Practice Test GeeksAmerican Board of Pathology (ABPath) Practice Test
← All ABPATH Flashcard Decks

Chemical 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 Chemical Pathology flashcards as text

  1. Which analyte is most affected by prolonged tourniquet application during venipuncture?

    Answer: Potassium

    Venous stasis and hemoconcentration falsely elevate potassium due to leakage from cells and muscle activity.

  2. An elevated anion gap metabolic acidosis with high osmolar gap suggests ingestion of which substance?

    Answer: Ethylene glycol

    Ethylene glycol raises both the anion gap (from metabolic acids) and the osmolar gap (from the parent alcohol).

  3. Which is the most sensitive and specific biomarker for acute myocardial infarction?

    Answer: Cardiac troponin I/T

    Cardiac troponin has near-absolute myocardial tissue specificity and remains the gold-standard marker.

  4. A low TSH with elevated free T4 is most consistent with which condition?

    Answer: Primary hyperthyroidism

    Excess thyroid hormone from the gland suppresses pituitary TSH via negative feedback.

  5. Which finding best confirms a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in an asymptomatic patient?

    Answer: HbA1c of 6.8% confirmed on repeat testing

    An HbA1c ≥6.5% confirmed on a separate occasion meets diagnostic criteria for diabetes.

  6. Pseudohyponatremia is classically caused by which of the following?

    Answer: Severe hyperlipidemia or hyperproteinemia

    High lipids or proteins displace plasma water, causing a spurious low sodium with indirect ion-selective electrodes.

  7. Which enzyme elevation is most specific for acute pancreatitis?

    Answer: Lipase

    Lipase is more specific and stays elevated longer than amylase in acute pancreatitis.