APEA 3P EXAM PREP – GI QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS AND
EXPLANATIONS 2025 – 2026 UPDATE.
The,relationship,between,colon,polyps,and,colon,cancer,is,those,polyps:,eventually,,all,bec
ome,malignant.,have,a,slow,progression,to,colon,cancer.,have,a,rapid,progression,to,colon
,cancer.,have,no,relationship,to,colon,cancer.,B.
Colon,polyps,are,usually,slow-
growing,and,take,a,long,time,to,progress,to,cancer.,This,is,the,reason,that,a,colonoscopy,does,not,need,to
,be,repeated,annually.,While,not,all,polyps,grow,slowly,,this,is,the,usual,progression.
A,5-year-
old,has,been,diagnosed,with,pinworms.,He,lives,with,his,mother.,There,are,no,other,members,of,the,hous
ehold.,How,should,his,mother,be,managed?
Reassure,the,mother,that,if,she,develops,symptoms,,she,will,need,to,be,treated.
Visually,assess,the,mother’s,rectum,for,redness,or,presence,of,worms.
Have,the,mother,collect,a,stool,specimen,and,send,it,to,the,laboratory.
Perform,the,“scotch,tape”,test,and,look,at,the,collection,under,the,microscope.,D.
The,diagnosis,of,pinworms,(Enterobiasis),is,made,by,using,a,piece,of,scotch,tape,on,a,tongue,depressor.,It,
is,touched,against,the,patient’s,rectum.,The,greatest,yield,of,eggs,will,occur,during,the,nighttime,or,early,
AM.,Eggs,will,be,found,here,if,they,are,present.,Worms,and,eggs,are,rarely,found,in,stool,specimens,,so,th
is,is,not,a,good,plan.,When,the,scotch,tape,is,examined,under,a,low,power,microscope,,the,eggs,will,be,ea
sily,visualized,since,they,are,large,and,bean,shaped.,The,finding,of,an,adult,worm,would,confirm,the,diagn
osis.,These,are,large,enough,to,be,seen,with,the,naked,eye.,If,the,mother,is,symptomatic,,she,should,be,tr
eated,with,or,without,a,rectal,exam.,It,is,very,likely,she,is,infected.
A,patient,has,been,diagnosed,with,hepatitis,B.,The,most,commonly,reported,risk,factor,is:,drinking,co
ntaminated,water.,eating,contaminated,food.,exposure,to,blood.,sexual,exposure.,D.
Hepatitis,B,is,transmitted,by,blood,and,body,fluids.,While,exposure,to,infected,blood,or,blood,products,w
ould,significantly,increase,the,risk,of,infection,in,unvaccinated,people,,this,is,much,less,likely,than,becomi
ng,infected,via,sexual,exposure,or,IV,drug,use.,Hepatitis,A,is,transmitted,via,fecal-
oral,routes.,Drinking,contaminated,water,and,eating,contaminated,food,implicate,hepatitis,A,as,the,etiol
ogic,agent.
,The,three,most,common,causes,of,bacterial,diarrhea,in,the,US,are,Salmonella,,Campylobacter,,and:
E.,coli.
Enterovirus.
Yersinia.
Shigella.,D.
Shigella,will,be,shed,continuously,in,the,stool,and,should,be,easily,identified,on,stool,culture.,When,bacte
rial,gastroenteritis,is,suspected,,a,stool,specimen,could,be,ordered,for,confirmation.,Generally,,these,thre
e,pathogens,are,easily,identified,if,they,are,present.,Enterovirus,produces,a,viral,form,of,diarrhea.,Yersini
a,produces,the,deadly,disease,called,bubonic,plague.,E.,coli,is,a,typical,colonic,pathogen.
An,83-year-old,patient,is,diagnosed,with,diverticulitis.,The,most,common,complaint,is:
rectal,bleeding.,bloating,and,cramping.,le
ft,lower,quadrant,pain.,frequent,belching
,and,flatulence.
C.
Diverticular,disease,is,more,common,in,older,adults.,About,70%,of,patients,diagnosed,with,diverticulitis,h
ave,left,lower,quadrant,pain.,Rectal,bleeding,may,have,varied,etiologies,,such,as,rectal,carcinoma,or,hem
orrhoids.,Bloating,and,cramping,are,often,found,in,patients,with,diverticular,disease,(diverticulosis),but,n
ot,specifically,diverticulitis.,Belching,and,flatulence,are,not,specifically,associated,with,diverticulosis.
What,is,true,regarding,older,adults,who,are,overweight?
This,is,clearly,associated,with,increased,mortality,in,older,adults.
Mortality,in,older,adults,related,to,overweight,states,declines,over,time.,
BMI,is,a,good,way,to,assess,nutritional,status,in,older,adults.
There,are,no,potential,metabolic,or,functional,benefits,to,weight,loss,in,older,adults.,B.
Overweight,and,obese,states,are,not,as,important,in,predicting,mortality,in,older,adults,as,they,are,in,thei
r,younger,counterparts.,After,age,65,years,(some,studies,demonstrate,after,age,70),,weight,is,less,signific
ant,in,decreasing,risk,for,mortality,than,in,younger,adults.,There,are,some,benefits,to,weight,loss,in,the,o
bese,older,adults.,One,of,them,is,better,balance,and,decreased,risk,for,falls.,Others,include,less,sleep,apn
ea,,decreased,risk,of,diabetes,,and,decreased,rates,of,shortness,of,breath,with,respiratory,and,cardiac,dis
eases.
What,medication,used,to,treat,patients,who,have,GERD,provides,the,fastest,relief,of,heartburn,symptoms
?
, Calcium,carbonate,
Ranitidine
Amantadine,Panto
prazole,A.
Calcium,carbonate,is,an,antacid.,It,provides,rapid,changes,in,gastric,pH.,This,provides,relief,that,can,be,no
ticed,immediately.,The,increase,in,pH,lasts,for,about,30,minutes,and,corresponds,with,resolution,of,symp
toms.,However,,as,pH,decreases,within,30,minutes,,symptoms,may,return.,Ranitidine,is,an,H2,blocker.,It,
provides,relief,in,1-2,hours.,This,usually,lasts,for,about,6-
12,hours.,Amantadine,is,an,antiviral,not,used,to,treat,GERD.,Pantoprazole,is,a,proton,pump,inhibitor.,This,
provides,relief,after,several,hours,or,days,of,daily,consumption.
An,84-year-
old,presents,with,a,stated,involuntary,weight,loss.,He,states,that,he’s,lost,about,6,pounds,in,the,last,6,or,8
,weeks.,What,statement,below,is,NOT,part,of,the,assessment?
The,weight,loss,should,be,measured,today,and,again,in,the,next,few,weeks.
A,laboratory,evaluation,should,be,performed.
Evaluate,his,dietary,intake.
Evaluate,his,upper,and,lower,extremity,muscle,mass.,D.
Involuntary,weight,loss,in,older,adults,is,often,due,to,malignancy,or,disease.,The,initial,assessment,of,an,o
lder,adult,who,reports,involuntary,weight,loss,is,to,document,the,weight,loss.,If,prior,measurements,are,p
art,of,the,patient’s,chart,,this,would,be,helpful.,Laboratory,assessment,should,also,be,performed.,Conside
ration,should,be,given,to,performing,a,CBC,,TSH,,and,metabolic,panel.,Also,consider,chest,and,abdominal,
X-
rays.,If,all,are,normal,,he,should,be,monitored,and,reweighed,on,the,same,scale,for,comparison.,A,dietary
,consult,should,be,ordered.,However,,even,with,negative,initial,findings,,a,significant,number,of,patients,a
re,later,found,to,have,disease,or,malignancy
A,patient,has,a,positive,hepatitis,B,surface,antibody.,This,means,he:,has,acute,hepatit
is,B.,has,chronic,hepatitis,B.,is,immune,to,hepatitis,B.,needs,immunization,to,hepatiti
s,B.,C.
The,hepatitis,B,surface,antibody,indicates,immunity,to,hepatitis,B,virus.,Specifically,,if,this,patient,comes,i
n,contact,with,hepatitis,B,virus,,he,will,not,become,infected,with,hepatitis,B.,The,presence,of,hepatitis,B,s
urface,antibody,indicates,immunity,from,immunization,or,actual,infection.,It,also,indicates,recovery,if,the,
patient,was,infected.
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS AND
EXPLANATIONS 2025 – 2026 UPDATE.
The,relationship,between,colon,polyps,and,colon,cancer,is,those,polyps:,eventually,,all,bec
ome,malignant.,have,a,slow,progression,to,colon,cancer.,have,a,rapid,progression,to,colon
,cancer.,have,no,relationship,to,colon,cancer.,B.
Colon,polyps,are,usually,slow-
growing,and,take,a,long,time,to,progress,to,cancer.,This,is,the,reason,that,a,colonoscopy,does,not,need,to
,be,repeated,annually.,While,not,all,polyps,grow,slowly,,this,is,the,usual,progression.
A,5-year-
old,has,been,diagnosed,with,pinworms.,He,lives,with,his,mother.,There,are,no,other,members,of,the,hous
ehold.,How,should,his,mother,be,managed?
Reassure,the,mother,that,if,she,develops,symptoms,,she,will,need,to,be,treated.
Visually,assess,the,mother’s,rectum,for,redness,or,presence,of,worms.
Have,the,mother,collect,a,stool,specimen,and,send,it,to,the,laboratory.
Perform,the,“scotch,tape”,test,and,look,at,the,collection,under,the,microscope.,D.
The,diagnosis,of,pinworms,(Enterobiasis),is,made,by,using,a,piece,of,scotch,tape,on,a,tongue,depressor.,It,
is,touched,against,the,patient’s,rectum.,The,greatest,yield,of,eggs,will,occur,during,the,nighttime,or,early,
AM.,Eggs,will,be,found,here,if,they,are,present.,Worms,and,eggs,are,rarely,found,in,stool,specimens,,so,th
is,is,not,a,good,plan.,When,the,scotch,tape,is,examined,under,a,low,power,microscope,,the,eggs,will,be,ea
sily,visualized,since,they,are,large,and,bean,shaped.,The,finding,of,an,adult,worm,would,confirm,the,diagn
osis.,These,are,large,enough,to,be,seen,with,the,naked,eye.,If,the,mother,is,symptomatic,,she,should,be,tr
eated,with,or,without,a,rectal,exam.,It,is,very,likely,she,is,infected.
A,patient,has,been,diagnosed,with,hepatitis,B.,The,most,commonly,reported,risk,factor,is:,drinking,co
ntaminated,water.,eating,contaminated,food.,exposure,to,blood.,sexual,exposure.,D.
Hepatitis,B,is,transmitted,by,blood,and,body,fluids.,While,exposure,to,infected,blood,or,blood,products,w
ould,significantly,increase,the,risk,of,infection,in,unvaccinated,people,,this,is,much,less,likely,than,becomi
ng,infected,via,sexual,exposure,or,IV,drug,use.,Hepatitis,A,is,transmitted,via,fecal-
oral,routes.,Drinking,contaminated,water,and,eating,contaminated,food,implicate,hepatitis,A,as,the,etiol
ogic,agent.
,The,three,most,common,causes,of,bacterial,diarrhea,in,the,US,are,Salmonella,,Campylobacter,,and:
E.,coli.
Enterovirus.
Yersinia.
Shigella.,D.
Shigella,will,be,shed,continuously,in,the,stool,and,should,be,easily,identified,on,stool,culture.,When,bacte
rial,gastroenteritis,is,suspected,,a,stool,specimen,could,be,ordered,for,confirmation.,Generally,,these,thre
e,pathogens,are,easily,identified,if,they,are,present.,Enterovirus,produces,a,viral,form,of,diarrhea.,Yersini
a,produces,the,deadly,disease,called,bubonic,plague.,E.,coli,is,a,typical,colonic,pathogen.
An,83-year-old,patient,is,diagnosed,with,diverticulitis.,The,most,common,complaint,is:
rectal,bleeding.,bloating,and,cramping.,le
ft,lower,quadrant,pain.,frequent,belching
,and,flatulence.
C.
Diverticular,disease,is,more,common,in,older,adults.,About,70%,of,patients,diagnosed,with,diverticulitis,h
ave,left,lower,quadrant,pain.,Rectal,bleeding,may,have,varied,etiologies,,such,as,rectal,carcinoma,or,hem
orrhoids.,Bloating,and,cramping,are,often,found,in,patients,with,diverticular,disease,(diverticulosis),but,n
ot,specifically,diverticulitis.,Belching,and,flatulence,are,not,specifically,associated,with,diverticulosis.
What,is,true,regarding,older,adults,who,are,overweight?
This,is,clearly,associated,with,increased,mortality,in,older,adults.
Mortality,in,older,adults,related,to,overweight,states,declines,over,time.,
BMI,is,a,good,way,to,assess,nutritional,status,in,older,adults.
There,are,no,potential,metabolic,or,functional,benefits,to,weight,loss,in,older,adults.,B.
Overweight,and,obese,states,are,not,as,important,in,predicting,mortality,in,older,adults,as,they,are,in,thei
r,younger,counterparts.,After,age,65,years,(some,studies,demonstrate,after,age,70),,weight,is,less,signific
ant,in,decreasing,risk,for,mortality,than,in,younger,adults.,There,are,some,benefits,to,weight,loss,in,the,o
bese,older,adults.,One,of,them,is,better,balance,and,decreased,risk,for,falls.,Others,include,less,sleep,apn
ea,,decreased,risk,of,diabetes,,and,decreased,rates,of,shortness,of,breath,with,respiratory,and,cardiac,dis
eases.
What,medication,used,to,treat,patients,who,have,GERD,provides,the,fastest,relief,of,heartburn,symptoms
?
, Calcium,carbonate,
Ranitidine
Amantadine,Panto
prazole,A.
Calcium,carbonate,is,an,antacid.,It,provides,rapid,changes,in,gastric,pH.,This,provides,relief,that,can,be,no
ticed,immediately.,The,increase,in,pH,lasts,for,about,30,minutes,and,corresponds,with,resolution,of,symp
toms.,However,,as,pH,decreases,within,30,minutes,,symptoms,may,return.,Ranitidine,is,an,H2,blocker.,It,
provides,relief,in,1-2,hours.,This,usually,lasts,for,about,6-
12,hours.,Amantadine,is,an,antiviral,not,used,to,treat,GERD.,Pantoprazole,is,a,proton,pump,inhibitor.,This,
provides,relief,after,several,hours,or,days,of,daily,consumption.
An,84-year-
old,presents,with,a,stated,involuntary,weight,loss.,He,states,that,he’s,lost,about,6,pounds,in,the,last,6,or,8
,weeks.,What,statement,below,is,NOT,part,of,the,assessment?
The,weight,loss,should,be,measured,today,and,again,in,the,next,few,weeks.
A,laboratory,evaluation,should,be,performed.
Evaluate,his,dietary,intake.
Evaluate,his,upper,and,lower,extremity,muscle,mass.,D.
Involuntary,weight,loss,in,older,adults,is,often,due,to,malignancy,or,disease.,The,initial,assessment,of,an,o
lder,adult,who,reports,involuntary,weight,loss,is,to,document,the,weight,loss.,If,prior,measurements,are,p
art,of,the,patient’s,chart,,this,would,be,helpful.,Laboratory,assessment,should,also,be,performed.,Conside
ration,should,be,given,to,performing,a,CBC,,TSH,,and,metabolic,panel.,Also,consider,chest,and,abdominal,
X-
rays.,If,all,are,normal,,he,should,be,monitored,and,reweighed,on,the,same,scale,for,comparison.,A,dietary
,consult,should,be,ordered.,However,,even,with,negative,initial,findings,,a,significant,number,of,patients,a
re,later,found,to,have,disease,or,malignancy
A,patient,has,a,positive,hepatitis,B,surface,antibody.,This,means,he:,has,acute,hepatit
is,B.,has,chronic,hepatitis,B.,is,immune,to,hepatitis,B.,needs,immunization,to,hepatiti
s,B.,C.
The,hepatitis,B,surface,antibody,indicates,immunity,to,hepatitis,B,virus.,Specifically,,if,this,patient,comes,i
n,contact,with,hepatitis,B,virus,,he,will,not,become,infected,with,hepatitis,B.,The,presence,of,hepatitis,B,s
urface,antibody,indicates,immunity,from,immunization,or,actual,infection.,It,also,indicates,recovery,if,the,
patient,was,infected.
