A 33-Year-Old Man Comes to the Emergency Department with a 2-Day

question 96

Multiple Choice

A 33-year-old man comes to the emergency department with a 2-day history of generalized weakness, lightheadedness, palpitations, and poor energy.  Four weeks ago, he noticed an annular rash on his right thigh that lasted for a couple of days and then faded.  He has no fever, weight loss, chest pain, or headache.  He lives on Long Island, New York, and jogs 7 miles 3 times a week.
Which of the following is the most likely cardiac finding in this patient?

• A)Atrial fibrillation
• B)Complete atrioventricular block
• C)Large pericardial effusion
• D)Right ventricular enlargement and hypokinesis
• E)Sustained ventricular tachycardia

---

Definitions:

Gaseous Phase

A state of matter characterized by neither a defined shape nor volume, with molecules moving freely, much faster than in liquid or solid states.

Phosphorus Cycle

The worldwide circulation of phosphorus from the abiotic environment into living things and back into the abiotic environment.

Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria

Bacteria capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into organic compounds usable by plants.

Gaseous Nitrogen

Nitrogen in its gaseous state, making up about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere, and is chemically inert under most conditions.