Cardiovascular Drugs USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 40-year-old man with a BMI of 31 kg/m² presents for hypertension screening. He has no significant past medical history and takes no medications. Vital signs are normal. Laboratory evaluation reveals: total cholesterol 275 mg/dL, LDL-cholesterol 200 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol 35 mg/dL, and triglycerides 200 mg/dL. After lifestyle modification counseling, he is started on a bile acid sequestrant for LDL reduction. Which of the following lipid panels would you most likely expect after 6-8 weeks of therapy?
Answer choices
- ALDL 150 mg/dL, HDL 32 mg/dL, Triglycerides 240 mg/dL
- BLDL 90 mg/dL, HDL 40 mg/dL, Triglycerides 145 mg/dL
- CLDL 135 mg/dL, HDL 38 mg/dL, Triglycerides 220 mg/dL
- DLDL 160 mg/dL, HDL 45 mg/dL, Triglycerides 165 mg/dL
- ELDL 130 mg/dL, HDL 36 mg/dL, Triglycerides 210 mg/dLCorrect answer
- FLDL 110 mg/dL, HDL 50 mg/dL, Triglycerides 125 mg/dL
See the full explanation
Get the correct-answer rationale, why each distractor is wrong, the underlying mechanism, and high-yield associations — plus adaptive practice that targets your weak areas — with a free MedBoardPRO account.