Pediatric Cardiac Disorders Practice Exam (1–150)
1. The most common congenital heart defect in children is:
A. Tetralogy of Fallot
B. Transposition of the great arteries
C. Ventricular septal defect
D. Patent ductus arteriosus
Rationale: VSD is the most common congenital heart defect, often
diagnosed in infancy due to murmur or heart failure symptoms.
2. Which of the following is a cyanotic congenital heart defect?
A. Ventricular septal defect
B. Atrial septal defect
C. Tetralogy of Fallot
D. Patent ductus arteriosus
Rationale: Tetralogy of Fallot causes right-to-left shunting, leading to
cyanosis.
3. A child with coarctation of the aorta is most likely to have:
A. Weak lower extremity pulses
B. Strong femoral pulses
C. Hypertension in upper extremities
D. Bradycardia
Rationale: Coarctation of the aorta causes obstruction, resulting in
upper body hypertension and weak lower extremity pulses.
4. A heart murmur is best described as:
A. Always indicative of congenital heart disease
B. Normal in all newborns
C. An abnormal sound caused by turbulent blood flow
D. Only heard in adults
,Rationale: Murmurs arise from turbulent blood flow; not all murmurs
indicate congenital heart disease.
5. The classic "tet spells" in Tetralogy of Fallot are triggered by:
A. Sleep
B. Crying or exertion
C. Eating
D. Bathing
Rationale: Tet spells are hypercyanotic episodes triggered by
increased oxygen demand, such as crying or activity.
6. The first-line treatment for a child experiencing a Tet spell is:
A. Oxygen and morphine
B. Knee-chest positioning
C. Intravenous furosemide
D. Immediate surgery
Rationale: Knee-chest positioning increases systemic vascular
resistance and reduces right-to-left shunting.
7. Which congenital heart defect is associated with Down
syndrome?
A. Tetralogy of Fallot
B. Atrioventricular septal defect
C. Transposition of the great arteries
D. Coarctation of the aorta
Rationale: AV septal defects are highly associated with trisomy 21.
8. Pulmonary stenosis results in:
A. Right ventricular hypertrophy
B. Obstruction of blood flow from the right ventricle to the
pulmonary artery
, C. Left atrial enlargement
D. Decreased pulmonary artery pressure
Rationale: Pulmonary stenosis obstructs right ventricular outflow,
leading to RV hypertrophy.
9. Transposition of the great arteries requires which of the
following for survival immediately after birth?
A. Atrial septal defect
B. Patent ductus arteriosus
C. Ventricular septal defect
D. Pulmonary stenosis
Rationale: PDA allows mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood,
which is vital until corrective surgery.
10. Endocarditis prophylaxis is recommended before dental
procedures in children with:
A. Ventricular septal defect
B. Prosthetic heart valves
C. Mild pulmonary stenosis
D. Small ASD
Rationale: Children with prosthetic valves are at high risk for infective
endocarditis.
11. A newborn with a continuous “machine-like” murmur most
likely has:
A. Atrial septal defect
B. Ventricular septal defect
C. Patent ductus arteriosus
D. Coarctation of the aorta
Rationale: PDA produces continuous flow from high-pressure aorta to
low-pressure pulmonary artery.
, 12. Rheumatic fever most commonly affects which heart valve
in children?
A. Tricuspid
B. Mitral
C. Aortic
D. Pulmonary
Rationale: The mitral valve is most commonly affected by post-
streptococcal rheumatic fever.
13. Kawasaki disease is primarily associated with which cardiac
complication?
A. Heart block
B. Coronary artery aneurysms
C. Aortic stenosis
D. Pulmonary hypertension
Rationale: Inflammation of coronary arteries can lead to aneurysm
formation if untreated.
14. A child with congestive heart failure may present with:
A. Hypertension
B. Bradycardia
C. Tachypnea and hepatomegaly
D. Hyperactivity
Rationale: CHF in children often presents with poor perfusion,
respiratory distress, and hepatomegaly.
15. Digoxin is used in pediatric heart failure to:
A. Reduce afterload
B. Increase myocardial contractility
C. Decrease heart rate
D. Vasodilate pulmonary arteries
1. The most common congenital heart defect in children is:
A. Tetralogy of Fallot
B. Transposition of the great arteries
C. Ventricular septal defect
D. Patent ductus arteriosus
Rationale: VSD is the most common congenital heart defect, often
diagnosed in infancy due to murmur or heart failure symptoms.
2. Which of the following is a cyanotic congenital heart defect?
A. Ventricular septal defect
B. Atrial septal defect
C. Tetralogy of Fallot
D. Patent ductus arteriosus
Rationale: Tetralogy of Fallot causes right-to-left shunting, leading to
cyanosis.
3. A child with coarctation of the aorta is most likely to have:
A. Weak lower extremity pulses
B. Strong femoral pulses
C. Hypertension in upper extremities
D. Bradycardia
Rationale: Coarctation of the aorta causes obstruction, resulting in
upper body hypertension and weak lower extremity pulses.
4. A heart murmur is best described as:
A. Always indicative of congenital heart disease
B. Normal in all newborns
C. An abnormal sound caused by turbulent blood flow
D. Only heard in adults
,Rationale: Murmurs arise from turbulent blood flow; not all murmurs
indicate congenital heart disease.
5. The classic "tet spells" in Tetralogy of Fallot are triggered by:
A. Sleep
B. Crying or exertion
C. Eating
D. Bathing
Rationale: Tet spells are hypercyanotic episodes triggered by
increased oxygen demand, such as crying or activity.
6. The first-line treatment for a child experiencing a Tet spell is:
A. Oxygen and morphine
B. Knee-chest positioning
C. Intravenous furosemide
D. Immediate surgery
Rationale: Knee-chest positioning increases systemic vascular
resistance and reduces right-to-left shunting.
7. Which congenital heart defect is associated with Down
syndrome?
A. Tetralogy of Fallot
B. Atrioventricular septal defect
C. Transposition of the great arteries
D. Coarctation of the aorta
Rationale: AV septal defects are highly associated with trisomy 21.
8. Pulmonary stenosis results in:
A. Right ventricular hypertrophy
B. Obstruction of blood flow from the right ventricle to the
pulmonary artery
, C. Left atrial enlargement
D. Decreased pulmonary artery pressure
Rationale: Pulmonary stenosis obstructs right ventricular outflow,
leading to RV hypertrophy.
9. Transposition of the great arteries requires which of the
following for survival immediately after birth?
A. Atrial septal defect
B. Patent ductus arteriosus
C. Ventricular septal defect
D. Pulmonary stenosis
Rationale: PDA allows mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood,
which is vital until corrective surgery.
10. Endocarditis prophylaxis is recommended before dental
procedures in children with:
A. Ventricular septal defect
B. Prosthetic heart valves
C. Mild pulmonary stenosis
D. Small ASD
Rationale: Children with prosthetic valves are at high risk for infective
endocarditis.
11. A newborn with a continuous “machine-like” murmur most
likely has:
A. Atrial septal defect
B. Ventricular septal defect
C. Patent ductus arteriosus
D. Coarctation of the aorta
Rationale: PDA produces continuous flow from high-pressure aorta to
low-pressure pulmonary artery.
, 12. Rheumatic fever most commonly affects which heart valve
in children?
A. Tricuspid
B. Mitral
C. Aortic
D. Pulmonary
Rationale: The mitral valve is most commonly affected by post-
streptococcal rheumatic fever.
13. Kawasaki disease is primarily associated with which cardiac
complication?
A. Heart block
B. Coronary artery aneurysms
C. Aortic stenosis
D. Pulmonary hypertension
Rationale: Inflammation of coronary arteries can lead to aneurysm
formation if untreated.
14. A child with congestive heart failure may present with:
A. Hypertension
B. Bradycardia
C. Tachypnea and hepatomegaly
D. Hyperactivity
Rationale: CHF in children often presents with poor perfusion,
respiratory distress, and hepatomegaly.
15. Digoxin is used in pediatric heart failure to:
A. Reduce afterload
B. Increase myocardial contractility
C. Decrease heart rate
D. Vasodilate pulmonary arteries
