Heart Failure USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 58-year-old man presents with progressive abdominal distention and lower extremity edema 10 years after mediastinal radiation therapy for lymphoma. Vitals show BP 128/92 mmHg, HR 102 bpm, RR 18/min, SpO2 98% on room air. Jugular venous pressure rises during inspiration. Echocardiography reveals a thick, calcified pericardium with septal bounce. Notably, left ventricular ejection fraction is preserved at 55%. He takes no cardiac medications. Which diagnosis best explains his clinical presentation?
Answer choices
- ADilated cardiomyopathy
- BHeart failure with reduced ejection fraction
- CConstrictive pericarditisCorrect answer
- DRestrictive cardiomyopathy
- ECardiac tamponade
- FRadiation-induced coronary artery disease with acute myocardial infarction
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