PAEA EOC EXAM (NEW UPDATED VERSION) LATEST ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS) | GUARANTEED
PASS A+ [2025]
1. A 67-year-old man presents with acute, sharp left-sided chest pain worsened by deep
inspiration. ECG shows diffuse ST elevations and PR depressions. What is the most likely
diagnosis?
Answer: Acute pericarditis
Rationale: Diffuse ST elevation with PR depression is classic for pericarditis, unlike MI, which
shows regional changes.
2. A patient with COPD has a PaCO₂ of 58 mmHg and bicarbonate of 34 mEq/L. What does this
pattern most likely represent?
Answer: Chronic respiratory acidosis with metabolic compensation
Rationale: Elevated PaCO₂ + compensatory ↑HCO₃⁻ suggests chronic CO₂ retention.
what exactly causes the occlusive vascular disease of thromboangiitis obliterans? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ aka Buerger's disease
inflammatory thrombi affecting the medium and small vessels (nonatherosclerosis)
polymorphonuclear leukocytes, microabscesses, and multinucleated giant cells may be
presen
Treatment options for thromboangiitis obliterans? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
smoking cessation most important!
cilostazol (PDE 3 inhibitor) has vasodilator properties (alleviated symptoms)
if raynauds also present, CCB (nifedipine)
what heart failure treatment provides a benefit of reduction in morbidity and mortality? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ ACE inhibitors
beta blockers can also reduce M&M
diuretics have no reduction in mortality
,how would you manage a patient with a MI in the setting of cocaine use? - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ benzodiazepine early
no beta blockers
If PCI cannot be done for a STEMI patient within 120 minutes, what should be done? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ fibrolytic therapy
then do PCI & coronary angiography when it can be done
ideally PCI is done within 90 minutes
fibrolytic therapy can be used up to 12 hours of symptoms
If you suspect an acute limb ischemia due to arterial embolism, what imaging should
you get? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ catheter-based arteriography (digital
subtraction arteriography) provides the most useful information. can also help with
treatment
can help distinguish between thrombosis and embolus
where are arterial emboli often found? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ lower
extremities more common than upper extremities
The common femoral, common iliac, and popliteal artery bifurcations are frequent
locations
majority originate in the heart
fun fact: Compared with thromboemboli, atheroemboli are less likely to produce
symptoms of acute limb ischemia
how would you work up a patient with treatment resistant hypertension that you suspect
a secondary cause? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ 24-hour ambulatory
monitoring (to ensure not white coat)
medical hx (assess adherence to meds, other meds)
physical exam (look for abominal/renal bruits)
labs (electrolytes, glucose, creatinine, UA)
If pheo suspected: measure fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines in a 24-
hour urine collection
other than atherosclerosis leading to renal artery stenosis and secondary HTN, what is
another causes of a renal-associated secondary HTN? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ fibromuscular dysplasia (usually in a young pt)
,most important modifable risk factor for AAA? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
smoking cessation!
when is it okay to do screening survelliance for AAA rather than repair and how often
should you screen? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ if AAA is <5.5 cm then annual
screening with US is recommended. may need every 6 months if rapidly expanding or
other concerns
how should you educate a patient with AAA on exercise? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ Patients should be counseled that moderate physical activity such as
running, biking, swimming, hiking, or sexual activity and activities such as gardening,
golfing, and horseback riding do not precipitate AAA rupture
Moderate physical therapy may also limit aneurysm expansion. In experimental
aneurysms, increased aortic blood flow appears to inhibit AAA expansion
However, heavy lifting, especially while holding the breath, and other activities that lead
to Valsalva transiently induce significant increases in blood pressure and should be
avoided
gold standard for dx renal artery stenosis? what can be used to monitor disease
progression? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ renal arteriography
But really a spiral CT angiography is very useful and probably more likely done first
duplex doppler US can be used to monitor disease progression
what are some symptoms of mitral valve prolapse syndrome? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ various nonspecific symptoms such as palpitations, dyspnea, exercise
intolerance, anxiety disorders, and dizziness
since symptoms are relatively uncommon, what physical exam findings are associated
with mitral valve prolapse? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ non-ejection click in
systole
click is mobile, meaning its timing varies with maneuvers that change the left ventricular
volume, occurring earlier in systole with sitting, standing, or other interventions that
reduce ventricular size, or later with those interventions that increase chamber size
such as squatting
People with MVP tend to have lower BMIs
, how would you distinguish vasospastic angina and angina associated with CAD? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ quality of the CP is typically indistinguishable of the
two
patients with vasospastic angina report that their episodes are predominantly at rest and
that many occur from midnight to early morning, while effort tolerance is usually
preserved. CP generally lasts 5 to 15 minutes
Patients with vasospastic angina are often younger and exhibit fewer classic
cardiovascular risk factors and may be associated with other vasospastic disorders,
such as Raynaud's phenomenon and migraine headache
Exercise does not usually provoke an episode of spasm
ECG may reveal transient ST-segment elevation or depression in multiple lead but
troponins will not be elevated
where do karposi sarcoma lesions typically occur? describe their appearance. -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ often on distal extremities, such as lower legs and
feet
purplish, reddish blue, or dark brown/black macules, plaques, and nodules on the skin.
Nodular lesions may ulcerate and bleed easily
common in poorly controlled HIV
how would you treat hidradenitis suppurativa? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
topical clindamycin
if fail topical therapy, oral tetracyclines are suggested
Antiandrogenic drugs and metformin are additional treatment options that may be used
alone or in conjunction with antibiotic therapy
Pt with hypertriglyceridemia >885 mg/dL that required medical therapy due to no
improvement after lifestyle changes and statin. how would you treat? - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ fenofibrate
fenofibrate is better than gemfibrozil bc can be used with a statin. Gemfibrozil has a
higher risk of muscle toxicity
how would you initially treat a pt with hypertriglyceridemia? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ lifestyle changes (reduce EtOH consumption, aerobic exercise, better
glycemic control) and statin
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS) | GUARANTEED
PASS A+ [2025]
1. A 67-year-old man presents with acute, sharp left-sided chest pain worsened by deep
inspiration. ECG shows diffuse ST elevations and PR depressions. What is the most likely
diagnosis?
Answer: Acute pericarditis
Rationale: Diffuse ST elevation with PR depression is classic for pericarditis, unlike MI, which
shows regional changes.
2. A patient with COPD has a PaCO₂ of 58 mmHg and bicarbonate of 34 mEq/L. What does this
pattern most likely represent?
Answer: Chronic respiratory acidosis with metabolic compensation
Rationale: Elevated PaCO₂ + compensatory ↑HCO₃⁻ suggests chronic CO₂ retention.
what exactly causes the occlusive vascular disease of thromboangiitis obliterans? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ aka Buerger's disease
inflammatory thrombi affecting the medium and small vessels (nonatherosclerosis)
polymorphonuclear leukocytes, microabscesses, and multinucleated giant cells may be
presen
Treatment options for thromboangiitis obliterans? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
smoking cessation most important!
cilostazol (PDE 3 inhibitor) has vasodilator properties (alleviated symptoms)
if raynauds also present, CCB (nifedipine)
what heart failure treatment provides a benefit of reduction in morbidity and mortality? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ ACE inhibitors
beta blockers can also reduce M&M
diuretics have no reduction in mortality
,how would you manage a patient with a MI in the setting of cocaine use? - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ benzodiazepine early
no beta blockers
If PCI cannot be done for a STEMI patient within 120 minutes, what should be done? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ fibrolytic therapy
then do PCI & coronary angiography when it can be done
ideally PCI is done within 90 minutes
fibrolytic therapy can be used up to 12 hours of symptoms
If you suspect an acute limb ischemia due to arterial embolism, what imaging should
you get? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ catheter-based arteriography (digital
subtraction arteriography) provides the most useful information. can also help with
treatment
can help distinguish between thrombosis and embolus
where are arterial emboli often found? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ lower
extremities more common than upper extremities
The common femoral, common iliac, and popliteal artery bifurcations are frequent
locations
majority originate in the heart
fun fact: Compared with thromboemboli, atheroemboli are less likely to produce
symptoms of acute limb ischemia
how would you work up a patient with treatment resistant hypertension that you suspect
a secondary cause? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ 24-hour ambulatory
monitoring (to ensure not white coat)
medical hx (assess adherence to meds, other meds)
physical exam (look for abominal/renal bruits)
labs (electrolytes, glucose, creatinine, UA)
If pheo suspected: measure fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines in a 24-
hour urine collection
other than atherosclerosis leading to renal artery stenosis and secondary HTN, what is
another causes of a renal-associated secondary HTN? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ fibromuscular dysplasia (usually in a young pt)
,most important modifable risk factor for AAA? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
smoking cessation!
when is it okay to do screening survelliance for AAA rather than repair and how often
should you screen? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ if AAA is <5.5 cm then annual
screening with US is recommended. may need every 6 months if rapidly expanding or
other concerns
how should you educate a patient with AAA on exercise? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ Patients should be counseled that moderate physical activity such as
running, biking, swimming, hiking, or sexual activity and activities such as gardening,
golfing, and horseback riding do not precipitate AAA rupture
Moderate physical therapy may also limit aneurysm expansion. In experimental
aneurysms, increased aortic blood flow appears to inhibit AAA expansion
However, heavy lifting, especially while holding the breath, and other activities that lead
to Valsalva transiently induce significant increases in blood pressure and should be
avoided
gold standard for dx renal artery stenosis? what can be used to monitor disease
progression? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ renal arteriography
But really a spiral CT angiography is very useful and probably more likely done first
duplex doppler US can be used to monitor disease progression
what are some symptoms of mitral valve prolapse syndrome? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ various nonspecific symptoms such as palpitations, dyspnea, exercise
intolerance, anxiety disorders, and dizziness
since symptoms are relatively uncommon, what physical exam findings are associated
with mitral valve prolapse? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ non-ejection click in
systole
click is mobile, meaning its timing varies with maneuvers that change the left ventricular
volume, occurring earlier in systole with sitting, standing, or other interventions that
reduce ventricular size, or later with those interventions that increase chamber size
such as squatting
People with MVP tend to have lower BMIs
, how would you distinguish vasospastic angina and angina associated with CAD? -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ quality of the CP is typically indistinguishable of the
two
patients with vasospastic angina report that their episodes are predominantly at rest and
that many occur from midnight to early morning, while effort tolerance is usually
preserved. CP generally lasts 5 to 15 minutes
Patients with vasospastic angina are often younger and exhibit fewer classic
cardiovascular risk factors and may be associated with other vasospastic disorders,
such as Raynaud's phenomenon and migraine headache
Exercise does not usually provoke an episode of spasm
ECG may reveal transient ST-segment elevation or depression in multiple lead but
troponins will not be elevated
where do karposi sarcoma lesions typically occur? describe their appearance. -
CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ often on distal extremities, such as lower legs and
feet
purplish, reddish blue, or dark brown/black macules, plaques, and nodules on the skin.
Nodular lesions may ulcerate and bleed easily
common in poorly controlled HIV
how would you treat hidradenitis suppurativa? - CORRECT ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔
topical clindamycin
if fail topical therapy, oral tetracyclines are suggested
Antiandrogenic drugs and metformin are additional treatment options that may be used
alone or in conjunction with antibiotic therapy
Pt with hypertriglyceridemia >885 mg/dL that required medical therapy due to no
improvement after lifestyle changes and statin. how would you treat? - CORRECT
ANSWER ✔✔✔✔✔ fenofibrate
fenofibrate is better than gemfibrozil bc can be used with a statin. Gemfibrozil has a
higher risk of muscle toxicity
how would you initially treat a pt with hypertriglyceridemia? - CORRECT ANSWER
✔✔✔✔✔ lifestyle changes (reduce EtOH consumption, aerobic exercise, better
glycemic control) and statin
