PDB CEN (2025) Actual Exam Questions
and Answers A+ Graded
Cardiac .output .= .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-CO .+ .HR .x .stroke .volume .(amount .of
.blood .ejected .per .contraction)
Primary .compensatory .mechanism .of .low .Cardiac .output .in .peds? .Other .signs?
.- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Tachycardia .-- .Peds .are .unable .to .increase .stroke
.volume. .Hypotension .is .a .late .sign, .and .bradycardia .is .an .ominous .sign .in
.peds.
Stroke .Volume .is .influenced .by... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Contractility, .preload,
.and .afterload. .
Frank-Starling's .Law .-- .Stretch .heart .with .volume .to .increase .contractility
.(rubber .band .snapping .shut)
Preload .is .evaluated .by... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Central .venous .pressure .(CVP)
.on .the .Right .(invasive). .Jugular .vein .distention .(non-invasive .measure) .
Decreased .when .hypovolemic .and .from .vasodilators, .increased .by .volume .and
.vasoconstrictors. .TX: .Increase .preload .w/ .fluids/blood, .decrease .w/ .diuretics.
Afterload... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Afterload .(resistance .to .ventricular .emptying)
.is .evaluated .by .systemic .vascular .resistance. .
Decreased .in .distributive .shocks .(neurogenic, .septic, .and .anaphylactic), .and .by
.vasodilators. .Tx: .vasopressors .(norepinephrine). .Increased .n .hypertension,
.aortic .stenosis, .and .thru .other .shock .compensation. .Tx .Vasodilators .like .NTG.
Sympathetic .nervous .system .(SNS) .stimulation .causes... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
causes .release .of .catecholamine, .which .increase .HR .in .response .to .shock.
Parasympathetic .nervous .system .(effect .on .heart, .example; .seen .in .what .type
.of .shock .and .why?) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-decreased .HR, .like .vagal .response;
.and .as .seen .in .neurogenic .shock .(no .SNS, .unopposed .parasympathetic)
MAP .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Mean .arterial .pressure .= .(2DBP+SBP)/3
Pulse .pressure .(PP) .(different .types .and .why) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-PP .=
.difference .between .SBP .and .DBP
Narrowing .- .seen .in .shock; .widening .- .increased .ICP
Cushing .triad .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-is .indicative .of .increased .ICP. .Widened .PP
.or .increased .SBP, .bradycardia, .irregular .breathing .pattern.
, Chronotropes .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Affect .HR .at .SA .node .-- .Cardizem .(neg
.chronotrope)
Inotropes .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-affect .contractility .(force .of .contraction) .--
.Dopamine .(positive .inotrope)
Dromotropes .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-affect .automaticity .(electrical .impulse) .of
.the .heart .at .the .AV .note
Beta-blockers .(effects, .what .organs, .examples, .mask .what?) .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-(olols) .- .Beta .1 .meds .affect .the .heart; .beta .2 .meds .affect .the .lungs.
.EX: .labetalol, .esmolol, .metoprolol, .propranolol. .Beta-blockers .mask .signs .of
.shock .and .hypoglycemia.
Angiotensin-converting .enzyme .(ACE) .inhibitors .(affects .what, .blocks .what,
.therapeutic .effect, .examples, .important .side .effects) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
(prils) .- .affect .the .renin-angiotensin .aldosterone .system .(RAAS), .blockers
.conversion .of .angiotensin .1 .to .angotensin .2 .- .reduces .BP. .EX: .Lisinopril,
.Lotensin, .Vasotec. .Adverse .effects: .most .common .- .dry-nonproductive .cough
.(leads .to .non-compliance); .most .severe .angioedema, .renal .impairment .(esp .w/
.NSAIDS)
Angiotensin .receptor .blockers .(examples, .effect, .result) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
(ARBs), .(sartans): .Avapro, .Cozaar, .Diovan. .Inhibits .angiotensin .2 .receptors,
.resulting .in .vasodilation .to .reduce .BP.
Calcium .channel .blocksers .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-(dipine) .-- .EX: .Diltiazem
.(Cardizem) .to .control .atrial .fibrillation .and .hypertension, .Norvasc, .Nifedipine.
Vasodilators .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Nitroglycerin .-- .Coronary .artery .vasodilator
.that .reduced .preload .and .afterload, .BP, .oxygen .consumptin; .contraindicated
.within .24 .hours .of .phosphodisterae .inhibitor .use .
Nitroprusside .-- .stronge .preload .and .afterload .reduction
Vasopressors .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Epinephrine, .Norepinephrine,
.Phenylephrine. .Vasopressin .augments .primary .vasopressors.
Watch .for .infiltration .and .extratravasion .(tissue .necrosis). .Phentolamine
.(regatine .is .antidote .for .extravsion). .May .use .NTG.
Positive .inotropic .medications... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Increase .contractility .-
.Dobutamine .and .Dopamine. .Correct .hypovolemia .first, .and .titrate .based .on .pt
.condition
Types .of .ACS .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Stable .Angina, .Unstable .angina, .NSTEMI,
.STEMI
Stable .Angina .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Chest .pain .that .occures .with .physical
.exertion. .Short .duration, .relieved .by .rest .or .NTG. .Troponin .neg.
and Answers A+ Graded
Cardiac .output .= .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-CO .+ .HR .x .stroke .volume .(amount .of
.blood .ejected .per .contraction)
Primary .compensatory .mechanism .of .low .Cardiac .output .in .peds? .Other .signs?
.- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Tachycardia .-- .Peds .are .unable .to .increase .stroke
.volume. .Hypotension .is .a .late .sign, .and .bradycardia .is .an .ominous .sign .in
.peds.
Stroke .Volume .is .influenced .by... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Contractility, .preload,
.and .afterload. .
Frank-Starling's .Law .-- .Stretch .heart .with .volume .to .increase .contractility
.(rubber .band .snapping .shut)
Preload .is .evaluated .by... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Central .venous .pressure .(CVP)
.on .the .Right .(invasive). .Jugular .vein .distention .(non-invasive .measure) .
Decreased .when .hypovolemic .and .from .vasodilators, .increased .by .volume .and
.vasoconstrictors. .TX: .Increase .preload .w/ .fluids/blood, .decrease .w/ .diuretics.
Afterload... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Afterload .(resistance .to .ventricular .emptying)
.is .evaluated .by .systemic .vascular .resistance. .
Decreased .in .distributive .shocks .(neurogenic, .septic, .and .anaphylactic), .and .by
.vasodilators. .Tx: .vasopressors .(norepinephrine). .Increased .n .hypertension,
.aortic .stenosis, .and .thru .other .shock .compensation. .Tx .Vasodilators .like .NTG.
Sympathetic .nervous .system .(SNS) .stimulation .causes... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
causes .release .of .catecholamine, .which .increase .HR .in .response .to .shock.
Parasympathetic .nervous .system .(effect .on .heart, .example; .seen .in .what .type
.of .shock .and .why?) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-decreased .HR, .like .vagal .response;
.and .as .seen .in .neurogenic .shock .(no .SNS, .unopposed .parasympathetic)
MAP .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Mean .arterial .pressure .= .(2DBP+SBP)/3
Pulse .pressure .(PP) .(different .types .and .why) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-PP .=
.difference .between .SBP .and .DBP
Narrowing .- .seen .in .shock; .widening .- .increased .ICP
Cushing .triad .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-is .indicative .of .increased .ICP. .Widened .PP
.or .increased .SBP, .bradycardia, .irregular .breathing .pattern.
, Chronotropes .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Affect .HR .at .SA .node .-- .Cardizem .(neg
.chronotrope)
Inotropes .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-affect .contractility .(force .of .contraction) .--
.Dopamine .(positive .inotrope)
Dromotropes .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-affect .automaticity .(electrical .impulse) .of
.the .heart .at .the .AV .note
Beta-blockers .(effects, .what .organs, .examples, .mask .what?) .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-(olols) .- .Beta .1 .meds .affect .the .heart; .beta .2 .meds .affect .the .lungs.
.EX: .labetalol, .esmolol, .metoprolol, .propranolol. .Beta-blockers .mask .signs .of
.shock .and .hypoglycemia.
Angiotensin-converting .enzyme .(ACE) .inhibitors .(affects .what, .blocks .what,
.therapeutic .effect, .examples, .important .side .effects) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
(prils) .- .affect .the .renin-angiotensin .aldosterone .system .(RAAS), .blockers
.conversion .of .angiotensin .1 .to .angotensin .2 .- .reduces .BP. .EX: .Lisinopril,
.Lotensin, .Vasotec. .Adverse .effects: .most .common .- .dry-nonproductive .cough
.(leads .to .non-compliance); .most .severe .angioedema, .renal .impairment .(esp .w/
.NSAIDS)
Angiotensin .receptor .blockers .(examples, .effect, .result) .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
(ARBs), .(sartans): .Avapro, .Cozaar, .Diovan. .Inhibits .angiotensin .2 .receptors,
.resulting .in .vasodilation .to .reduce .BP.
Calcium .channel .blocksers .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-(dipine) .-- .EX: .Diltiazem
.(Cardizem) .to .control .atrial .fibrillation .and .hypertension, .Norvasc, .Nifedipine.
Vasodilators .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Nitroglycerin .-- .Coronary .artery .vasodilator
.that .reduced .preload .and .afterload, .BP, .oxygen .consumptin; .contraindicated
.within .24 .hours .of .phosphodisterae .inhibitor .use .
Nitroprusside .-- .stronge .preload .and .afterload .reduction
Vasopressors .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Epinephrine, .Norepinephrine,
.Phenylephrine. .Vasopressin .augments .primary .vasopressors.
Watch .for .infiltration .and .extratravasion .(tissue .necrosis). .Phentolamine
.(regatine .is .antidote .for .extravsion). .May .use .NTG.
Positive .inotropic .medications... .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Increase .contractility .-
.Dobutamine .and .Dopamine. .Correct .hypovolemia .first, .and .titrate .based .on .pt
.condition
Types .of .ACS .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Stable .Angina, .Unstable .angina, .NSTEMI,
.STEMI
Stable .Angina .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Chest .pain .that .occures .with .physical
.exertion. .Short .duration, .relieved .by .rest .or .NTG. .Troponin .neg.
