Internal Medicine: UWorld Flashcards
(486 cards)
A patient presents with the symptoms below. What is the patient suffering from?
- Non-inflammatory edema of the face, limbs, genitalia
- Laryngeal edema
- Edema of the bowels resulting in colicky abdominal pain
Angioedema
What is the drug of choice in patients who present with hypertension and a benign essential tremor?
Propranolol
Propranolol is a non-selective beta-blocker that is effective in reducing the tremor probably by blocking beta-2 receptors
Electrical alterans (the swinging motion of the heart in the pericardial cavity causes a beat-to-beat variation in QRS axis and amplitude) is a pathognomonic finding for what?
Pericardial effusion
What is the treatment for asymptomatic pre-ventricular contractions (PVCs) that develop in a patient following an MI?
Observation (no treatment indicated)
PVCs are common in patients post-MI and can be recognized by their widened QRS (>120msec), bizarre morphology, and compensatory pause. Even though they may indicate a worse prognosis, treatment is not indicated unless the patient is symptomatic
What is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children?
Minimal change disease
What are the first 2 steps in management of a patient with cirrhosis?
- Screening endoscopy
- Abdominal ultrasound
Screening endoscopy is done to exclude varices, indicate the risk of variceal hemorrhage, and determine strategies (I.E. nonselective beta blockers) for primary prevention of variceal hemorrhage. All patients with cirrhosis, regardless of etiology, should also undergo surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma with ultrasound every 6 months.
By what mechanism do nitrates relieve chest pain?
They cause venodilation, which reduces cardiac preload and thus decreases myocardial oxygen demand
What test can be performed to confirm the diagnosis of vasovagal syncope?
Upright tilt table test
How is a pancreatic pseudocyst best diagnosed?
Ultrasound
The pancreatic pseudocyst is an encapsulated area comprised of enzyme-rich fluid, tissue, and debris that accumulates within the pancreas and causes an inflammatory response. It tends to resolve spontaneously.
Nearly 90% of patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia have what disease?
Hepatitis C
Essential mixed cryoglobulinemia is due to circulating immune complexes that deposit in small to medium vessels and may be associated with low serum complement levels.
Neck pain, fever, trismus (inability to open the mouth normally), and limited cervical extension could be indicative of what?
Retropharyngeal abscess
Paget’s disease of the breast should be suspected in a patient with no prior history of skin disease who presents with an eczematous rash near the nipple that does not improve with topical treatments. The majority of these patients have what underlying process?
Breast adenocarcinoma
Skin biopsy will typically demonstrate large cells that appear to be surrounded by clear halos because the cancer cells become retracted from adjacent keratinocytes.
What is the ideal antibiotic regimen for patients less than 3 months of age who have suspected acute bacterial meningitis?
IV Cefotaxime + Ampicillin
Ceftriaxone can be used in neonates instead of Cefotaxime but it has been associated with biliary sludging, so Cefotaxime is preferred
What is indicated by the presence of leukocyte esterases and nitrites in the urine, detected using a urine dipstick test?
- Positive leukocyte esterase signifies significant pyuria (defined as the presence of 6-10 or more neutrophils per high power field of unspun, voided mid-stream urine)
- Positive nitrites indicate the presence of E Coli.
The results of which function tests should be monitored in a patient taking amiodarone?
- Pulmonary function tests
- Thyroid function tests
- Liver functions tests
Amiodarone is associated with pulmonary fibrosis, hepatotoxicity, and thyroid dysfunction
A significant decrease or absence of peristaltic waves and increased lower esophageal sphincter (LES) tone are characteristic of what?
Achalasia
Patients with carcinoid syndrome are at risk of developing what vitamin deficiency?
Niacin
This occurs because of the increased formation of serotonin from tryptophan.
Which hepatitis virus is more dangerous in pregnant women?
Hepatitis E virus (HEV)
Infection with HEV has a high rate of progression to fulminant hepatitis in pregnant women, especially in the third trimester. HEV is primarily transmitted via the fecal-oral route, not sexual contact.
What should be performed in all post-operative patients with oliguria and acute renal failure?
Urgent bladder scan and catheterization
This is due to suspected bladder outlet obstruction in the postoperative setting. Placement of a bladder catheter in a timely fashion can rapidly improve symptoms, reverse acute renal failure, and prevent long-term renal damage.
Pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulders, and pelvic girdle in a patient over age 50 with an elevated ESR and morning stiffness lasting over one hour is indicative of what?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
What jaundice-causing complication can occur following a prolonged surgery characterized by hypotension, extensive blood loss into tissues, and massive blood replacement?
Postoperative cholestasis
What should one suspect whenever test results demonstrate a large amount of blood on urinalysis with a relative absence of RBCs on urine microscopy?
Myoglobinuria
The following findings are consistent with what diagnosis?
- Fatigue
- Itching
- Jaundice
- Weightloss
- Elevated alkaline phosphatase levels
- Positive antimitochondrial antibody test
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Heinz bodies on peripheral blood smear is suggestive of what diagnosis?
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency
G6PD is an enzyme involved in creating NADPH, a cofactor required to create glutathione and prevent the oxidation of hemoglobin. Without G6PD, hemoglobin becomes oxidized and denatures into Heinz bodies. The denatured hemoglobin disrupts red blood cell membranes and causes hemolysis.