A 48-Year-Old Man Comes to the Office for a Follow-Up

question 261

Multiple Choice

A 48-year-old man comes to the office for a follow-up visit.  He was diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia 6 months ago and has been strictly following dietary and lifestyle modifications as advised.  The patient has no other medical problems.  He does not use tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs.  His father has diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.  The patient's blood pressure is 126/70 mm Hg and BMI is 33.1 kg/m².  Physical examination is normal.  Laboratory studies show a current LDL level of 190 mg/dL.  Which of the following should be obtained before starting statin therapy in this patient?

• A)Apolipoprotein-B level
• B)Complete blood count
• C)Lipoprotein lipase activity assay
• D)Liver transaminase levels
• E)Serum cortisol level
• F)Serum creatinine

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Definitions:

Linnaeus

Carl Linnaeus, an 18th-century Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, known for creating the system of classification for organisms.

Biological Classification

The scientific system of categorizing living organisms into hierarchical groups based on their evolutionary relationships and characteristics.

Species

A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding and are classified together as sharing a common lineage.

Mammals

Warm-blooded vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands which females use to feed their young, as well as fur or hair.