CARDIOVASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY TEST
REVIEW
1. A 23-year-old woman is using an albuterol inhaler for frequent acute episodes of
asthma and complains of symptoms that she ascribes to the albuterol. Which of the
following is not a recognized action of albuterol?
A. Diuretic effect
B. Positive inotropic effect
C. Skeletal muscle tremor
D. Smooth muscle relaxation
E. Tachycardia - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Diuretic effect
2. Patient is admitted to the emergency department after a drug overdose. He is noted to
have hypotension and severe bradycardia. He has been receiving therapy for
hypertension and angina. Which of the following drugs in high doses causes
bradycardia?
A. Amlodipine
B. Isosorbide dinitrate
C. Nitroglycerin
D. Prazosin
E. Verapamil - CORRECT ANSWERS-E. Verapamil
,3. One effect that theophylline, nitroglycerin, isoproterenol, and have in common is
A. Direct stimulation of cardiac contractile force
B. Tachycardia
C. Bronchodilation
D. Postural hypotension
E. Throbbing headache - CORRECT ANSWERS-B. Tachycardia
4. If a beta blocker were to be used for prophylaxis in this patient, what is the most
probable mechanism of action in angina?
A. Block of exercise-induced tachycardia
B. Decreased end-diastolic ventricular volume
C. Increased double product
D. Increased cardiac force
E. Decreased ventricular ejection time - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Block of
exercise-induced tachycardia
5. A patient with hypertension and angina is referred for treatment. Metoprolol and
verapamil are among the drugs considered. Both metoprolol and verapamil are
associated with which one of the following?
A. Diarrhea
B. Hypoglycemia
C. Increased PR interval
D. Tachycardia
E. Thyrotoxicosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-C. Increased PR interval
6. In advising the patient about the adverse effects he may notice, you point out that
nitroglycerin in moderate doses often produces certain symptoms. Which of the
following effects might occur due to the mechanism listed?
A. Constipation
B. Dizziness due to reduced cardiac force of contraction
C. Diuresis due to sympathetic discharge
D. Headache due to meningeal vasodilation
E. Hypertension due to reflex tachycardia - CORRECT ANSWERS-D. Headache
due to meningeal vasodilation
7. Which of the following has been shown to prolong life in patients with chronic
congestive failure in spite of having a negative inotropic effect on cardiac contractility?
A. Carvedilol
B. Digoxin
C. Dobutamine
D. Enalapril
E. Furosemide - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Carvedilol
8. A graduate student is planning to make a high-altitude climb in South America while on
vacation. He will not have time to acclimate slowly to altitude. A drug that is useful in
preventing high-altitude sickness is
A. Acetazolamide
, B. Amiloride
C. Demeclocycline
D. Desmopressin
E. Ethacrynic acid - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Acetazolamide
9. Which one of the following drugs is associated with clinically useful or physiologically
important positive inotropic effect?
A. Captopril
B. Dobutamine
C. Enalapril
D. Losartan
E. Nesiritide - CORRECT ANSWERS-B. Dobutamine
10. Which one of the following is a significant unwanted effect of the drug named?
A. Constipation with verapamil
B. Heart failure with hydralazine
C. Hemolytic anemia with atenolol
D. Hypokalemia with aliskiren
E. Lupus-like syndrome with hydrochlorothiazide - CORRECT ANSWERS-A.
Constipation with verapamil
11. A man is admitted to the emergency department with a brownish cyanotic appearance,
marked shortness of breath, and hypotension. Which of the following is most likely to
cause methemoglobinemia?
A. Amyl nitrite
B. Isosorbide dinitrate
C. Isosorbide mononitrate
D. Nitroglycerin
E. Sodium cyanide - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Amyl nitrite
12. Which of the following is very short-acting and acts by releasing nitric oxide?
A. Atenolol
B. Captopril
C. Diltiazem
D. Fenoldopam
E. Hydrochlorothiazide
F. Losartan
G. Minoxidil
H. Nitroprusside
I. Prazosin - CORRECT ANSWERS-H. Nitroprusside
13. Oral medications are popular for the treatment of asthma in children because young
children may have difficulty with the proper use of aerosol inhalers. Which of the
following is an orally active inhibitor of leukotriene receptors?
A. Albuterol
B. Aminophylline
C. Ipratropium
D. Montelukast
REVIEW
1. A 23-year-old woman is using an albuterol inhaler for frequent acute episodes of
asthma and complains of symptoms that she ascribes to the albuterol. Which of the
following is not a recognized action of albuterol?
A. Diuretic effect
B. Positive inotropic effect
C. Skeletal muscle tremor
D. Smooth muscle relaxation
E. Tachycardia - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Diuretic effect
2. Patient is admitted to the emergency department after a drug overdose. He is noted to
have hypotension and severe bradycardia. He has been receiving therapy for
hypertension and angina. Which of the following drugs in high doses causes
bradycardia?
A. Amlodipine
B. Isosorbide dinitrate
C. Nitroglycerin
D. Prazosin
E. Verapamil - CORRECT ANSWERS-E. Verapamil
,3. One effect that theophylline, nitroglycerin, isoproterenol, and have in common is
A. Direct stimulation of cardiac contractile force
B. Tachycardia
C. Bronchodilation
D. Postural hypotension
E. Throbbing headache - CORRECT ANSWERS-B. Tachycardia
4. If a beta blocker were to be used for prophylaxis in this patient, what is the most
probable mechanism of action in angina?
A. Block of exercise-induced tachycardia
B. Decreased end-diastolic ventricular volume
C. Increased double product
D. Increased cardiac force
E. Decreased ventricular ejection time - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Block of
exercise-induced tachycardia
5. A patient with hypertension and angina is referred for treatment. Metoprolol and
verapamil are among the drugs considered. Both metoprolol and verapamil are
associated with which one of the following?
A. Diarrhea
B. Hypoglycemia
C. Increased PR interval
D. Tachycardia
E. Thyrotoxicosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-C. Increased PR interval
6. In advising the patient about the adverse effects he may notice, you point out that
nitroglycerin in moderate doses often produces certain symptoms. Which of the
following effects might occur due to the mechanism listed?
A. Constipation
B. Dizziness due to reduced cardiac force of contraction
C. Diuresis due to sympathetic discharge
D. Headache due to meningeal vasodilation
E. Hypertension due to reflex tachycardia - CORRECT ANSWERS-D. Headache
due to meningeal vasodilation
7. Which of the following has been shown to prolong life in patients with chronic
congestive failure in spite of having a negative inotropic effect on cardiac contractility?
A. Carvedilol
B. Digoxin
C. Dobutamine
D. Enalapril
E. Furosemide - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Carvedilol
8. A graduate student is planning to make a high-altitude climb in South America while on
vacation. He will not have time to acclimate slowly to altitude. A drug that is useful in
preventing high-altitude sickness is
A. Acetazolamide
, B. Amiloride
C. Demeclocycline
D. Desmopressin
E. Ethacrynic acid - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Acetazolamide
9. Which one of the following drugs is associated with clinically useful or physiologically
important positive inotropic effect?
A. Captopril
B. Dobutamine
C. Enalapril
D. Losartan
E. Nesiritide - CORRECT ANSWERS-B. Dobutamine
10. Which one of the following is a significant unwanted effect of the drug named?
A. Constipation with verapamil
B. Heart failure with hydralazine
C. Hemolytic anemia with atenolol
D. Hypokalemia with aliskiren
E. Lupus-like syndrome with hydrochlorothiazide - CORRECT ANSWERS-A.
Constipation with verapamil
11. A man is admitted to the emergency department with a brownish cyanotic appearance,
marked shortness of breath, and hypotension. Which of the following is most likely to
cause methemoglobinemia?
A. Amyl nitrite
B. Isosorbide dinitrate
C. Isosorbide mononitrate
D. Nitroglycerin
E. Sodium cyanide - CORRECT ANSWERS-A. Amyl nitrite
12. Which of the following is very short-acting and acts by releasing nitric oxide?
A. Atenolol
B. Captopril
C. Diltiazem
D. Fenoldopam
E. Hydrochlorothiazide
F. Losartan
G. Minoxidil
H. Nitroprusside
I. Prazosin - CORRECT ANSWERS-H. Nitroprusside
13. Oral medications are popular for the treatment of asthma in children because young
children may have difficulty with the proper use of aerosol inhalers. Which of the
following is an orally active inhibitor of leukotriene receptors?
A. Albuterol
B. Aminophylline
C. Ipratropium
D. Montelukast
