Congenital Heart Disease USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 6-year-old girl presents to clinic for a routine physical examination. She reports mild dyspnea with vigorous play but denies chest pain, syncope, or orthopnea. Her parents note a family history of bicuspid aortic valve in a maternal uncle who required valve replacement at age 42. Vital signs are normal with SpO2 98% on room air. Cardiac examination reveals a systolic ejection murmur best heard at the right upper sternal border with normal S2 splitting. Transthoracic echocardiography shows a bicuspid aortic valve with mild stenosis (peak gradient 32 mmHg) and normal left ventricular function. Which of the following represents the most important long-term complication to monitor in this patient?
Answer choices
- AProgressive aortic stenosis with eventual need for valve replacement and/or aortic regurgitationCorrect answer
- BBacterial endocarditis due to abnormal valve morphology and turbulent flow
- CLeft ventricular hypertrophy leading to diastolic dysfunction and heart failure
- DAscending aortic dilatation with risk of aortic dissection
- EAtrial fibrillation from chronic hemodynamic burden on the left atrium
- FSecondary pulmonary hypertension from retrograde pressure transmission
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