Physician Assistant Flashcards
7 cards from real Physician Assistant practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Physician Assistant flashcards as text
A 35-year-old female presents with weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation, and dry skin. TSH is elevated and free T4 is low. What is the most appropriate treatment?
Answer: Levothyroxine
Elevated TSH with low free T4 indicates primary hypothyroidism, treated with levothyroxine (synthetic T4) replacement therapy.
Which maneuver is used to diagnose benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)?
Answer: Dix-Hallpike maneuver
The Dix-Hallpike maneuver repositions the head to provoke nystagmus and vertigo, confirming the diagnosis of BPPV involving the posterior semicircular canal.
A 70-year-old male with a history of atrial fibrillation is found unresponsive with right-sided weakness. CT head shows no hemorrhage. What is the most appropriate immediate intervention?
Answer: IV alteplase (tPA)
In the absence of contraindications and within the therapeutic window, IV alteplase (tPA) is the standard of care for acute ischemic stroke.
A newborn is noted to have a continuous 'machine-like' murmur at the left upper sternal border. What is the most likely congenital heart defect?
Answer: Patent ductus arteriosus
A continuous machine-like murmur at the left upper sternal border is pathognomonic for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).
Which of the following lab findings is most consistent with iron deficiency anemia?
Answer: Low ferritin, elevated TIBC, microcytic RBCs
Iron deficiency anemia is characterized by low ferritin (depleted stores), elevated TIBC (the body compensates by upregulating transferrin), and microcytic, hypochromic RBCs.
A PA is treating a patient with major depressive disorder who has failed two adequate SSRI trials. What is the most appropriate next step?
Answer: Switch to an SNRI or augment with bupropion
After two failed SSRI trials, switching to a different class (SNRI) or augmentation strategies such as adding bupropion or an atypical antipsychotic are evidence-based next steps.
A 52-year-old woman presents with urinary frequency, urgency, and dysuria. Urinalysis shows pyuria and bacteriuria. Which organism is the most common cause of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women?
Answer: Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli accounts for approximately 80–85% of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women due to its virulence factors that facilitate uroepithelial adherence.