Vascular Disease USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 74-year-old woman presents with unilateral temporal headache and scalp tenderness for 3 weeks. She reports jaw claudication while eating. Vital signs show BP 158/92 mmHg, HR 88/min, temp 37.8°C. Labs reveal ESR 92 mm/hr and CRP 8.5 mg/dL. Vision remains intact without amaurosis fugax. She takes atorvastatin and aspirin. Which intervention best prevents the most serious complication of her condition?
Answer choices
- ASchedule elective carotid endarterectomy
- BBegin broad spectrum antibiotics after blood cultures
- COrder coronary angiography
- DStart high dose glucocorticoids immediatelyCorrect answer
- EAdminister indomethacin for ductal closure
- FInitiate methotrexate therapy for immunosuppression
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