1. All of the following are true of Belhassen’s tachycardia except:

A. Relatively narrow QRS complex

B. Responds to verapamil

C. Also known as idiopathic fascicular ventricular tachycardia

D. Originates in the right ventricular outflow tract

Answer:

D. Originates in the right ventricular outflow tract.

Belhassen’s tachycardia originates in the region of the posterior fascicle of the left ventricle.

2. Reverse pulsus paradoxus is seen all of the following except:

A. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

B. Cardiac tamponade

C. Intermittent positive pressure ventilation

D. Isorhythmic AV dissociation 

Answer:

B. Cardiac tamponade

Pulsus paradoxus is seen in cardiac tamponade, that is exaggeration of the inspiratory fall in pulse volume.

3. Wenckebach’s AV block is characterised by all of the following except:

A. Progressive prolongation of PR interval followed by a dropped QRS

B. Progressive shortening of RR interval

C. Incremental increments in PR interval

D. Longest RR interval is less than twice the shortest RR interval 

Answer:

C. Incremental increments in PR interval

The increments in PR interval in Wenckebach’s AV block are decremental. This is the reason for the progressive shortening of RR intervals.

4. Which of the following is the most sensitive blood test to detect acute myocardial infarction?

A. Creatine phosphokinase

B. Cardiac troponins

C. Lactate dehydrogenase

D. Aspartate aminotransferase 

Answer:

B. Cardiac troponins

Cardiac troponins are highly sensitive for detecting myocardial infarction. They are also quite specific. Since troponins remain elevated for about 2 weeks, they are not very useful in the diagnosis of early re-infarction.

5. Which of the following does not cause left ventricular failure?

A. Mitral stenosis

B. Acute myocardial infarction

C. Mitral regurgitation

D. Aortic stenosis 

Answer:

A. Mitral stenosis

Even though mitral stenosis causes left heart failure and pulmonary edema due to elevated left atrial pressure, the left ventricle does not fail in mitral stenosis as it is underfilled.