APEA Pathophysiology - MASTER 1
with questions and well verified
answers actual exam !!! 2026
A common cause of diastolic heart failure is:
myocarditis
myocardial infarction
dilated cardiomyopathy
hypertension - ANSWER -Hypertension
long-term hypertension is a common cause of diastolic heart failure.
Diastolic dysfunction occurs when the filling of one or both ventricles is impaired because the
ventricle has become less compliant.
The heart must pump more forcefully in order to push blood into circulation against increased
vascular resistance.
Which type of angina results from coronary artery vasospasm and occurs in atypical patterns?
Classic angina
Prinzmetal's angina
Unstable angina
Pleuritic chest pain - ANSWER -Prinzmetal's angina
,Results from coronary artery vasospasm and occurs in an atypical pattern. It is usually at a
single site. It can occur in a normal or disease vessel. Pain is usually resolved with angina
medication.
Classic (stable angina) occurs when the heart is stressed, lasts less than 5 minutes, and usually
resolves with rest.
Unstable angina is considered a medical emergency because it lasts longer than 5 minutes,
does not follow the normal pain pattern, and may not resolve with rest or angina medication.
It is often associated or signals a MI.
A patient who is in cardiogenic shock will present with:
a high cardiac index
decreased vascular resistance
increased ventricular ejection fraction
mixed venous oxygen saturation - ANSWER -mixed venous oxygen saturation
Patients will have a low cardiac index, elevated filling pressures of the left, right, or both
ventricles, and a decreased mixed venous oxygen saturation.
With each heart beat, blood within the left and right ventricle is ejected into the:
left atrium only
aorta and pulmonary artery
anterior descending artery
right coronary artery - ANSWER -aorta and pulmonary artery
The primary cause of cardiogenic shock in a patient with an acute MI is:
failure of the ventricle to pump blood adequately
failure of the aortic valve to pump blood adequately
regurgitation of the tricuspid valve
regurgitation of the mitral valve - ANSWER -failure of the ventricle to pump adequately
Unstable angina is characterized by:
angina with prolonged activity
angina symptoms lasting >6 months.
,increasing crescendo angina
angina with elevated cardiac markers - ANSWER -increased crescendo angina
unstable angina is characterized by prolonged angina at rest (usually >20 minutes at rest), and
increasing crescendo angina (now more frequent & longer duration)
Which one of the following produces visible evidence of an underlying problem with reverse
venous flow?
cellulitis
bruising
stasis dermatitis
varicose veins - ANSWER -varicose veins
Which one of the following is NOT an assessment finding in a patient who is experiencing
shock?
low urine output
end-organ hyperperfusion
poor mentation
hypotension - ANSWER -end-organ hyperperfusion
A progressive disease of heart muscle that is characterized by ventricular chamber
enlargement and contractile dysfunction is:
acute coronary syndrome
cardiac tamponade
dilated cardiomyopathy
thyrotoxicosis - ANSWER -dilated cardiomyopathy
Patients with acute coronary syndrome may experience chest pain secondary to:
arterial vasodilation
oxygen demand
potassium depletion
elevated creatine - ANSWER -oxygen demand
, What is the purpose of activation of the sympathetic nervous system, the renin-angiotensin-
aldosterone system, and the antidiuretic system in the presence of impaired cardiac pumping
and/or filling?
promotion of venous relaxation
production of arterial vasoconstriction
decrease in venous pressure
decrease in ventricular filling - ANSWER -Production of arterial vasoconstriction
all three of those systems are activated in the presence of heart failure and produce arterial
vasoconstriction and help to maintain systemic pressure to ensure tissue & organ perfusion
Atherosclerosis in the lower extremities commonly causes:
venous insufficiency
peripheral artery disease
lymphadenopathy
diabetic neuropathy - ANSWER -peripheral artery disease
Which of the following is not a deficit of tetralogy of Fallot?
a hole between the ventricles of the heart
a narrowing of the pulmonary valve and artery
an enlargement of the tricuspid valves
a thickening of the ventricle chambers - ANSWER -an enlargement of the tricuspid valves
which of the following cardiac rhythms do not lead to a decrease in cardiac output?
normal sinus rhythm
bradycardia
atrial fibrillation
atrioventricular block - ANSWER -normal sinus rhythm
Aortic stenosis may be identified by:
a low-intensity, high pitched murmur
with questions and well verified
answers actual exam !!! 2026
A common cause of diastolic heart failure is:
myocarditis
myocardial infarction
dilated cardiomyopathy
hypertension - ANSWER -Hypertension
long-term hypertension is a common cause of diastolic heart failure.
Diastolic dysfunction occurs when the filling of one or both ventricles is impaired because the
ventricle has become less compliant.
The heart must pump more forcefully in order to push blood into circulation against increased
vascular resistance.
Which type of angina results from coronary artery vasospasm and occurs in atypical patterns?
Classic angina
Prinzmetal's angina
Unstable angina
Pleuritic chest pain - ANSWER -Prinzmetal's angina
,Results from coronary artery vasospasm and occurs in an atypical pattern. It is usually at a
single site. It can occur in a normal or disease vessel. Pain is usually resolved with angina
medication.
Classic (stable angina) occurs when the heart is stressed, lasts less than 5 minutes, and usually
resolves with rest.
Unstable angina is considered a medical emergency because it lasts longer than 5 minutes,
does not follow the normal pain pattern, and may not resolve with rest or angina medication.
It is often associated or signals a MI.
A patient who is in cardiogenic shock will present with:
a high cardiac index
decreased vascular resistance
increased ventricular ejection fraction
mixed venous oxygen saturation - ANSWER -mixed venous oxygen saturation
Patients will have a low cardiac index, elevated filling pressures of the left, right, or both
ventricles, and a decreased mixed venous oxygen saturation.
With each heart beat, blood within the left and right ventricle is ejected into the:
left atrium only
aorta and pulmonary artery
anterior descending artery
right coronary artery - ANSWER -aorta and pulmonary artery
The primary cause of cardiogenic shock in a patient with an acute MI is:
failure of the ventricle to pump blood adequately
failure of the aortic valve to pump blood adequately
regurgitation of the tricuspid valve
regurgitation of the mitral valve - ANSWER -failure of the ventricle to pump adequately
Unstable angina is characterized by:
angina with prolonged activity
angina symptoms lasting >6 months.
,increasing crescendo angina
angina with elevated cardiac markers - ANSWER -increased crescendo angina
unstable angina is characterized by prolonged angina at rest (usually >20 minutes at rest), and
increasing crescendo angina (now more frequent & longer duration)
Which one of the following produces visible evidence of an underlying problem with reverse
venous flow?
cellulitis
bruising
stasis dermatitis
varicose veins - ANSWER -varicose veins
Which one of the following is NOT an assessment finding in a patient who is experiencing
shock?
low urine output
end-organ hyperperfusion
poor mentation
hypotension - ANSWER -end-organ hyperperfusion
A progressive disease of heart muscle that is characterized by ventricular chamber
enlargement and contractile dysfunction is:
acute coronary syndrome
cardiac tamponade
dilated cardiomyopathy
thyrotoxicosis - ANSWER -dilated cardiomyopathy
Patients with acute coronary syndrome may experience chest pain secondary to:
arterial vasodilation
oxygen demand
potassium depletion
elevated creatine - ANSWER -oxygen demand
, What is the purpose of activation of the sympathetic nervous system, the renin-angiotensin-
aldosterone system, and the antidiuretic system in the presence of impaired cardiac pumping
and/or filling?
promotion of venous relaxation
production of arterial vasoconstriction
decrease in venous pressure
decrease in ventricular filling - ANSWER -Production of arterial vasoconstriction
all three of those systems are activated in the presence of heart failure and produce arterial
vasoconstriction and help to maintain systemic pressure to ensure tissue & organ perfusion
Atherosclerosis in the lower extremities commonly causes:
venous insufficiency
peripheral artery disease
lymphadenopathy
diabetic neuropathy - ANSWER -peripheral artery disease
Which of the following is not a deficit of tetralogy of Fallot?
a hole between the ventricles of the heart
a narrowing of the pulmonary valve and artery
an enlargement of the tricuspid valves
a thickening of the ventricle chambers - ANSWER -an enlargement of the tricuspid valves
which of the following cardiac rhythms do not lead to a decrease in cardiac output?
normal sinus rhythm
bradycardia
atrial fibrillation
atrioventricular block - ANSWER -normal sinus rhythm
Aortic stenosis may be identified by:
a low-intensity, high pitched murmur
