NR571 MIDTERM COMPLEX DIAGNOSIS AND
MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION TEST 2026
STUDY GUIDE SCRIPT
◉ Mutation in sickle-cell disease? Answer: Hemoglobin S (HbS)
point mutation
◉ How does sickling cause anemia? Answer: Sickled RBCs rupture
early and block vessels
◉ Two major sickle-cell complications? Answer: Pain crises and
splenic sequestration
◉ Why is erythropoiesis ineffective in sickle-cell disease? Answer:
Bone marrow cannot replace destroyed cells fast enough
◉ What causes coronary artery disease? Answer: Atherosclerotic
plaque buildup in coronary arteries
◉ What underlies atherosclerosis? Answer: Endothelial injury, lipid
deposition, and chronic inflammation
,◉ List CAD risk factors? Answer: Hyperlipidemia, hypertension,
smoking, diabetes, genetic predisposition
◉ What results from CAD progression? Answer: Myocardial
ischemia or infarction
◉ What happens when a plaque ruptures? Answer: Thrombus
formation leading to heart attack
◉ Define heart failure. Answer: Inability of heart to pump or fill
adequately to meet body's needs
◉ Left-sided heart failure symptoms? Answer: Pulmonary
congestion, shortness of breath, orthopnea
◉ Right-sided heart failure symptoms? Answer: Peripheral edema,
ascites, hepatomegaly
◉ Most common cause of right-sided heart failure? Answer:
Left-sided heart failure
◉ How does heart failure affect systemic circulation? Answer: Low
perfusion, fatigue, activation of RAAS and sympathetic systems
, ◉ Define valvular heart disease. Answer: Abnormal structure or
function of cardiac valves
◉ What happens in stenosis? Answer: Valve opening narrowed
causing outflow obstruction
◉ What happens in regurgitation? Answer: Blood flows backward
reducing forward output
◉ Causes of aortic stenosis? Answer: Congenital defects,
calcification, rheumatic heart disease
◉ Untreated aortic stenosis leads to? Answer: Left-ventricular
hypertrophy, ischemia, heart failure
◉ How are obstructive lung diseases characterized? Answer:
Limited airflow during expiration due to inflammation or mucus
◉ List examples of obstructive diseases? Answer: Asthma, COPD,
chronic bronchitis, emphysema
◉ How are restrictive lung diseases characterized? Answer: Reduced
lung expansion and lung volume
MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION TEST 2026
STUDY GUIDE SCRIPT
◉ Mutation in sickle-cell disease? Answer: Hemoglobin S (HbS)
point mutation
◉ How does sickling cause anemia? Answer: Sickled RBCs rupture
early and block vessels
◉ Two major sickle-cell complications? Answer: Pain crises and
splenic sequestration
◉ Why is erythropoiesis ineffective in sickle-cell disease? Answer:
Bone marrow cannot replace destroyed cells fast enough
◉ What causes coronary artery disease? Answer: Atherosclerotic
plaque buildup in coronary arteries
◉ What underlies atherosclerosis? Answer: Endothelial injury, lipid
deposition, and chronic inflammation
,◉ List CAD risk factors? Answer: Hyperlipidemia, hypertension,
smoking, diabetes, genetic predisposition
◉ What results from CAD progression? Answer: Myocardial
ischemia or infarction
◉ What happens when a plaque ruptures? Answer: Thrombus
formation leading to heart attack
◉ Define heart failure. Answer: Inability of heart to pump or fill
adequately to meet body's needs
◉ Left-sided heart failure symptoms? Answer: Pulmonary
congestion, shortness of breath, orthopnea
◉ Right-sided heart failure symptoms? Answer: Peripheral edema,
ascites, hepatomegaly
◉ Most common cause of right-sided heart failure? Answer:
Left-sided heart failure
◉ How does heart failure affect systemic circulation? Answer: Low
perfusion, fatigue, activation of RAAS and sympathetic systems
, ◉ Define valvular heart disease. Answer: Abnormal structure or
function of cardiac valves
◉ What happens in stenosis? Answer: Valve opening narrowed
causing outflow obstruction
◉ What happens in regurgitation? Answer: Blood flows backward
reducing forward output
◉ Causes of aortic stenosis? Answer: Congenital defects,
calcification, rheumatic heart disease
◉ Untreated aortic stenosis leads to? Answer: Left-ventricular
hypertrophy, ischemia, heart failure
◉ How are obstructive lung diseases characterized? Answer:
Limited airflow during expiration due to inflammation or mucus
◉ List examples of obstructive diseases? Answer: Asthma, COPD,
chronic bronchitis, emphysema
◉ How are restrictive lung diseases characterized? Answer: Reduced
lung expansion and lung volume
