Respiratory Medicine Flashcards
7 cards from real AMC MCQ practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Respiratory Medicine flashcards as text
A 30-year-old African-Caribbean woman has bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, erythema nodosum and arthralgia. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer: Sarcoidosis
Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy with erythema nodosum and arthralgia (Löfgren syndrome) is characteristic of sarcoidosis.
Which serum marker is often elevated in active sarcoidosis?
Answer: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
Serum ACE is frequently raised in active sarcoidosis, reflecting granuloma activity.
A patient with chronic productive cough of large volumes of purulent sputum and recurrent infections has tram-track opacities on imaging. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer: Bronchiectasis
Copious purulent sputum, recurrent infection and dilated thick-walled airways indicate bronchiectasis.
What is the gold-standard investigation to confirm bronchiectasis?
Answer: High-resolution CT of the chest
High-resolution CT showing dilated, thickened airways is the gold standard for diagnosing bronchiectasis.
A patient on long-term oxygen therapy for COPD should use it for at least how many hours per day to improve survival?
Answer: 15 hours
Long-term oxygen therapy improves survival in hypoxaemic COPD when used at least 15 hours per day.
Which intervention has been shown to most improve long-term survival in patients with COPD?
Answer: Smoking cessation
Smoking cessation is the single most effective intervention to slow decline and improve survival in COPD.
A patient with type 2 respiratory failure due to a COPD exacerbation remains acidotic (pH 7.28, raised PaCO2) despite optimal medical therapy. What is the next appropriate step?
Answer: Non-invasive ventilation (BiPAP)
Non-invasive ventilation (BiPAP) is indicated for persistent hypercapnic acidosis in COPD despite medical therapy.