Cardiovascular Study Guide
1. **Question:** A healthy 40-year-old man was sitting and having his blood drawn for
routine labs. He suddenly becomes faint and his heart rate and blood pressure drop. He
quickly awakens. What caused these symptoms?
**Answer:** His vagus nerve was stimulated.
**Rationale:** This is a classic vasovagal response, triggered by vagus nerve stimulation,
which leads to a drop in heart rate and blood pressure, causing fainting.
2. **Question:** Patients with atrial fibrillation are commonly prescribed anticoagulation
to:
**Answer:** Prevent ischemic stroke.
**Rationale:** Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of thromboembolism due to blood
pooling in the atria, especially the left atrial appendage. Anticoagulants help prevent clots
that can cause ischemic stroke.
3. **Question:** A 19-year-old athlete went out for his first day of football practice. He
experienced sudden cardiac death. The cause of death was determined to be
cardiomyopathy. It was most likely __________ cardiomyopathy.
**Answer:** Hypertrophic.
**Rationale:** Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common cause of sudden
cardiac death in young athletes. It often involves septal hypertrophy and fatal arrhythmias
during exertion.
4. **Question:** The QRS wave of an electrocardiogram (EKG) is produced by:
**Answer:** Depolarization of the ventricles.
**Rationale:** The QRS complex represents the depolarization of the ventricles, which
triggers ventricular contraction.
5. **Question:** With mitral valve prolapse, the leaflets:
**Answer:** Collapse into the left atrium during systole.
1. **Question:** A healthy 40-year-old man was sitting and having his blood drawn for
routine labs. He suddenly becomes faint and his heart rate and blood pressure drop. He
quickly awakens. What caused these symptoms?
**Answer:** His vagus nerve was stimulated.
**Rationale:** This is a classic vasovagal response, triggered by vagus nerve stimulation,
which leads to a drop in heart rate and blood pressure, causing fainting.
2. **Question:** Patients with atrial fibrillation are commonly prescribed anticoagulation
to:
**Answer:** Prevent ischemic stroke.
**Rationale:** Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of thromboembolism due to blood
pooling in the atria, especially the left atrial appendage. Anticoagulants help prevent clots
that can cause ischemic stroke.
3. **Question:** A 19-year-old athlete went out for his first day of football practice. He
experienced sudden cardiac death. The cause of death was determined to be
cardiomyopathy. It was most likely __________ cardiomyopathy.
**Answer:** Hypertrophic.
**Rationale:** Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common cause of sudden
cardiac death in young athletes. It often involves septal hypertrophy and fatal arrhythmias
during exertion.
4. **Question:** The QRS wave of an electrocardiogram (EKG) is produced by:
**Answer:** Depolarization of the ventricles.
**Rationale:** The QRS complex represents the depolarization of the ventricles, which
triggers ventricular contraction.
5. **Question:** With mitral valve prolapse, the leaflets:
**Answer:** Collapse into the left atrium during systole.
