A 45-Year-Old Man with a History of Alcohol Use Disorder

question 378

Multiple Choice

A 45-year-old man with a history of alcohol use disorder, chronic hepatitis C, and HIV is brought to the emergency department due to altered mental status and abdominal distension.  He is disoriented and unable to provide an adequate history.  He is accompanied by a friend who reports that the patient has recently been drinking heavily.  The patient's breath has a sweet, sulfurous odor.  Physical examination shows gynecomastia, palmar erythema, and multiple spider angiomata.  The abdomen is severely distended, and dilated periumbilical veins are noted.  There is 3+ bilateral lower extremity edema.  Genital examination shows testicular atrophy.  Neurologic examination shows disorientation and asterixis.  Abdominal imaging reveals splenomegaly.  Development of this patient's gynecomastia most closely resembles the pathogenesis of which of the following additional findings in this patient?

• A)Altered mental status
• B)Dilated periumbilical veins
• C)Lower extremity edema
• D)Spider angiomata
• E)Splenomegaly
• F)Sweet, sulfurous breath odor

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Definitions:

Stock Market Efficiency

The concept that all available information is reflected in stock prices, thus making it impossible to consistently achieve higher returns than the overall market.

Nonconstant Growth Model

A valuation approach for stocks that assumes a company's dividends will grow at different rates in different periods, unlike the constant growth model.

Initial Growth Period

The phase in a business or project's life cycle characterized by a rapid expansion in revenue and customer base, often necessitating significant investment in marketing and capacity.

Constant Growth Period

The constant growth period refers to a phase in which a company or financial asset's dividends or earnings grow at a steady, unchanging rate.