Risk Assessment & Management Flashcards
7 cards from real ECC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Risk Assessment & Management flashcards as text
A 58-year-old male presents with diaphoresis, nausea, and jaw pain but denies chest pain. What is the most appropriate initial risk stratification step?
Answer: Obtain a 12-lead ECG immediately
Atypical ACS presentations (jaw pain, diaphoresis, nausea) require immediate 12-lead ECG to identify STEMI or ischemic changes.
Which TIMI Risk Score component specifically addresses prior coronary artery disease history?
Answer: Known CAD with stenosis ≥50%
Known CAD with stenosis ≥50% is a discrete TIMI variable that increases the score by 1 point.
A patient's HEART score totals 7. What is the recommended management pathway?
Answer: Early invasive strategy within 72 hours
A HEART score of 7–10 indicates high risk (>50% MACE) and warrants early invasive evaluation.
Which laboratory finding is most useful for ruling OUT acute MI when measured at presentation AND 3 hours later?
Answer: High-sensitivity troponin with serial negative results
Serial high-sensitivity troponin (0h/3h protocol) has a negative predictive value >99% for ruling out NSTEMI.
In the GRACE Risk Score, which hemodynamic variable carries the highest weight for predicting in-hospital mortality?
Answer: Killip class
Killip class carries the highest weight in GRACE scoring because it directly reflects the degree of heart failure and hemodynamic compromise.
A diabetic woman presents with unexplained fatigue and mild dyspnea. ECG shows no ST changes. What risk assessment principle applies here?
Answer: Diabetics commonly have silent or atypical ischemia requiring heightened suspicion
Diabetic neuropathy blunts pain perception, making silent ischemia common and requiring a lower threshold for ACS workup.
What does a negative exercise stress test with good functional capacity (≥10 METs) indicate in a stable patient with chest pain?
Answer: Low probability of significant obstructive CAD and favorable prognosis
Achieving ≥10 METs without ischemia indicates low short-term cardiac event risk and typically warrants conservative management.