An 80-year-old woman that you follow in a nursing home has an acute decline in her mental status. She has a fever >100°F, but no other focal complaints or findings on physical examination except for a chronic indwelling urinary catheter. What statement is true?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because in an older adult with an indwelling urinary catheter, a fever >100°F can be a sign of urinary tract infection (UTI) or urosepsis. Given her acute decline in mental status and fever, empiric antibiotic therapy is warranted to treat a potential infection. Choice B is incorrect because older adults with indwelling catheters are at increased risk for UTIs and bloodstream infections. Choice C is incorrect as obtaining a urine culture is important to confirm the diagnosis and guide appropriate antibiotic therapy. Choice D is incorrect as the duration of antibiotic treatment for a UTI is typically longer than 3 days.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. During the secondary stage of syphilis, a rash marked by red or reddish-brown, penny-sized lesions over the palms and soles is a common clinical manifestation. This rash, known as a syphilitic rash, is a hallmark symptom of secondary syphilis. The rash can also appear on other parts of the body. It is important to note that syphilis progresses through distinct stages, and the secondary stage typically occurs a few weeks to a few months after the initial infection. Now, let's analyze why the other choices are incorrect: A: Absence of symptoms - This is incorrect as syphilis does present symptoms, especially during the secondary stage. B: Single painless lesion, chancre on the genital area - This is characteristic of the primary stage of syphilis, not the secondary stage. D: Poor muscle coordination - This symptom is associated with the late or tertiary stage of syphilis, not the secondary stage

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Spinal stenosis. The symptoms described suggest neurogenic claudication, which is a hallmark of spinal stenosis. Pain worsening with ambulation and improving with lumbar flexion is characteristic of spinal stenosis due to narrowing of the spinal canal leading to compression of nerves. Ankylosing spondylitis (A) presents with inflammatory back pain and stiffness, not neurogenic claudication. Bursitis (C) involves inflammation of bursae, not typically associated with leg pain and numbness. Cauda equina syndrome (D) presents with sudden-onset severe back pain, urinary retention, and saddle anesthesia, which are not consistent with the described symptoms.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Take it with food. Glucocorticosteroids can irritate the stomach lining, leading to gastritis or ulcers. Taking them with food helps reduce stomach irritation and the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. Crushing it in applesauce (A) or chewing it prior to a high-fat meal (B) can exacerbate stomach irritation. Taking it on an empty stomach (C) can increase the risk of stomach upset and decrease absorption. Therefore, taking it with food (D) is the best option to minimize stomach irritation and improve medication effectiveness.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B (Pain) because pain is a common symptom in both inflammatory and non-inflammatory joint conditions. Tenderness, warmth, and redness are more specific to inflammatory joint problems. Tenderness indicates localized inflammation, warmth suggests increased blood flow and inflammation, and redness signifies dilated blood vessels and inflammation. Therefore, pain alone is less helpful in determining if a joint problem is inflammatory compared to the other symptoms.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Hirsutism. Hirsutism is the presence of excessive hair growth in a male pattern distribution in women, which is a common sign of hyperandrogenism. Elevated androgen levels can lead to hirsutism in women, especially in conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome. High pitch voice (A) and obesity (D) are not direct indicators of hyperandrogenism. While polycystic ovaries (C) can be associated with hyperandrogenism, the presence of hirsutism is a more specific and direct finding in this scenario.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Migraines with aura. Estrogen in contraceptives can increase the risk of stroke in patients with migraines with aura due to its effect on blood clotting. Estrogen-progestin contraceptives should be avoided in these patients to reduce the risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Choices A, C, and D do not have a direct contraindication to estrogen-progestin contraceptives based on current guidelines.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Stop aspirin and begin apixaban 5 mg twice a day. The rationale is that for stroke risk reduction in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, anticoagulation therapy with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) like apixaban is preferred over antiplatelet therapy like aspirin. DOACs have been shown to be more effective in reducing stroke risk with a lower bleeding risk compared to warfarin. Choice A is incorrect as aspirin alone is not sufficient for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. Choice B is incorrect as warfarin has more monitoring requirements and potential drug interactions compared to DOACs like apixaban. Choice D is incorrect as aspirin and apixaban together are not recommended due to increased bleeding risk.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Lower dose of antibiotics. The rationale is that the patient has early renal insufficiency, which means the kidney may have difficulty clearing medications from the body. Therefore, a lower dose of antibiotics is needed to prevent potential drug toxicity. A shorter course of antibiotics (choice A) may not be effective in treating pneumonia adequately. A longer course of antibiotics (choice B) may increase the risk of drug accumulation in the body. A higher dose of antibiotics (choice D) can lead to increased toxicity in a patient with renal insufficiency. Thus, the most appropriate option is to reduce the dose to ensure safe and effective treatment.