Cardiovascular System Pathology Flashcards

7 cards from real ABPATH practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Cardiovascular System Pathology flashcards as text

Which finding is most characteristic of a 12-hour-old myocardial infarct on microscopy?
Answer: Coagulative necrosis with early neutrophil infiltration
By 12–24 hours, coagulative necrosis with early neutrophilic infiltration begins to appear.
A ruptured ventricular free wall after MI most commonly occurs at what time point?
Answer: 3 to 7 days
Free wall rupture peaks at 3–7 days when the wall is maximally softened by macrophage-mediated debris removal.
Aschoff bodies are pathognomonic of which condition?
Answer: Acute rheumatic fever
Aschoff bodies with Anitschkow cells are diagnostic of rheumatic myocarditis.
Which valve is most frequently involved in chronic rheumatic heart disease?
Answer: Mitral
The mitral valve is most commonly affected, often producing stenosis with a fish-mouth appearance.
Large, friable vegetations that can embolize and destroy the valve suggest which type of endocarditis?
Answer: Acute infective endocarditis
Acute infective endocarditis, often from S. aureus, produces large destructive vegetations.
Contraction band necrosis is most characteristically associated with which mechanism?
Answer: Reperfusion injury and catecholamine excess
Reperfusion and high catecholamine states cause hypercontracted myofibers with eosinophilic transverse bands.
Which cardiac enzyme/protein remains elevated longest after myocardial infarction?
Answer: Troponin I/T
Troponins remain elevated for 7–10 days, longer than CK-MB or myoglobin.