Valvular Heart Disease USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 63-year-old woman presents with episodic flushing, chronic diarrhea, and wheezing. She reports progressive fatigue and bilateral leg edema. Vital signs: BP 118/76 mmHg, HR 102 bpm, RR 20/min, SpO2 94% on room air. Cardiac examination reveals a holosystolic murmur at the left lower sternal border that increases with inspiration. Chest X-ray shows pulmonary congestion. Notably, no fever is present. Which of the following is the most likely cause of her valvular lesion?
Answer choices
- ASerotonin mediated fibrous deposits on right sided valvesCorrect answer
- BAutoimmune destruction after pharyngitis
- CCalcification of a congenital bicuspid valve
- DPapillary muscle rupture after inferior MI
- EAcute bacterial invasion after dental extraction
- FCarcinoid syndrome with metastatic disease to the liver and lungs
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