Question 1
A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain which increases with breathing.
Which anatomic area would you localize the symptom to?
A) Musculoskeletal
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
D) Endocrine: A) Musculoskeletal
Chest pain may be due to a musculoskeletal condition, such as costochondritis or intercostal
muscle cramp. This would be worsened by motion of the chest wall. Pleuritic chest pain is also a
sharp chest pain which increases with a deep breath. This type of pain can occur with
inflammation of the pleura from pneumonia or other conditions and pulmonary embolus.
,Question 2
A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of shortness of breath.
To which anatomic region would you assign the symptom?
A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic: C) Cardiac
Cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure are the most likely on this list to result in
shortness of breath. There are cases within the other categories which may also result in
shortness of breath, such as anemia in the hematologic category, pregnancy in the reproductive
category, or sepsis with UTI in the urinary category.
,Question 3
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic regions can be
responsible for a cough?
A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine: C) Cardiac
The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has congestive heart failure. This results in
fluid buildup in the lungs, which in turn can cause a cough that produces pink, frothy sputum. A
foreign body in the ear may also cause a cough by stimulating Arnold's branch of the vagus
nerve, but this is less likely to be seen clinically than heart failure.
, Question 4
A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of joint pain. The pain is new,
located in the wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective fever. The patient denies a
rash; she also denies recent travel or camping activities. She has a family history significant for
rheumatoid arthritis. Based on this information, which of the following pathologic processes
would be the most correct?
A) Infectious
B) Inflammatory
C) Hematologic
D) Traumatic: B) Inflammatory
The description is most consistent with an inflammatory process, although all the other etiologies
should be considered. Lyme disease is an infection which commonly causes arthritis, hemophilia
is a hematologic condition which can cause bleeding in the joints, and trauma can obviously
cause joint pain.
A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain which increases with breathing.
Which anatomic area would you localize the symptom to?
A) Musculoskeletal
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
D) Endocrine: A) Musculoskeletal
Chest pain may be due to a musculoskeletal condition, such as costochondritis or intercostal
muscle cramp. This would be worsened by motion of the chest wall. Pleuritic chest pain is also a
sharp chest pain which increases with a deep breath. This type of pain can occur with
inflammation of the pleura from pneumonia or other conditions and pulmonary embolus.
,Question 2
A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of shortness of breath.
To which anatomic region would you assign the symptom?
A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic: C) Cardiac
Cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure are the most likely on this list to result in
shortness of breath. There are cases within the other categories which may also result in
shortness of breath, such as anemia in the hematologic category, pregnancy in the reproductive
category, or sepsis with UTI in the urinary category.
,Question 3
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic regions can be
responsible for a cough?
A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine: C) Cardiac
The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has congestive heart failure. This results in
fluid buildup in the lungs, which in turn can cause a cough that produces pink, frothy sputum. A
foreign body in the ear may also cause a cough by stimulating Arnold's branch of the vagus
nerve, but this is less likely to be seen clinically than heart failure.
, Question 4
A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of joint pain. The pain is new,
located in the wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective fever. The patient denies a
rash; she also denies recent travel or camping activities. She has a family history significant for
rheumatoid arthritis. Based on this information, which of the following pathologic processes
would be the most correct?
A) Infectious
B) Inflammatory
C) Hematologic
D) Traumatic: B) Inflammatory
The description is most consistent with an inflammatory process, although all the other etiologies
should be considered. Lyme disease is an infection which commonly causes arthritis, hemophilia
is a hematologic condition which can cause bleeding in the joints, and trauma can obviously
cause joint pain.
