What is a condition where the walls of the arteries become thickened and stiff, often due to the buildup of plaque, leading to reduced blood flow?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Atherosclerosis is the correct answer because it specifically refers to the condition where artery walls become thickened and stiff due to plaque buildup. Plaque accumulation narrows the arteries, reducing blood flow and potentially leading to serious complications. Angina (B) is chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart but is not a direct result of arterial thickening. Hypertension (C) is high blood pressure and does not involve artery wall thickening. Arrhythmia (D) is an irregular heart rhythm and is not related to arterial stiffness. Thus, Atherosclerosis (A) best fits the description provided in the question.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Beta-blocker. Beta-blockers reduce the workload on the heart by blocking the action of adrenaline on beta receptors, slowing down heart rate and lowering blood pressure. This helps to decrease the heart's oxygen demand and improve its efficiency. ACE inhibitors (B) work by dilating blood vessels, Calcium channel blockers (C) block calcium entry into cells to relax blood vessels, and Diuretics (D) reduce blood volume by increasing urine output, but they do not specifically target reducing the workload on the heart.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Stent placement. Stent placement involves inserting a mesh tube into an artery to keep it open and improve blood flow. This procedure is minimally invasive compared to bypass surgery (C) and CABG (D), which involve rerouting blood flow. Angioplasty (B) is related but specifically refers to widening the artery using a balloon catheter, not inserting a mesh tube like in stent placement. Therefore, A is the best choice for the given procedure.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Catheter ablation. This procedure involves using a catheter to create a small scar in the heart tissue to block abnormal electrical signals and restore normal heart rhythm. First, the catheter is guided to the heart through blood vessels. Then, using various techniques such as radiofrequency energy or freezing, the abnormal tissue causing the irregular heartbeat is destroyed to restore the heart's normal rhythm. Choice B, Angioplasty, involves opening blocked or narrowed blood vessels to improve blood flow, not addressing abnormal heart rhythms. Choice C, Stent placement, involves inserting a mesh tube to keep arteries open, not related to treating abnormal electrical signals in the heart. Choice D, Valve replacement, is a procedure to replace damaged heart valves, not specifically targeting abnormal electrical signals in the heart.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Stroke. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or reduced, leading to a lack of oxygen and nutrients to brain tissue. This can result in brain cell damage or death. A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain with similar symptoms but resolves quickly without causing permanent damage. Myocardial infarction is a heart attack caused by blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle, not the brain. Angina is chest pain due to reduced blood flow to the heart, not the brain. Thus, only a stroke directly involves the interruption of blood supply to the brain, making it the correct answer.