NR 601 MIDTERM EXAM REVIEW AND
SOLUTIONS 2026
◉ What are signal symptoms of a PE? Answer: Dyspnea
CP on inspiration
Anxiety
Presentation is variable
Symptoms nonspecific
Some asymptomatic
◉ What is PE description? Answer: Occlusion of one or more
pulmonary vessels by traveling thrombus originating from distant
site.
◉ What are signal symptoms of tuberculosis? Answer: Initially
asymptomatic
Later: productive, prolonged cough
Fatigue
Low-grade fever
Night sweats
Poor appetite
Hemoptysis
,Wt loss
Fever/sweats are less common in elderly
Symptoms in elderly are often attributed to other comorbidities
◉ What is tuberculosis? Answer: Chronic, necrotizing infection
caused by slow-growing acid-fast bacillus (Mycobacterium
tuberculosis).
Most common cause of death related to infectious dz worldwide.
◉ What are signal symptoms of valvular heart dz? Answer:
Asymptomatic in early stages
Fatigue
Exertional dyspnea
◉ What is valvular heart dz? Answer: Damage to valve(s) of the
heart, causing cardiac dysfunction.
Most prevalent types in elderly: calcific and degenerative aortic
valve dz
,◉ What is aortic stenosis? Answer: Abnormal narrowing of aortic
valve orifice
◉ What is aortic regurgitation? Answer: Retrograde blood flow
through incompetent aortic valve into L ventricle during ventricular
diastole
◉ What is mitral stenosis? Answer: Abnormal narrowing of mitral
valve orifice
◉ What is mitral regurgitation? Answer: Retrograde blood flow
during systole from L ventricle into L atrium through incompetent
mitral valve
◉ What is mitral valve prolapse? Answer: Mitral regurgitation
associated with bulging of one or both mitral valve leaflets into L
atrium during ventricular systole
◉ What are most common causes of VHD in elderly? Answer: Age-
related degenerative calcifications
Myxomatous degeneration
Papillary muscle dysfunction
Infective endocarditis
Rheumatic dz
, ◉ What happens in valvular regurgitation? Answer: Portion of the
ejected blood leaks back into the upstream cardiac chamber
◉ What happens in valvular stenosis? Answer: Usually results in
elevated pressures in the chamber upstream from the stenosis
◉ What are signal symptoms of URI? Answer: Nasal congestion
Rhinorrhea/mucopurulent discharge
Sore throat
Cough
HA
Malaise
◉ What is a URI? Answer: Most frequently called the common cold
Usually caused by virus
Results in nasal passage inflammation
Most are self-limiting, accompanied by minor complaints
Included in URI dx: acute laryngitis, acute rhinosinusitis, acute
pharyngitis
◉ What are signal symptoms of restrictive lung dz? Answer: Rapid,
shallow respirations
SOLUTIONS 2026
◉ What are signal symptoms of a PE? Answer: Dyspnea
CP on inspiration
Anxiety
Presentation is variable
Symptoms nonspecific
Some asymptomatic
◉ What is PE description? Answer: Occlusion of one or more
pulmonary vessels by traveling thrombus originating from distant
site.
◉ What are signal symptoms of tuberculosis? Answer: Initially
asymptomatic
Later: productive, prolonged cough
Fatigue
Low-grade fever
Night sweats
Poor appetite
Hemoptysis
,Wt loss
Fever/sweats are less common in elderly
Symptoms in elderly are often attributed to other comorbidities
◉ What is tuberculosis? Answer: Chronic, necrotizing infection
caused by slow-growing acid-fast bacillus (Mycobacterium
tuberculosis).
Most common cause of death related to infectious dz worldwide.
◉ What are signal symptoms of valvular heart dz? Answer:
Asymptomatic in early stages
Fatigue
Exertional dyspnea
◉ What is valvular heart dz? Answer: Damage to valve(s) of the
heart, causing cardiac dysfunction.
Most prevalent types in elderly: calcific and degenerative aortic
valve dz
,◉ What is aortic stenosis? Answer: Abnormal narrowing of aortic
valve orifice
◉ What is aortic regurgitation? Answer: Retrograde blood flow
through incompetent aortic valve into L ventricle during ventricular
diastole
◉ What is mitral stenosis? Answer: Abnormal narrowing of mitral
valve orifice
◉ What is mitral regurgitation? Answer: Retrograde blood flow
during systole from L ventricle into L atrium through incompetent
mitral valve
◉ What is mitral valve prolapse? Answer: Mitral regurgitation
associated with bulging of one or both mitral valve leaflets into L
atrium during ventricular systole
◉ What are most common causes of VHD in elderly? Answer: Age-
related degenerative calcifications
Myxomatous degeneration
Papillary muscle dysfunction
Infective endocarditis
Rheumatic dz
, ◉ What happens in valvular regurgitation? Answer: Portion of the
ejected blood leaks back into the upstream cardiac chamber
◉ What happens in valvular stenosis? Answer: Usually results in
elevated pressures in the chamber upstream from the stenosis
◉ What are signal symptoms of URI? Answer: Nasal congestion
Rhinorrhea/mucopurulent discharge
Sore throat
Cough
HA
Malaise
◉ What is a URI? Answer: Most frequently called the common cold
Usually caused by virus
Results in nasal passage inflammation
Most are self-limiting, accompanied by minor complaints
Included in URI dx: acute laryngitis, acute rhinosinusitis, acute
pharyngitis
◉ What are signal symptoms of restrictive lung dz? Answer: Rapid,
shallow respirations
