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Question 1
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A 60 yr. old previously well male patient was admitted with acute severe central chest pain associated with excessive sweating and nausea for the past 45 minutes. On examination he was found to have xanthelasma. His blood pressure was 170/100 mmHg and pulse rate was 104 bpm. His ECG showed ST elevation more than 2mm in leads II, III and aVF. His troponin T was 120 ng/ml. His FBC and renal functions were normal. He was given aspirin, clopidogrel, morphine and IV 5mg of atenolol. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?
Your Answer: Immediate referral to cardiologist for primary angioplasty
Explanation:The diagnosis is acute inferior ST elevation myocardial infarction so the most appropriate management is primary angioplasty.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Cardiology
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Question 2
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A 30-year-old female presented with upper abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with an unknown coagulopathy and has a previous history of stroke. She has been on warfarin therapy for the past 4 months. Her international normalised ratio (INR) was stabilised between 2.5 and 3.0. Noticing abnormal coagulation results, her surgeon has requested a medical consult. Her blood investigations revealed: White cell count: 13 × 109/L, Haemoglobin (Hb): 11 g/dL, Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT): Normal Platelets: 140 × 109/L, INR: 6.0 Pancreatic enzymes and liver function tests were normal. Other investigations: An ultrasound of the abdomen was normal. An upper GI endoscopy revealed mild gastritis. What is the most appropriate step to be taken regarding warfarin therapy?
Your Answer: Stop warfarin and observe
Explanation:The most appropriate treatment in this patient would be to stop warfarin therapy and keep the patient under observation.
The drugs that lead to enhanced potency of warfarin include: disulfiram, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole, metronidazole, phenylbutazone, aspirin, heparin, and clofibrate.
Liver disease, thrombocytopenia, hyperthyroidism also increase the oral anticoagulant potency.
If the patient has minor bleeding and the international normalized ratio (INR) is >6.0, warfarin should be stopped; the INR should be rechecked daily and in addition to the stoppage of warfarin, vitamin K 2.5 mg oral or 0.5 mg intravenously should also be administered.
In a patient with INR of 2.0 or 3.0, it takes two or three times longer for that individual’s blood to clot than someone who is not taking any anticoagulants. Most patients on warfarin have an INR goal of 2 to 3.If there is major bleeding then prothrombin complex concentrates 50 u/kg or fresh-frozen plasma 15 ml/kg may be considered.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Pharmacology
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Question 3
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If a patient has HIV what is the most likely cause of persistent watery diarrhoea?
Your Answer: Cryptosporidium
Explanation:When you have a patient with HIV and diarrhoea on the exam, think Cryptosporidium. In those who are immunocompetent this organism doesn’t usually cause symptoms, but in immunocompromised people like those with HIV, it causes infection and diarrhoea. Typically those with CD4 counts of <100 cells/µL1 have the greatest risk for prolonged, severe, or extraintestinal cryptosporidiosis.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Gastroenterology
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Question 4
Incorrect
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Choose the correct formula to calculate the negative predictive value of a screening test:
Your Answer: Sensitivity / (1 - specificity)
Correct Answer: TN / (TN + FN)
Explanation:NPV = TN / FN+TN
= TN (true negative) / FN+TN (false negative + true negative)
= Probability (patient not having disease when test is negative)
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Clinical Sciences
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Question 5
Incorrect
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The family of a 10-year-old boy was advised to take the boy to see an oncologist, for suspected lymphoma. The boy had lymphadenopathy on presentation. His mother says that he's had a fever, night sweats and has experienced weight loss. The boy underwent a lymph node biopsy at the oncologist which suggests Burkitt's lymphoma. Which oncogene are you expecting to see after molecular testing?
Your Answer: ABL
Correct Answer: c-MYC
Explanation:Burkitt lymphoma is a germinal centre B-cell-derived cancer that was instrumental in the identification of MYC as an important human oncogene more than three decades ago. Recently, new genomics technologies have uncovered several additional oncogenic mechanisms that cooperate with MYC to create this highly aggressive cancer.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Clinical Sciences
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Question 6
Incorrect
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A 20-year-old female has been admitted with an acute infection. She gives a history suggestive of hypersensitivity to amoxicillin. After consultation with the allergy specialist, she has now been diagnosed with an IgE mediated penicillin allergy. Which of the following drugs should be avoided in this patient?
Your Answer: Trimethoprim
Correct Answer: Cefalexin
Explanation:Cefalexin should be avoided in this patient.
This patient is known to have a severe penicillin allergy. None of the above antibiotics are penicillin based. However, 0.5 – 6.5% of patients who are proven to have an IgE mediated penicillin allergy will also be allergic to cephalosporins, including cefalexin.Penicillin, cephalosporins, and carbapenems are all members of the beta-lactam group of antibiotics and share a common beta-lactam ring. There is, therefore, a small risk of allergy cross-over between all these antibiotics. The rates of allergy cross-over are lower with second and third-generation cephalosporins than first-generation cephalosporins such as cefalexin.
It is important to question the patient carefully to ascertain what symptoms they had on exposure to penicillin. Symptoms such as an urticarial rash or itching make it more likely that they have an IgE mediated allergy.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Pharmacology
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Question 7
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A 36-year-old man is being investigated for recurrent gastric and duodenal ulceration diagnosed at endoscopy. He has suffered from bouts of abdominal pain and intermittent diarrhoea although his weight is stable. Some of his investigations results are: Basal acid secretion 20 mEq/h (1–5), Fasting gastrin 200 pg/ml (<100), Secretin test: Basal gastrin 200pg/ml, Post-secretin 500pg/ml. Which of the following are responsible for the elevated gastrin levels?
Your Answer: Gastrinoma
Explanation:This case describes Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. It is characterized by refractory peptic ulcer disease, often multiple ulcers. This is typically caused by secretion of gastrin from a gastrinoma, a neuroendocrine tumour. The most common site of ulceration is the duodenum. A symptom of a pancreatic gastrinoma may be steatorrhea from hypersecretion of gastrin. Serum gastrin levels > 1000 and a pH < 2 are diagnostic of pancreatic gastrinoma. The secretin test is a test that can differentiate gastrinoma from other causes of high gastrin levels. Gastrin will rise after secretin injection if the patient has a gastrinoma.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Gastroenterology
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Question 8
Incorrect
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A 15-year-old child with learning difficulties is referred to the endocrine clinic for review. His lab results show hypocalcaemia and increased serum concentration of parathyroid hormone. On examination, there is subcutaneous calcification and a short fifth metacarpal in each hand. What is the treatment of choice in this case?
Your Answer: Parathyroid hormone administration
Correct Answer: Calcium and vitamin D supplementation
Explanation:This child has pseudo hypoparathyroidism. It is a heterogeneous group of rare endocrine disorders characterized by normal renal function and resistance to the action of parathyroid hormone (PTH), manifesting with hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphatemia, and increased serum concentration of PTH.
Patients with pseudo hypoparathyroidism type 1a present with a characteristic phenotype collectively called Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO). The constellation of findings includes the following:
Short stature
Stocky habitus
Obesity
Developmental delay
Round face
Dental hypoplasia
Brachymetacarpals
Brachymetatarsals
Soft tissue calcification/ossification
The goals of therapy are to maintain serum total and ionized calcium levels within the reference range to avoid hypercalcaemia and to suppress PTH levels to normal. This is important because elevated PTH levels in patients with PHP can cause increased bone remodelling and lead to hyper-parathyroid bone disease.
The goals of pharmacotherapy are to correct calcium deficiency, to prevent complications, and to reduce morbidity. Intravenous calcium is the initial treatment for all patients with severe symptomatic hypocalcaemia. Administration of oral calcium and 1alpha-hydroxylated vitamin D metabolites, such as calcitriol, remains the mainstay of treatment and should be initiated in every patient with a diagnosis of pseudo hypoparathyroidism. -
This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrinology
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Question 9
Incorrect
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Which of following does not promote the release of endothelin?
Your Answer: Angiotensin II
Correct Answer: Prostacyclin
Explanation:Prostacyclin (PGI2) generated by the vascular wall is a potent vasodilator, and the most potent endogenous inhibitor of platelet aggregation so far discovered. Prostacyclin inhibits platelet aggregation by increasing cyclic AMP levels. Prostacyclin is a circulating hormone continually released by the lungs into the arterial circulation. Circulating platelets are, therefore, subjected constantly to prostacyclin stimulation and it is via this mechanism that platelet aggregability in vivo is controlled.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Clinical Sciences
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Question 10
Incorrect
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An 80-year-old woman with advanced COPD has been admitted to the medicine ward in an unconscious state. She appears to have an acute lower respiratory tract infection. After consulting with an anaesthesiologist it was concluded that she was not a candidate for intensive care unit admission and thus, a decision was made to start the patient on doxapram therapy. Which of the following best fits the characteristics of doxapram?
Your Answer: It is compatible in infusion with aminophylline
Correct Answer: It is contraindicated in hyperthyroidism
Explanation:The two statements that fit the characteristics of doxapram are, epilepsy is a contraindication for doxapram use and concurrent use with theophylline may increase agitation.
Doxapram is a central respiratory stimulant. In clinical practice, doxapram is usually used for patients who have an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are unsuitable for admission to the intensive therapy unit for ventilatory support. Doxapram infusion may buy an extra 24 h to allow for recovery.
Contraindications include: ischaemic heart disease, epilepsy, cerebral oedema, acute stroke, asthma, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, and pheochromocytoma.
The infusion may worsen agitation and dyspnoea and lead to hypertension, nausea, vomiting and urinary retention.Drug interactions:
Concomitant administration of doxapram and aminophylline (theophylline) can cause increased skeletal muscle activity, agitation, and hyperactivity. -
This question is part of the following fields:
- Pharmacology
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