APEA Differential Diagnosis Questions and Answers Flashcards

A 32-year-old woman presents with fatigue, cold intolerance, weight gain, and constipation. Which diagnosis is most likely?

Answer: Hypothyroidism

The constellation of fatigue, cold intolerance, weight gain, and constipation is classic for hypothyroidism due to decreased metabolic rate from insufficient thyroid hormone.

A 55-year-old male smoker presents with hemoptysis, weight loss, and a new cough. The NP's first priority differential is:

Answer: Lung cancer

In a middle-aged smoker, hemoptysis with constitutional symptoms (weight loss) must raise lung cancer as the top priority until proven otherwise.

A young woman presents with episodic headache, diaphoresis, and hypertension with heart palpitations. Which rare diagnosis must be considered?

Answer: Pheochromocytoma

The triad of episodic headache, diaphoresis, and hypertension is the classic presentation of pheochromocytoma, a catecholamine-secreting adrenal tumor.

A patient presents with unilateral facial pain, vesicular rash along the jaw line, and ear pain. The most likely diagnosis is:

Answer: Herpes zoster (shingles)

Unilateral dermatomal vesicular rash with pain in the facial area represents herpes zoster reactivation along the trigeminal nerve distribution.

A 40-year-old presents with symmetric joint pain, morning stiffness lasting over 1 hour, and fatigue. Which diagnosis best fits this presentation?

Answer: Rheumatoid arthritis

Symmetric joint involvement, prolonged morning stiffness exceeding 1 hour, and fatigue are hallmarks of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune inflammatory arthropathy.

A diabetic patient presents with a painful, beefy-red rash with satellite lesions in the skin folds. The most likely causative organism is:

Answer: Candida albicans

Intertriginous candidiasis presents with erythematous plaques and characteristic satellite pustules in moist skin folds, particularly in diabetics.