DVT risk assessment — MCQs

A 78-year-old woman presents to the orthopedic department for an elective total left knee arthroplasty. She has had essential hypertension for 25 years and type 2 diabetes mellitus for 35 years. She has smoked 20–30 cigarettes per day for the past 40 years. The operation was uncomplicated. On day 3 post-surgery, she complains of left leg pain and swelling. On examination, her left leg appears red and edematous, and there are dilated superficial veins on the left foot. Using Wells’ criteria, the patient is diagnosed with a provoked deep venous thrombosis. Which of the following is the best initial therapy for this patient?

A 62-year-old man comes to the physician because of a 5-day history of swelling in his left arm. Two months ago, he was diagnosed with a deep venous thrombosis in the left calf. He has had a 7-kg (15-lb) weight loss in the last 3 months. He has smoked 1 pack of cigarettes daily for the past 25 years. His only medication is warfarin. Physical examination shows warm edema of the left forearm with overlying erythema and a tender, palpable cord-like structure along the medial arm. His lungs are clear to auscultation bilaterally. Duplex sonography shows thrombosis of the left basilic and external jugular veins. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step to confirm the underlying diagnosis?

A 68-year-old man undergoes successful mechanical prosthetic aortic valve replacement for severe aortic valve stenosis. After the procedure, he is started on an oral medication and instructed that he should take for the rest of his life and that he should avoid consuming large amounts of dark-green, leafy vegetables. Which of the following laboratory parameters should be regularly monitored to guide dosing of this drug?

A 56-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of progressive swelling and pain in his left calf for 1 day. He does not have shortness of breath or chest pain. He has hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Current medications include enalapril, aspirin, simvastatin, and vitamin D. His temperature is 100.4°F (38°C), pulse is 84/min, and blood pressure is 135/92 mm Hg. Physical examination shows tenderness and swelling of the left lower extremity. A venous Doppler ultrasonography shows a thrombus in the left popliteal vein. Treatment with unfractionated heparin is begun. Two days later, physical examination shows improvement of symptoms. Laboratory studies at admission and 2 days after admission show: Admission Two days after admission Hemoglobin 11.2 g/dL 11.1 g/dL Leukocyte count 5,500/mm3 6,100/mm3 Platelet count 230,000/mm3 170,000/mm3 Serum Prothrombin time 12 seconds 13 seconds Partial thromboplastin time 30 seconds 55 seconds Estimated glomerular filtration rate 29 mL/min/1.73 m2 28 mL/min/1.73 m2 Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 28-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing for the last 6 hours. She also mentions that she noticed some blood in her sputum an hour ago. She denies nasal congestion or discharge, sneezing, wheezing, chest pain, or palpitation. Her past history does not suggest any chronic medical condition, including respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, or cancer. There is no history of pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis in the past. Her temperature is 38.3°C (101.0°F), the pulse is 108/min, the blood pressure is 116/80 mm Hg, and the respirations are 28/min. Auscultation of her lungs reveals the presence of localized crackles over the right inframammary region. Edema is present over her left leg and tenderness is present over her left calf region. When her left foot is dorsiflexed, she complains of calf pain. The emergency department protocol mandates the use of a modified Wells scoring system in all patients presenting with the first episode of breathlessness when there is no history of a cardiorespiratory disorder in the past. According to the modified Wells scoring system, which of the following risk factors, if present, would contribute the most points toward a high clinical probability of pulmonary embolism?

A 52-year-old woman presents to the emergency room complaining of chest pain. She reports a 4-hour history of dull substernal pain radiating to her jaw. Her history is notable for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and alcohol abuse. She has a 30 pack-year smoking history and takes lisinopril and metformin but has an allergy to aspirin. Her temperature is 99.1°F (37.3°C), blood pressure is 150/90 mmHg, pulse is 120/min, and respirations are 22/min. Physical examination reveals a diaphoretic and distressed woman. An electrocardiogram reveals ST elevations in leads I, aVL, and V5-6. She is admitted with plans for immediate transport to the catheterization lab for stent placement. What is the mechanism of the next medication that should be given to this patient?

A 38-year-old male is brought to the emergency department by ambulance after a motor vehicle collision. He is found to have a broken femur and multiple soft tissue injuries and is admitted to the hospital. During the hospital course, he is found to have lower extremity swelling, redness, and pain, so he is given an infusion of a medication. The intravenous medication is discontinued in favor of an oral medication in preparation for discharge; however, the patient leaves against medical advice prior to receiving the full set of instructions. The next day, the patient is found to have black lesions on his trunk and his leg. The protein involved in this patient's underlying abnormality most likely affects the function of which of the following factors?

Three days after undergoing laparoscopic colectomy, a 67-year-old man reports swelling and pain in his right leg. He was diagnosed with colon cancer 1 month ago. His temperature is 38.5°C (101.3°F). Physical examination shows swelling of the right leg from the ankle to the thigh. There is no erythema or rash. Which of the following is likely to be most helpful in establishing the diagnosis?

A 45-year-old man presents to the emergency department because of fever and scrotal pain for 2 days. Medical history includes diabetes mellitus and morbid obesity. His temperature is 40.0°C (104.0°F), the pulse is 130/min, the respirations are 35/min, and the blood pressure is 90/68 mm Hg. Physical examination shows a large area of ecchymosis, edema, and crepitus in his perineal area. Fournier gangrene is suspected. A right internal jugular central venous catheter is placed without complication under ultrasound guidance for vascular access in preparation for the administration of vasopressors. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?

A 30-year-old male gang member is brought to the emergency room with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The patient was intubated and taken for an exploratory laparotomy, which found peritoneal hemorrhage and injury to the small bowel. He required 5 units of blood during this procedure. Following the operation, the patient was sedated and remained on a ventilator in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). The next day, a central line is placed and the patient is started on total parenteral nutrition. Which of the following complications is most likely in this patient?