequent nighttime awakenings and nightmares. Per chart review, he is a combat veteran and was on a military tour in Afghanistan 4 months ago when a car bomb exploded, injuring him and killing his friend; however, when the physician asks about this, the patient states that he “does not talk about that” and changes the subject. He reports anxiety, irritability and feeling detached from his friends and family, which he believes is harming his relationships. Physical exam reveals an overweight, anxious appearing man with normal vital signs and an exaggerated startle response. Which of the following medications might have helped prevent this patient’s current disorder?

A 37-year-old woman presents to the general medical clinic with a chief complaint of anxiety. She has been having severe anxiety and fatigue for the past seven months. She has difficulty concentrating and her work has suffered, and she has also developed diarrhea from the stress. She doesn't understand why she feels so anxious and is unable to attribute it to any specific aspect of her life right now. You decide to begin pharmacotherapy. All of the following are suitable mechanisms of drugs that can treat this illness EXCEPT: