Patient Care & Treatment Decision Making Flashcards
7 cards from real ABPS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Care & Treatment Decision Making flashcards as text
A physician learns that a patient has not disclosed a new HIV diagnosis to their sexual partner. What is the most ethically appropriate initial action?
Answer: Counsel the patient on disclosure obligations and risks to the partner
The physician should first counsel the patient about their duty to disclose; most jurisdictions allow but do not mandate immediate third-party notification.
When applying evidence-based medicine to an individual patient, which factor is LEAST relevant?
Answer: The treatment cost compared to a different hospital system's pricing
EBM integrates evidence quality, clinical expertise, and patient values—comparative pricing across institutions is not a core EBM component.
A 72-year-old with heart failure and CKD stage 3 needs loop diuretic therapy. Which monitoring parameter is most critical?
Answer: Serum electrolytes and renal function within 1-2 weeks of initiation
Loop diuretics can cause electrolyte imbalances and worsen renal function, requiring early laboratory monitoring in CKD patients.
Which scenario best represents shared decision-making?
Answer: The physician presents options with evidence, and patient preferences guide the final choice
Shared decision-making involves the physician providing evidence-based options while integrating the patient's values into the final treatment plan.
A 58-year-old with hypertension is started on lisinopril and develops a dry cough. What is the most appropriate next step?
Answer: Switch to an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)
ACE inhibitor–induced cough is a class effect; switching to an ARB provides equivalent blood pressure control without this side effect.
Which element is essential to demonstrate that a patient has decision-making capacity?
Answer: Understanding information, appreciating consequences, reasoning through choices, and communicating a decision
Capacity requires four abilities: understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and communication of a consistent choice.
A patient with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease requires glucose-lowering therapy beyond metformin. Which class of medication has the strongest evidence for cardiovascular risk reduction?
Answer: GLP-1 receptor agonists or SGLT-2 inhibitors
GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors have demonstrated cardiovascular outcome benefits in multiple large trials for patients with established CVD.