PAEA EOC /PAEA SUMMATIVE
PRACTICE /PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
EXAM AND EOC ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2026.
What exactly causes the occlusive vascular disease of thromboangiitis obliterans? - ANS aka
Buerger's disease
inflammatory thrombi affecting the medium and small vessels (nonatherosclerosis)
polymorphonuclear leukocytes, microabscesses, and multinucleated giant cells may be presen
Treatment options for thromboangiitis obliterans? - ANS smoking cessation most important!
cilostazol (PDE 3 inhibitor) has vasodilator properties (alleviated symptoms)
if raynauds also present, CCB (nifedipine)
what heart failure treatment provides a benefit of reduction in morbidity and mortality? -
ANS ACE inhibitors
beta blockers can also reduce M&M
diuretics have no reduction in mortality
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,how would you manage a patient with a MI in the setting of cocaine use? -
ANS benzodiazepine early
no beta blockers
If PCI cannot be done for a STEMI patient within 120 minutes, what should be done? -
ANS fibrolytic therapy
then do PCI & coronary angiography when it can be done
ideally PCI is done within 90 minutes
fibrolytic therapy can be used up to 12 hours of symptoms
If you suspect an acute limb ischemia due to arterial embolism, what imaging should you get? -
ANS catheter-based arteriography (digital subtraction arteriography) provides the most
useful information. can also help with treatment
can help distinguish between thrombosis and embolus
where are arterial emboli often found? - ANS lower extremities more common than upper
extremities
The common femoral, common iliac, and popliteal artery bifurcations are frequent locations
majority originate in the heart
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,fun fact: Compared with thromboemboli, atheroemboli are less likely to produce symptoms of
acute limb ischemia
how would you work up a patient with treatment resistant hypertension that you suspect a
secondary cause? - ANS 24-hour ambulatory monitoring (to ensure not white coat)
medical hx (assess adherence to meds, other meds)
physical exam (look for abominal/renal bruits)
labs (electrolytes, glucose, creatinine, UA)
If pheo suspected: measure fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines in a 24-hour urine
collection
other than atherosclerosis leading to renal artery stenosis and secondary HTN, what is another
causes of a renal-associated secondary HTN? - ANS fibromuscular dysplasia (usually in a
young pt)
most important modifable risk factor for AAA? - ANS smoking cessation!
when is it okay to do screening survelliance for AAA rather than repair and how often should
you screen? - ANS if AAA is <5.5 cm then annual screening with US is recommended. may
need every 6 months if rapidly expanding or other concerns
how should you educate a patient with AAA on exercise? - ANS Patients should be counseled
that moderate physical activity such as running, biking, swimming, hiking, or sexual activity and
activities such as gardening, golfing, and horseback riding do not precipitate AAA rupture
Moderate physical therapy may also limit aneurysm expansion. In experimental aneurysms,
increased aortic blood flow appears to inhibit AAA expansion
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, However, heavy lifting, especially while holding the breath, and other activities that lead to
Valsalva transiently induce significant increases in blood pressure and should be avoided
gold standard for dx renal artery stenosis? what can be used to monitor disease progression? -
ANS renal arteriography
But really a spiral CT angiography is very useful and probably more likely done first
duplex doppler US can be used to monitor disease progression
what are some symptoms of mitral valve prolapse syndrome? - ANS various nonspecific
symptoms such as palpitations, dyspnea, exercise intolerance, anxiety disorders, and dizziness
since symptoms are relatively uncommon, what physical exam findings are associated with
mitral valve prolapse? - ANS non-ejection click in systole
click is mobile, meaning its timing varies with maneuvers that change the left ventricular
volume, occurring earlier in systole with sitting, standing, or other interventions that reduce
ventricular size, or later with those interventions that increase chamber size such as squatting
People with MVP tend to have lower BMIs
how would you distinguish vasospastic angina and angina associated with CAD? - ANS quality
of the CP is typically indistinguishable of the two
patients with vasospastic angina report that their episodes are predominantly at rest and that
many occur from midnight to early morning, while effort tolerance is usually preserved. CP
generally lasts 5 to 15 minutes
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
PRACTICE /PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
EXAM AND EOC ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2026.
What exactly causes the occlusive vascular disease of thromboangiitis obliterans? - ANS aka
Buerger's disease
inflammatory thrombi affecting the medium and small vessels (nonatherosclerosis)
polymorphonuclear leukocytes, microabscesses, and multinucleated giant cells may be presen
Treatment options for thromboangiitis obliterans? - ANS smoking cessation most important!
cilostazol (PDE 3 inhibitor) has vasodilator properties (alleviated symptoms)
if raynauds also present, CCB (nifedipine)
what heart failure treatment provides a benefit of reduction in morbidity and mortality? -
ANS ACE inhibitors
beta blockers can also reduce M&M
diuretics have no reduction in mortality
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,how would you manage a patient with a MI in the setting of cocaine use? -
ANS benzodiazepine early
no beta blockers
If PCI cannot be done for a STEMI patient within 120 minutes, what should be done? -
ANS fibrolytic therapy
then do PCI & coronary angiography when it can be done
ideally PCI is done within 90 minutes
fibrolytic therapy can be used up to 12 hours of symptoms
If you suspect an acute limb ischemia due to arterial embolism, what imaging should you get? -
ANS catheter-based arteriography (digital subtraction arteriography) provides the most
useful information. can also help with treatment
can help distinguish between thrombosis and embolus
where are arterial emboli often found? - ANS lower extremities more common than upper
extremities
The common femoral, common iliac, and popliteal artery bifurcations are frequent locations
majority originate in the heart
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,fun fact: Compared with thromboemboli, atheroemboli are less likely to produce symptoms of
acute limb ischemia
how would you work up a patient with treatment resistant hypertension that you suspect a
secondary cause? - ANS 24-hour ambulatory monitoring (to ensure not white coat)
medical hx (assess adherence to meds, other meds)
physical exam (look for abominal/renal bruits)
labs (electrolytes, glucose, creatinine, UA)
If pheo suspected: measure fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines in a 24-hour urine
collection
other than atherosclerosis leading to renal artery stenosis and secondary HTN, what is another
causes of a renal-associated secondary HTN? - ANS fibromuscular dysplasia (usually in a
young pt)
most important modifable risk factor for AAA? - ANS smoking cessation!
when is it okay to do screening survelliance for AAA rather than repair and how often should
you screen? - ANS if AAA is <5.5 cm then annual screening with US is recommended. may
need every 6 months if rapidly expanding or other concerns
how should you educate a patient with AAA on exercise? - ANS Patients should be counseled
that moderate physical activity such as running, biking, swimming, hiking, or sexual activity and
activities such as gardening, golfing, and horseback riding do not precipitate AAA rupture
Moderate physical therapy may also limit aneurysm expansion. In experimental aneurysms,
increased aortic blood flow appears to inhibit AAA expansion
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, However, heavy lifting, especially while holding the breath, and other activities that lead to
Valsalva transiently induce significant increases in blood pressure and should be avoided
gold standard for dx renal artery stenosis? what can be used to monitor disease progression? -
ANS renal arteriography
But really a spiral CT angiography is very useful and probably more likely done first
duplex doppler US can be used to monitor disease progression
what are some symptoms of mitral valve prolapse syndrome? - ANS various nonspecific
symptoms such as palpitations, dyspnea, exercise intolerance, anxiety disorders, and dizziness
since symptoms are relatively uncommon, what physical exam findings are associated with
mitral valve prolapse? - ANS non-ejection click in systole
click is mobile, meaning its timing varies with maneuvers that change the left ventricular
volume, occurring earlier in systole with sitting, standing, or other interventions that reduce
ventricular size, or later with those interventions that increase chamber size such as squatting
People with MVP tend to have lower BMIs
how would you distinguish vasospastic angina and angina associated with CAD? - ANS quality
of the CP is typically indistinguishable of the two
patients with vasospastic angina report that their episodes are predominantly at rest and that
many occur from midnight to early morning, while effort tolerance is usually preserved. CP
generally lasts 5 to 15 minutes
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
