Ambulatory Care Test Ambulatory Care Health Promotion and Education 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with a 10-year cardiovascular risk of 8% asks about statin therapy. According to ACC/AHA guidelines, what is the appropriate response?
- Initiate high-intensity statin therapy immediately
- Have a clinician-patient risk discussion; statin therapy may be considered (Correct answer)
- Reassure the patient that 8% is low risk and no treatment is needed
- Recommend only lifestyle modification without any statin discussion
Correct answer: Have a clinician-patient risk discussion; statin therapy may be considered
ACC/AHA guidelines recommend a clinician-patient risk discussion for borderline 10-year ASCVD risk (7.5-19.9%) before initiating statin therapy.
Question 2: When educating a patient about diabetes foot care, which instruction is MOST important to prevent complications?
- Apply moisturizer between the toes daily
- Inspect feet daily and wear properly fitting shoes (Correct answer)
- Walk barefoot indoors to toughen the skin
- Soak feet in hot water for 20 minutes nightly
Correct answer: Inspect feet daily and wear properly fitting shoes
Daily foot inspection and properly fitting footwear prevent undetected injuries and pressure ulcers, which are leading causes of diabetic foot complications and amputation.
Question 3: A pharmacy technician asks what health literacy means in the context of patient education. Which definition is MOST accurate?
- The patient's ability to read at a college level
- The degree to which individuals can obtain, process, and understand basic health information to make appropriate decisions (Correct answer)
- A patient's knowledge of their specific medical conditions
- The patient's willingness to follow medical advice
Correct answer: The degree to which individuals can obtain, process, and understand basic health information to make appropriate decisions
Health literacy encompasses the ability to find, understand, and use health information to make informed decisions about one's health and healthcare.
Question 4: Which screening test is recommended to detect cervical cancer precursors in women aged 21-65?
- Endometrial biopsy
- Pap smear (cervical cytology), with or without HPV co-testing based on age (Correct answer)
- Transvaginal ultrasound
- CA-125 blood test
Correct answer: Pap smear (cervical cytology), with or without HPV co-testing based on age
Cervical cytology (Pap smear), alone or co-tested with HPV, is the recommended screening method for cervical cancer precursors in women aged 21-65.
Question 5: A patient reports they stopped taking their antihypertensive medication because they feel fine. Using stages of change theory, which stage best describes this patient?
- Contemplation
- Precontemplation (Correct answer)
- Maintenance
- Preparation
Correct answer: Precontemplation
The patient is in precontemplation — they do not perceive a problem with their behavior (stopping medication) and are not considering changing it.
Question 6: Which intervention is considered 'secondary prevention' for cardiovascular disease?
- Teaching a healthy teenager about heart-healthy diet
- Prescribing aspirin and a statin to a patient who had a myocardial infarction (Correct answer)
- Administering flu vaccine to prevent cardiac complications
- Counseling a patient on smoking cessation before any symptoms appear
Correct answer: Prescribing aspirin and a statin to a patient who had a myocardial infarction
Secondary prevention involves treating people who already have disease to prevent progression, recurrence, or death — such as post-MI antiplatelet and statin therapy.
Question 7: A patient asks about radon exposure in their home. Which health risk is MOST associated with long-term radon exposure?
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer (Correct answer)
- Bladder cancer
- Leukemia
Correct answer: Lung cancer
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US; it is a radioactive gas that can accumulate in homes and is inhaled into lung tissue.
Ambulatory Care Test Ambulatory Care Health Promotion and Education 4
A patient with a 10-year cardiovascular risk of 8% asks about statin therapy.
According to ACC/AHA guidelines, what is the appropriate response?