A 24-Year-Old Man Is Evaluated Due to an Episode of Syncope

question 258

Multiple Choice

A 24-year-old man is evaluated due to an episode of syncope.  He was jogging when he felt light-headed and passed out, but he did not sustain a head injury.  The patient has had 2 similar episodes of light-headedness while jogging over the last year, but this was the first time he passed out.  He considers himself in good health and has no other medical conditions.  The patient does not use tobacco, alcohol, or recreational drugs.  His father died suddenly at age 30.  Vital signs are within normal limits.  On physical examination, the patient has a harsh systolic murmur.  The lungs are clear to auscultation.  There is no peripheral edema.  Transthoracic echocardiography shows asymmetric interventricular septal hypertrophy.  This patient's symptoms are most likely explained by left ventricular outflow obstruction created by which of the following structures?

• A)Aortic valve cusp and interventricular septum
• B)Aortic valve cusp and papillary muscle
• C)Aortic valve cusps
• D)Ascending aorta and interventricular septum
• E)Mitral valve leaflet and interventricular septum

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Definitions:

Liminality

A state of transition where normal limits to thought, self-understanding, and behavior are relaxed, offering the potential for new perspectives and growth.

Aggregation

The process of combining multiple units or data into a single group or total to simplify analysis or understanding.

Objectification

The action of treating a person or sometimes an animal as an object or thing, often disregarding personal agency or dignity.

Acculturation

The process by which individuals adopt the cultural traits or social patterns of another group, often occurring when different cultures come into direct continuous contact.