Jordan Abrams
Aug 14, 201912 min
Updated: Aug 28, 2020
Practice exam: http://orientation.nbme.org/Launch/USMLE/STPF1
Please note: The HY Medicine is in no way affiliated with the Federation of State
Medical Boards (FSMB) or the National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®)
BLOCK 1
1) Alcohol
• Alcohol → ↑ GGT
2) Herpes Zoster
• Vesicular rash in a dermatomal distribution
• Shingles can be triggered by severe physical stress (eg, chemotherapy) or immunosuppressed states
3) Haemophilus ducreyi
• Multiple ulcers with gray/yellow exudate
• Chancroid (H ducreyi) and HSV present with painful initial lesions; Granuloma inguinal (Klebsiella granulomatis), Syphilis (Treponemia pallidum), and Lymphogranuloma venereum (C trachomatis) do not have initial painful lesions
4) Excision of the lesion
• This lesion is concerning for cancer and should be completely excised
5) Adverse effects of medication
• ACEi (eg, lisinopril) and potassium-sparing diuretics (eg, spironolactone) → hyperkalemia
6) Compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve
• Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve provides sensory innervation to the anterior and lateral thigh
• Hematoma → compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve → ↓ sensation (hematoma doesn’t directly cause ↓ sensation, but rather through nerve compression)
7) Reassurance
• Moro reflex is normal until ~4 months
8) Ultrasonography of the upper abdomen
• Intermittent, acute RUQ pain in an obese woman = biliary colic
• RUQ ultrasound → visualization of biliary stones; HIDA scan is useful when U/S findings are equivocal
• Tx: Elective cholecystectomy
9) Arteriovenous fistula
• Post-traumatic AV fistula → continuous bruit (→ buzzing sensation) + palpable thrill + no mass
• DDx: pseudoaneurysm → systolic bruit + pulsatile mass
10) Ultrasonography
• Ultrasound should be used to accurately assess this woman gestational age (LMP unknown)
• The most common cause of abnormal MSAFP is incorrect dating (ie, underestimation of gestational age)
11) Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
• Pentad: fever, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (→ ↑ LDH & fragmented erythrocytes), thrombocytopenia (→ scattered petechiae), acute kidney injury (↑ BUN & creatinine), neurologic symptoms (confusion)
12) Systemic lupus erythematosus
• ⊕ ANA (sensitive) and ⊕ anti-DNA (specific) = SLE
13) Measurement of serum insulin and C-peptide concentrations
• Hypoglycemia in a nurse is suspicious for factitious disorder imposed on self (aka Munchausen syndrome)
• Exogenous insulin use: ↑ serum insulin, ↓ C-peptide
• C-peptide level helps distinguish exogenous insulin use from insulinoma (high C- peptide)
14) Exercise and weight reduction program
• In obese individuals, the most effective non-pharmacologic approach to reduce blood pressure is weight loss
• Urinalysis and renal U/S exclude renal HTN (eg, fibromuscular dysplasia, Conn syndrome)
15) Mastoiditis
• Complication of acute otitis media → otalgia, deviation of ear, inflammation of mastoid
• Tx: IV antibiotics
16) Vasculitis
• Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener) → upper respiratory tract (eg, sinus congestion), lower respiratory tract (eg, cough + sputum), and renal (eg, hematuria, ↑ BUN & creatinine) involvement
• ⊕ c-ANCA
• Tx: cyclophosphamide, corticosteroids
17) Decreased gluconeogenesis
• Von Gierke disease: deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase → inability of liver to regulate blood glucose → hepatomegaly + severe fasting hypoglycemia
18) Ventilation-perfusion mismatch
• Pulmonary embolism → pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath, tachypnea
19) Endometriosis
• Dysmenorrhea + Infertility
• Presence of secretory endometrium rules out anovulation; Progesterone (secreted by the corpus luteum during ovulatory cycles) → differentiation of proliferative endometrium into secretory endometrium
20) Decreasing myocardial contractility
• β-bockers (and ynon-dihydropyradine CCBs) → ↓ contractility & heart rate → ↓ myocardial O2 demand
21) Alcohol withdrawal
• Agitation, tremulousness, uncooperative, and lack of orientation after an unexpected admission to the hospital (unanticipated detox)
• DDx: fate embolism → respiratory distress, petechial rash, neurologic dysfunction
22) Dermatomysositis
• Proximal muscle weakness + Gottron papules (flat-topped red papules over all knuckles) + heliotrope rash (purple-red discoloration over the eyelids)
23) Metabolic acidosis, respiratory compensation
• ↓ pH = acidosis
• ↓ HCO3− = metabolic acidosis, ↓ CO2 = respiratory compensation
• Winter formula → predicted respiratory compensation
24) Cryptosporidium parvum
• Cryptosporidium → severe watery diarrhea + weight loss
• Mycobacterium avium complex and CMV diarrhea present once CD4 <50
25) Erythromycin
• Mycoplasma pneumonia → indolent malaise, fever, persistent dry cough
• CXR: interstitial infiltrate
• Tx: Macrolide or respiratory fluoroquinolone
• Most common cyanotic congenital heart condition
• Pulmonary stenosis → harsh systolic ejection murmur over left upper sternal border
• RV hypertrophy → upturning of cardiac apex → “boot-shaped” heart on CXR
27) Arthrocentesis of the knee
• Any patients with possible septic arthritis should have urgent synovial fluid analysis; septic arthritis is more likely to occur in joints that have pre-existing abnormalities (eg, osteoarthritis)
• Dx: synovial fluid analysis showing leukocytosis (>50,000), gram stain, culture
28) Culture for bacteria
• Septic arthritis dx: synovial fluid analysis showing leukocytosis (>50,000), gram stain, culture
29) Potassium decreased, Bicarbonate increased
• Vomiting (eg, bulimia) → metabolic alkalosis (loss of gastric HCl → ↑ HCO3−) and hypokalemia (hypovolemia → ↑ aldosterone → ↑ K+ secretion)
30) Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (Hashimoto disease)
• Hypothyroid features + diffuse goiter
31) Vitamin D deficiency
• Excessive alcohol consumption, previous hospitalizations for abdominal pain, and steatorrhea = pancreatic insufficiency → fat-soluble vitamin (A, D, E, K) deficiency
• ↓ vitamin D → ↓ Ca2+ and PO43− absorption from gut → symptoms of hypocalcemia
32) Pseudogout
• Pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate crystal deposition disease) → chonedrocalcinosis (ie calcified articular cartilage)
33) Bone marrow aspiration
• Thrombocytopenia, ⊖ splenomegaly, ⊖ antiplatelet antibodies = problem with platelet production (eg, myelofibrosis)
34) Assess for suicidal ideation
• Suicide risk should be assessed in patients with depression
• Depression is commonly under diagnosed and underrated in cancer patients and those with terminal diseases
35) Intramuscular ceftriaxone and oral doxycycline
• Outpatient antibiotic therapy for patients with PID: IM ceftriaxone + oral doxycycline or azithromycin
36) History of gastrectomy
• Gastrectomy → loss of intrinsic factor → vitamin B12 deficiency → impaired DNA synthesis
• ↑ immature megaloblasts in marrow → ↑ intramedullary hemolysis → indirect hyperbilirubinemia & ↑ LDH
37) Decrease in cardiac output
• Pneumothorax → compression of IVC → impaired RV filling → hypotension & tachycardia
38) Echocardiography
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can cause dilation and rupture of blood vessels. Aortic and Mitral valves are often affected.
39) Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Sudden “thunderclap” headache + nuchal rigidity (meningeal irritation)
40) Diabetic nephropathy
• Microalbuminemia, HTN, mesangial expansion, GBM thickening, arteriolar hyalinosis
BLOCK 2
1) Adjusting her medication regimen
• This patient with chronic symptomatic hypotension is taking 3 anti-hypertensives (diuretic, β-blocker, ACEi)
2) Incision and drainage
• Symptomatic Bartholin duct cysts → incision & drainage → placement of Word catheter
• Asymptomatic Bartholin duct cysts → observation
3) Parkinson disease
• Pill-rolling tremor
• ↓ dopamine neurons in substantia nigra → Parkinson disease
4) Intravenous methylprednisolone
• Rapidly progressive (crescentic) glomerulonephritis; poor prognosis
5) Selection bias
• Cohort study with matching of some factors (eg, age, gender) doesn’t control for all possible confounders
• Randomized control trial can prevent selection bias
6) Chance of a type II error
• Type II error (β) = false-negative error
• ↓ sample size (n) → ↓ power (1-β) & ↑ chance of type II error (β); in other words, a smaller sample size may not be able to detect an effect when one really exists
7) Preterm labor and delivery
• Most common complication of twin pregnancies = preterm delivery (likely due to uterine crowding and overdistension)
• Twin-twin transfusion syndrome may occur in monochorionic (single, shared placenta) diamniotic twins
8) Regular activity
• Patients with lumbar strain should maintain moderate activity level; periods of bed rest or reductions in activity are associated with prolonged pain and stiffness
9) Colonoscopy
• Weight loss, ⊕ occult blood, and iron deficient anemia (↓ MCV, ↑ RDW) are concerning for colon cancer
10) Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Hyperactive symptoms for ≥6 months in ≥2 locations with onset before age 12
11) Pericardiocentesis
• Cardiac tamponade - Becks triad: hypotension, JVD, ↓ heart sounds
• Symptoms are due to an exaggerated shift of the interventricular septum toward the LV cavity → ↓ LV preload, ↓ stroke volume, ↓ cardiac output
12) Decreased conjugation of bilirubin
• Gilbert syndrome: mild ↓ UDP-glucuronyltransferase conjugation
• Asymptomatic or mild jaundice with stress (eg, illness or fasting)
13) Cryotherapy
• HPV 6 & 11 → genital warts (condylomata acuminata)
• Tx: podophyllin resin, trichloroacetic acid, imiquimod, cryotherapy, laser therapy
14) 20000, Needle-shaped, no organisms
• Acutely swollen, painful great toe = podagra
• Surgery, trauma, recent hospitalization → ↑ risk of gout
• Synovial fluid analysis: monosodium urate needle-shaped crystals that are ⊖ birefringent
15) CT scan of the head
• Non-contrast CT of the head is the initial diagnostic test of choice for a patient with a suspected stroke (evaluates ischemic vs hemorrhagic, which determines further management)
16) Adhere to the patient’s wishes and discuss home-care options
• This patient has decision-making capacity (ie, understands disease & consequences) and is not a imminent harm to himself or others, thus his autonomy should be respected
17) Combination oral contraceptive
• Signs of androgen excess, obesity, menstrual irregularity, ↑ testosterone, LH/FSH imbalance = polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Tx: weight loss, OCPs (menstrual regulation), clomiphene citrate (ovulation induction)
18) Approve basketball participation
• Healthy child, ⊖ family history of sudden cardiac death, benign vibratory flow murmur at LLSB
• HOCM would present with a systolic ejection murmur
19) Frequent turning
• ↓ mobility (eg, quadriplegic) → ↑ risk of pressure ulcers
20) Placenta previa
• Painless 3rd trimester bleeding with normal fetal heart tracing = placenta previa
• Placental abruption would be painful
• Vasa previa would have fetal bradycardia because hemorrhage is of fetal origin (versus maternal origin in placenta previa)
• ↑ anion-gap (>12) metabolic acidosis, ⊕ ketones, glucose > 250
22) Impaired phagocytic oxidative metabolism
• Defect in NADPH oxidase → chronic granulomatous disease (CGD)
• CGD → ↓ formation of superoxide anions → ↑ susceptibility to catalase ⊕ bugs (eg, S aureus, Aspergillus)
• Dx: nitroblue tetrazolium test (dye turns blue if NADPH oxidase is functional; stays colorless if NADPH oxidase is defective)
23) Polysomnography
• Diagnostic test for OSA (obstructive sleep apnea)
24) Axillary-subclavian venous thrombosis
• Paget-Schroetter disease (upper extremity DVT)
• Repeated micro-trauma from repetitive stress (eg, jackhammer) → thrombosis → venous engorgement and erythema
25) Administer intravenous fluids
• Airway, breathing, and circulation take precedence over correction of hyperthermia
• Hypotension and tachycardia indicate needs for IV fluid resuscitation
26) Paroxetine therapy
• Major depressive disorder (MDD) ± panic disorder
• Tx: SSRI
27) Herpes simplex encephalitis
• Fever, altered mental status, seizures = Viral (HSV) encephalitis
• CSF analysis: ↑ RBCs, ↑ WBCs (lymphocytic predominance), Protein < 100
• Tx: IV acyclovir, after obtaining CSF fluid
28) Topical corticosteroid therapy
• Eczema (atopic dermatitis) appears on flexor surfaces in adults - “fleczema”
• Allergic triad: asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis
• Tx: topical emollient ± steroid ointment
29) Sweat chloride test
• Cystic fibrosis → absent vas deferens (azoospermia) → infertility
30) Multinodular goiter
• Multiple, nodular areas of high uptake on radioactive iodine scan + symptoms of hyperthyroidism = toxic multinodular goiter
31) Epithelial tissue proliferation
• Cholesteatoma = overgrowth of desquamated keratin debris within middle ear
• Recurrent otitis media → ↑ risk of cholesteatoma
32) Adrenal medulla
• Pheochromocytoma (adrenal medulla tumor) → episodic catecholamine secretion → intermittent headaches, sweating, pallor
• Thyroid would causes constant symptoms, rather than intermittent symptoms
33) Pulmonary embolus
• Acute (3 days) shortness of breath, non-productive cough, tachycardia, OCP use
• DDx: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis & Interstitial pulmonary disease would have a more gradual presentation (longer than 3 days). Pneumonia would present with fever and ↓ resonance to percussion. Bronchitis usually presents with a productive cough
34) Paroxetine
• Panic disorder tx: SSRI
35) Detrusor instability
• Detrusor hyperactivity → urge incontinence
• Urge incontinence tx: bladder training, antimuscarinic drugs (eg, oxybutynin)
• DDx: Neurogenic bladder → overflow incontinence
36) Intravenous immune globulin
• IVIG → ↓ risk of coronary artery aneurysm in Kawasaki disease
37) Multiple myeloma
• Hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency, anemia, bone pain/lytic lesions
38) Femoral popliteal stenosis
• Palpable femoral pulses with absent pedal pulses = stenosis somewhere in between (ie, femoropopliteal)
• Peripheral artery disease (PAD) → claudication and vascular insufficiency
• Diabetes & smoking → ↑ risk of PAD
39) Non-small cell lung cancer
• Smoking, weight loss, lung mass = lung cancer
40) Nasogastric intubation
• Previous hysterectomy → adhesions → small-bowel obstruction (SBO) → dilated small bowel
• SBO in a stable patient can be treated with nasogastric decompression and bowel rest (NPO)
• Absence of distal colonic dilation rules out paralytic ileus
BLOCK 3
1) Meniere’s disease
• Triad: vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss
• Due to imbalance of the fluid and electrolyte composition of endolymph
2) Mitral valve stenosis
• Opening snap following S2 with mid-to-late diastolic rumble
• Mitral stenosis → left atrial enlargement → ↑ risk of arrhythmia and/or thromboembolic complications (eg, stroke)
3) Acute stress disorder
• PTSD like symptoms lasting ≥3 days and ≤1 month
• Tx: trauma-focused CBT
4) Amniotic fluid embolism
• Clinical presentation: cardiogenic shock, hypoxemic respiratory failure, DIC, coma or seizure
5) Atrial septal defect
• Wide, fixed split S2 (↑ blood in right heart delays closure of pulmonic valve)
6) Presynaptic neuromuscular junction
• Lambert-Eaton syndrome → proximal limb weakness, ↓ or absent reflexes, autonomic dysfunction (eg, dry mouth)
• Antibodies to presynaptic voltage-gated calcium channels; ↑ action potential amplitude with repetitive nerve stimulation
7) Candidiasis
• Candida vaginitis → thick “cottage cheese” discharge, vaginal inflammation, normal pH (3.8 - 4.5)
• Candidiasis tx: fluconazole
• DDx: Bacterial vaginosis (Gardnerella vaginalis) and Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis) lead to a vaginal pH >4.5
8) Carrying self-injectable epinephrine
• Anaphylaxis tx: Intramuscular epinephrine
9) Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae is the most common (~45%) organism associated with acute bacterial rhinosinusitis
• Strep pneumoniae is second most common (~25%) and Moraxella catarrhalis is
third most common (~20%)
• Of the answer choices listed, Strep pneumoniae is the most likely cause
10) Measured outcomes were not important to patients
• Statistical significance (low p-value) ≠ clinical significance
11) Left ventricular end-systolic volume decreased by a greater amount in patients treated with spironolactone than in patients treated with placebo
12) Abdominal ultrasonography of the right upper quadrant
• Intermittent, postprandial RUQ pain in an obese woman = biliary colic
• RUQ ultrasound → visualization of biliary stones; HIDA scan is useful when U/S findings are equivocal
• Tx: Elective cholecystectomy
13) Nonphysiologic ADH (vasopressin) secretion
• SIADH is a paraneoplastic syndrome of small cell lung cancer
14) Aortic dissection
• Involvement of aortic root → aortic regurgitation (→ new murmur)
• Involvement of descending aorta → diminished femoral pulses
15) Beginning folic acid supplementation prior to conception
• Folate prevents neural tube defects (NTDs)
16) Left tube thoracostomy
• Thoracostomy should precede intubation (this is an important exception to the typical order of establishing the airway first (ie, airway, breathing, circulation) but is necessary because positive-pressure ventilation (eg, intubation and mechanical ventilation) → accumulation of air and ↑ intrathoracic pressure → exacerbation of the tension pneumothorax → cardiovascular collapse
17) Persistence of a patent processes vaginalis
• Incomplete obliteration of the processes vaginalis → hydrocele
18) Ulnar nerve at the elbow
• Most common site of ulnar entrapment is where the ulnar nerve lies in the medial epicondylar groove (elbow)
• Ulnar nerve compression → ↓ sensation over 4th & 5th digits and weak grip
• Prolonged, inadvertent compression of the nerve by leaning on the elbows while working at a desk is the typical scenario
19) Hypothyroidism
• Hypothyroidism → ↓ LDL receptor expression → hypercholesterolemia
20) Offer insulin but allow the patient to refuse it
• Patients with capacity are allowed refuse medical treatment, but you should still offer
21) Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
• Secondary to antipsychotic use
• Signs/symptoms: fever, confusion, muscle rigidity, autonomic instability (abnormal vitals), ↑ CK and WBCs
• Tx: stop antipsychotics, dantrolene or bromocriptine if refractory
22) CT scan of the abdomen with contrast
• Chronic constipation (→ ↑ intraluminal pressure), LLQ pain, fever, leukocytosis ≈ diverticulitis
23) Phlebotomy
• Hemochromatosis triad: cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, skin pigmentation (“bronze diabetes)
• Tx: repeated phlebotomy, iron chelation (eg, deferoxamine)
24) Impaired contractility of the left ventricle
• Myocardial infarction → myocyte death → systolic heart failure
25) Asthma
• Coughing episodes with triggers such as cold weather or exercise is a classic history for undiagnosed asthma
• The most common etiologies of chronic cough include asthma, GERD, and upper airway cough syndrome (postnasal drip)
26) Endometrial biopsy
• Endometrial biopsy is indicated in women age <45 with abnormal bleeding plus: unopposed estrogen (eg, obesity, anovulation), failed medical management (eg, abnormal bleeding after trial of OCPs), or Lynch syndrome
27) Laparotomy
• Laparotomy allows access to the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm to repair the esophageal perforation (→ greenish fluid)
28) Exercise program
• This patients insulin resistance, as evidenced by his ancanthosis nigricans (velvety hyper-pigmented rash over neck and axillae), is consistent with his symptoms of diabetes
• Diet and exercise should be attempted to ↑ insulin sensitivity before pharmacotherapy is initiated
29) Arrange for the regional organ procurement organization to address the issue with the patient’s family
• Organ procurement organization (OPO) are non-profit organizations that evaluate procure deceased-donor organs for transplant
30) Ceftriaxone
• Meningitis with gram-negative cocci in a college student = meningococcal meningitis
• Tx: Third-generation cephalosporins (eg, ceftriaxone)
31) Acute tubular necrosis
• Rhabdomyolysis → myoglobinuria → acute tubular necrosis
• Standard urinalysis can’t distinguish between hemoglobin and myoglobin, but microscopic exam for RBCs can add clarity
32) Influenza virus vaccine
• Should be given annually
33) The findings are clinically insignificant but statistically significant
• P-value < 0.05 indicates statistical significance, however, there is no clinical significance between resolution of the common cold in 6.4 days versos 6.7 days
34) Na+ 130, K+ 2.8, Cl− 88, HCO3− 32
• Vomiting → hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis (loss of gastric HCl → ↑ HCO3−) and hypokalemia (hypovolemia → ↑ aldosterone → ↑ K+ secretion)
35) Oral amoxicillin therapy
• Asymptomatic bacteriuria is only treated during pregnancy (to ↓ risk of pyelonephritis, preterm birth, and low birth weight)
• First-line tx: Amoxiciliin-clavulanate, Nitrofurantoin
36) Heroin
• Opioid intoxication → ↓ respiratory rate, bradycardia, miosis, ↓ bowel sounds
37) Iron deficiency
• This patient likely had Crohn disease that affected the duodenum (area of small intestine responsible for iron absorption) → iron deficient anemia → fatigue
38) Bipolar disorder
• Patient is experiencing a manic episode
39) Toxic epidermal necrolysis
• Bullae and sloughing of skin with mucosal involvement
• <10% = Stevens-Johnson syndrome; >30% = toxic epidermal necrolysis
40) Nortriptyline
• Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms can be improved by TCA therapy
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