CCS Patient Care & Risk Management 2

Question 1

A patient with stable angina is found to have a Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk of 22%. According to ACC/AHA guidelines, this patient falls into which risk category?

Accepted Answer

High risk (>20%)

Answer

A 10-year ASCVD risk ≥20% places the patient in the high-risk category per ACC/AHA 2019 guidelines.

Question 2

Which action is MOST appropriate when a patient with heart failure reports a 3-lb weight gain over two days?

Accepted Answer

Advise the patient to increase diuretic dose per a pre-established sick-day plan

Answer

Rapid weight gain in heart failure signals fluid retention; a pre-established sick-day plan allowing self-adjustment of diuretics prevents hospitalization.

Question 3

A cardiovascular specialist is counseling a post-MI patient on secondary prevention. Which lifestyle modification has the strongest evidence for reducing recurrent cardiac events?

Accepted Answer

Smoking cessation

Answer

Smoking cessation is the single most effective lifestyle intervention for reducing recurrent cardiovascular events after MI.

Question 4

When performing a cardiovascular risk assessment, which tool is specifically validated for estimating 10-year ASCVD risk in primary prevention patients aged 40–79?

Accepted Answer

Pooled Cohort Equations

Answer

The Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE), endorsed by ACC/AHA, calculate 10-year ASCVD risk for primary prevention in patients aged 40–79.

Question 5

A patient with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and stage 3 CKD presents for cardiovascular risk reduction counseling. Which blood pressure target is MOST appropriate?

Accepted Answer

<130/80 mmHg

Answer

ACC/AHA and ADA guidelines recommend a BP target of <130/80 mmHg in patients with diabetes and CKD to reduce cardiovascular and renal events.

(CCS) Certified Cardiovascular Specialist Practice Test

(CCS) Certified Cardiovascular Specialist Practice Test

CCS Patient Care & Risk Management 2