Perioperative cardiovascular management — MCQs

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 patient presents with periods of severe headaches and flushing however every time they have come to the physician they have not experienced any symptoms. The only abnormal finding is a blood pressure of 175 mmHg/100 mmHg. It is determined that the optimal treatment for this patient is surgical. Prior to surgery which of the following noncompetitive inhibitors should be administered?

A 60-year-old woman presents to the emergency room with chest pain that started 20 minutes ago while watching television at home. The pain is substernal and squeezing in nature. She rates the pain as 6/10 and admits to having similar pain in the past with exertion. Her past medical history is significant for diabetes mellitus that is controlled with metformin. The physical examination is unremarkable. An electrocardiogram (ECG) shows ST-segment depression in the lateral leads. She is started on aspirin, nitroglycerin, metoprolol, unfractionated heparin, and insulin. She is asked not to take metformin while at the hospital. Three sets of cardiac enzymes are negative. Lab results are given below: Serum glucose 88 mg/dL Sodium 142 mEq/L Potassium 3.9 mEq/L Chloride 101 mEq/L Serum creatinine 1.2 mg/dL Blood urea nitrogen 22 mg/dL Cholesterol, total 170 mg/dL HDL-cholesterol 40 mg/dL LDL-cholesterol 80 mg/dL Triglycerides 170 mg/dL Hematocrit 38% Hemoglobin 13 g/dL Leucocyte count 7,500/mm3 Platelet count 185,000 /mm3 Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) 30 seconds Prothrombin time (PT) 12 seconds Urinalysis Glucose negative Ketones negative Leucocytes negative Nitrites negative Red blood cells (RBC) negative Casts negative An echocardiogram reveals left ventricular wall motion abnormalities. With the pain subsiding, she was admitted and the medications were continued. A coronary angiography is planned in 4 days. In addition to regular blood glucose testing, which of the following should be closely monitored in this patient?

A 66-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of a 1-day history of chest pain, palpitations, and dyspnea on exertion. He had a similar episode 3 days ago and was diagnosed with an inferior wall myocardial infarction. He was admitted and a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was successfully done that day. A fractional flow reserve test during the procedure showed complete resolution of the stenosis. Laboratory tests including serum glucose, lipids, and blood count were within normal limits. He was discharged the day after the procedure on a drug regimen of aspirin, simvastatin, and isosorbide dinitrate. At the time of discharge, he had no chest pain or dyspnea. Presently, his vitals are normal and ECG at rest shows new T-wave inversion. Which of the following is the most reliable test for rapidly establishing the diagnosis in this patient?

A 41-year-old man presents to his primary care provider because of chest pain with activity for the past 6 months. Past medical history is significant for appendectomy at age 12 and hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type 2 that is poorly controlled. He takes metformin and lisinopril but admits that he is bad at remembering to take them everyday. His father had a heart attack at 41 and 2 stents were placed in his heart. His mother is healthy. He drinks alcohol occasionally and smokes a half of a pack of cigarettes a day. He is a sales executive and describes his work as stressful. Today, the blood pressure is 142/85 and the body mass index (BMI) is 28.5 kg/m2. A coronary angiogram shows > 75% narrowing of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Which of the following is most significant in this patient?

A 66-year-old female with hypertension and a recent history of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) 6 days previous, treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), presents with sudden onset chest pain, shortness of breath, diaphoresis, and syncope. Vitals are temperature 37°C (98.6°F), blood pressure 80/50 mm Hg, pulse 125/min, respirations 12/min, and oxygen saturation 92% on room air. On physical examination, the patient is pale and unresponsive. Cardiac exam reveals tachycardia and a pronounced holosystolic murmur loudest at the apex and radiates to the back. Lungs are clear to auscultation. Chest X-ray shows cardiomegaly with clear lung fields. ECG is significant for ST elevations in the precordial leads (V2-V4) and low-voltage QRS complexes. Emergency transthoracic echocardiography shows a left ventricular wall motion abnormality along with a significant pericardial effusion. The patient is intubated, and aggressive fluid resuscitation is initiated. What is the next best step in management?

A 69-year-old man is scheduled to undergo radical retropubic prostatectomy for prostate cancer in 2 weeks. He had a myocardial infarction at the age of 54 years. He has a history of GERD, unstable angina, hyperlipidemia, and severe osteoarthritis in the left hip. He is unable to climb up stairs or walk fast because of pain in his left hip. He had smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for 30 years but quit 25 years ago. He drinks one glass of wine daily. Current medications include aspirin, metoprolol, lisinopril, rosuvastatin, omeprazole, and ibuprofen as needed. His temperature is 36.4°C (97.5°F), pulse is 90/min, and blood pressure is 136/88 mm Hg. Physical examination shows no abnormalities. A 12-lead ECG shows Q waves and inverted T waves in leads II, III, and aVF. His B-type natriuretic protein is 84 pg/mL (N < 125). Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management to assess this patient's perioperative cardiac risk?

A 72-year-old female presents to the emergency department following a syncopal episode while walking down several flights of stairs. The patient has not seen a doctor in several years and does not take any medications. Your work-up demonstrates that she has symptoms of angina and congestive heart failure. Temperature is 36.8 degrees Celsius, blood pressure is 160/80 mmHg, heart rate is 81/min, and respiratory rate is 20/min. Physical examination is notable for a 3/6 crescendo-decrescendo systolic murmur present at the right upper sternal border with radiation to the carotid arteries. Random blood glucose is 205 mg/dL. Which of the following portends the worst prognosis in this patient?

A 71-year-old African American man diagnosed with high blood pressure presents to the outpatient clinic. In the clinic, his blood pressure is 161/88 mm Hg with a pulse of 88/min. He has had similar blood pressure measurements in the past, and you initiate captopril. He presents back shortly after initiation with extremely swollen lips, tongue, and face. After captopril is discontinued, what is the most appropriate step for the management of his high blood pressure?

A 55-year-old man with chronic pain on high-dose opioids (120 mg oral morphine equivalents daily) requires major spine surgery. Intraoperatively, he requires escalating doses of fentanyl with poor pain control. Postoperatively, his pain remains severe (10/10) despite maximum conventional multimodal analgesia including IV hydromorphone PCA, acetaminophen, and ketorolac. He becomes increasingly agitated and tachycardic. Evaluate the most comprehensive pain management strategy addressing the underlying pathophysiology.