CEA Prep: Full Practice Exam
Questions and Answers (Latest 2026).
The patient is exhibiting a productive cough and a low-grade fever. Chest X-ray on PA view shows a
left lower chest area of consolidation adjacent to the left border of the heart approximately 2 rib
spaces above the costophrenic angle. The lateral x-ray view shows this lesion absent of the window
posterior to the cardiac silhouette. Which is the most likely location of this area of focal
consolidation?
*Left upper lobe apex
*Right middle lobe
*Left upper lobe lingula
*Left lower lobe - CORRECT ANSWERS Left upper lobe lingula
Ratonale: Lingular consolidation is described in this question precisely. If the cardiac
margin/silhouette is obliterated by the mass, the lesion is either right middle lobe or left upper
lobe lingula.
The inability to fully relax the myocardium during relaxation is a trademark of which of the
following diagnoses? - CORRECT ANSWERS Diastolic dysfunction
Rationale: The inability for the heart to relax is a trademark of the diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction
and is common in patients with thickened hypertrophic myocardium.
An otherwise healthy African American adult male has been diagnosed with hypertension. He has
been restricting his salt intake, eating a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, and
exercising more, but his blood pressure is still elevated. Which is the BEST medication to prescribe
him? - CORRECT ANSWERS Calcium channel blocker
Rationale: African American patients per JNC8 Hypertension Guidelines should be managed with a
dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker such as amlodipine (Norvasc) as first line management
therapy for hypertension not at goal with DASH and lifestyle modifications.
Your patient has been diagnosed with a 4.5cm ascending aortic aneurysm. Which medical imaging
is considered standard of care for serial surveillance? - CORRECT ANSWERS CT
angiography of the chest
Rationale: CT angiography is considered the standard of care for measuring vascular luminal
dimensions with contrast. CT PE protocol is not timed properly for the aorta (it's timed for the
pulmonary artery). Although a plain film is able to catch large aneurysms at times, they are not
able to provide multi-axis reconstruction needed to accurately measure the size. Transesophageal
echo is not needed to accurately measure the aorta and requires the patient to undergo sedation
which is unnecessary.
Which of the following medications does not cause beta 1 stimulation? - CORRECT ANSWERS
phenylephrine
Rationale: Phenylephrine only stimulates alpha 1 receptors. The remaining three all have beta
receptor activity.
,A 50-year-old woman with a history of hypertension presents with dyspnea on exertion and
orthopnea. On examination, she has jugular venous distention and bilateral crackles on lung
auscultation. What is the most likely diagnosis? - CORRECT ANSWERS Congestive heart
failure
Rationale: Of the available options, the most accurate response is congestive heart failure as it is
signifying both a right ventricular back up with jugular venous extension and crackles on lung
assault, which are suggestive of left ventricular back up. it is possible the patient may have an
acute myocardial infarction that precipitated this, however, a patient has not described that,
rather is only describing dyspnea on exertion and orthopnea, which both speak to a state of fluid
overload. The only appropriate response of these available is congestive heart failure.
Your patient with a history of HFrEF (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction) with an ejection
fraction of 40% who is also not on optimal medical therapy has been diagnosed with a myocardial
infarction this admission and received emergent placement of a drug-eluting stent to the left
anterior descending artery. As the medical home who will manage this patient after discharge,
which medication strategy would you expect to be a priority in the patient's care? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Ordering a transthoracic echocardiogram and order a Lifevest if EF is less than
35%
Rationale: The patient should have a protective mechanism such as an implantable automated
cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) or a Lifevest if the EF is less than 35% due to the increased risk of
sudden cardiac death with low EF states. Since most patients are not eligible for 90 days for an
AICD in this state, optimizing their medication regimen and repeating an echo in 2-3 months to re-
evaluate for improvement in their EF is required by most insurance companies. A baseline echo is
needed at discharge to provide a baseline for improvement vs their repeat echo in 2-3 months.
Dual anti-platelet therapy is required for 12 months minimum post-MI.
A Holter monitor does not provide any conceivable benefit for this patient as presented.
Which of the following people groups represent the least risk of cardiac disease? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Caucasians
Rationale: Statistically African Americans, Native Hawaiians, and American Indians are at at
increased risk of cardiac disease due to higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity than
Caucasians.
A 65-year-old woman presents for a follow-up examination. She is a smoker, and her hypertension
is now adequately controlled with medication. Her mother died at age 40 from a heart attack. The
fasting lipid profile shows cholesterol = 240 mg/dL, HDL = 30, and LDL = 200. In addition to starting
therapeutic lifestyle changes, the nurse practitioner should start the patient on: - CORRECT
ANSWERS a statin drug.
Rationale: Bile acid sequestrants and cholesterol absorption inhibitors may be useful in reducing
ASVD risk, but for a patient who is an active smoker with premature coronary disease history (less
than age 65 for women), has hypertension and is far from an LDL goal, this patient is most certainly
a candidate for statin therapy, which represents the most aggressive therapy option of these four
listed.
Which of the following end-organ sequelae is not directly caused by uncontrolled hypertension? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Peripheral neuropathy
Ratioanle: Although patients with hypertension frequently have peripheral neuropathy, it is only
directly attributed to patients who are also diabetic and is commonly found in non-hypertensive
,diabetic patients. Proteinuria, AV nicking, and hemorrhagic stroke are all caused by uncontrolled
hypertension.
Preventive cardiac care should focus primarily on addressing all the following except? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Genetic predisposition
Rationale: Smoking cessation, exercise, and medication compliance all represent modifiable risk
factors and should be the focus of preventive care. Non-modifiable risk factors such as age, gender,
genetic/family history should not be the primary focus of prevention.
A 33-year-old woman presents with irregular menstrual cycles, hirsutism, and obesity. Laboratory
tests reveal elevated serum testosterone and LH ratio > 2:1. What is the most appropriate initial
treatment? - CORRECT ANSWERS Oral contraceptives
Rationale: These are classic symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome and the patient should be
treated with oral contraceptives to help stabilize their estrogen and progesterone. Additionally,
they may be managed on metformin and/or spironolactone for their PCOS.
Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) are often the first pharmacological treatment for polycystic ovary
syndrome (PCOS) because they help manage in several ways:
Menstrual irregularities: OCPs can help regulate menstrual cycles, making periods lighter and more
regular. This is important because irregular ovulation can lead to endometrial hyperplasia, which is
a buildup of uterine tissue that can increase the risk of uterine cancer.
Androgen excess: OCPs can reduce androgen production and increase sex hormone-binding
globulin (SHBG), which binds androgens. This can help reduce symptoms like acne, hirsutism
(unwanted body and facial hair), and androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness).
Endometrium protection: OCPs can protect the endometrium by ensuring regular ovulation
A 50-year-old woman with hypertension and diabetes comes in for a routine check-up. What
screening test should be regularly performed to monitor for early signs of diabetic nephropathy? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Urine dipstick for protein
Rationale: The most sensitive indicator of diabetic nephropathy would be the evidence of small
proteins in the urine (proteinuria) as found on urinalysis. The other options might describe macro-
organ function (such as BUN/Creat from a BMP, a renal biopsy which is not indicated for routine
diabetic nephropathy testing, and a Abd CT, which is more akin to evaluation of less subtle
findings), but at the functional level of the nephron, namely the glomerulus, evidence of glucose-
related damage is easily identified with proteinuria from a UA.
Which of the following is at highest risk for DMII? - CORRECT ANSWERS An adult woman
with a BMI of 27 who just delivered a baby weighing 9 1/2 lbs
Rationale: Of these options, an adult woman with a BMI of 27 who just delivered a baby weighing 9
1/2 lbs is the most likely due to their increased BMI and the large size of the baby. giving birth to a
large baby, also known as a large-for-gestational-age (LGA) baby, can increase the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Women who give birth to a LGA baby are 10% more likely
to develop DMII 10-14 years after pregnancy compared to women who give birth to babies of
average gestational age (AGA). This increased risk is even after adjusting for other risk factors, such
as age, obesity, high blood pressure, and family history of diabetes.
A starting dose for a elderly adult patient with a BMI of 20 needing levothryoxine - CORRECT
ANSWERS 25 mcg
, Rationale: The widely considered best practice for treatment of hypothyroidism in the elderly is to
"go slow and start low". 25 mcg is the most appropriate low dose to start with of these options. It
is possible that over time the dose will be increased until therapeutic levels are obtained, but the
risk of over-dosing the patient outweighs the desire to quickly achieve this state.
An adult female who recently returned for a recheck appointment. The only remarkable laboratory
result is for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), at 0.3 microunits/mL (normal = 0.4-6
microunits/mL). The patient reports that her neck hurts; examination reveals thyroid tenderness.
Which of the following laboratory tests should the nurse practitioner order now? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Triiodothyronine (T3) and free thyroxine (FT4)
Rationale: Remember that a patient with low TSH is suspicious of hyperthyroidism with a
corresponding finding of elevated T3/T4 and clinical symptoms of a goiter, tremulousness, anxiety,
palpitations, weight loss, insomnia, diarrhea, etc. This patient is describing a sore neck as well,
which is suggestive of Graves disease (hyperthyroid state).
All the following are symptoms of hypocalcemia except: - CORRECT ANSWERS Visual
field deficits
Rationale: Visual field deficits is a potential symptom of pituitary adenoma. All other are symptoms
related to hypocalcemia.
An adult patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus presents for a recheck. The patient
follows a carbohydrate counting diet and walks 30 minutes 5 times weekly. Current fasting blood
glucose = 116 mg/dL [normal = less than 99 mg/dL] and A1c = 6.3% [normal = less than 7.0%]. In
accordance with the American Diabetes Association, the nurse practitioner would recommend that
the next follow-up appointment be scheduled for: - CORRECT ANSWERS 6 months.
Rationale: Based off of the ADA recommendation, this patient should be evaluated in six months.
They are actually showing good control and excellent compliance with diet and exercise
management strategies. If there compliance was worse or they were not controlled with their A1c,
this would likely be a three month follow up.
Your patient has a diagnosis of Hashimoto's and is on Levothyroxine 75 mcg daily. Her recent TSH
was elevated at 15 uU/mL. Your next best action is to: - CORRECT ANSWERS Increase
Levothyroxine to 100 mcg daily
Rationale: When the TSH is elevated the patient needs more thyroid hormone. Once diagnosed
with Hashimoto's there is no clinical need/benefit to repeating anti bodies.
A patient has a 3 cm pituitary mass noted on CT. What is your next step in evaluating the patient? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Screen for hormone deficiencies
Rationale: Initial work up includes hormone testing. Cabergoline is the treatment for prolactinoma.
Surgery consult is indicated when there are VF deficits and/or abutment/compression on optic
nerves or chiasm or if adenoma is hyperfunctioning. Adenomas >1 cm with no VF deficit or
abutment/compression of optic nerves or chiasm require a follow up MRI at 6 months.
An adult female presents with a chief complaint of fatigue and weight gain. She states that she
doesn't feel like herself. A diagnosis of hypothyroidism is suspected. Which of the following
physical findings would support this diagnosis? - CORRECT ANSWERS Dry skin,
bradycardia, and hypoactive deep tendon reflexes
Questions and Answers (Latest 2026).
The patient is exhibiting a productive cough and a low-grade fever. Chest X-ray on PA view shows a
left lower chest area of consolidation adjacent to the left border of the heart approximately 2 rib
spaces above the costophrenic angle. The lateral x-ray view shows this lesion absent of the window
posterior to the cardiac silhouette. Which is the most likely location of this area of focal
consolidation?
*Left upper lobe apex
*Right middle lobe
*Left upper lobe lingula
*Left lower lobe - CORRECT ANSWERS Left upper lobe lingula
Ratonale: Lingular consolidation is described in this question precisely. If the cardiac
margin/silhouette is obliterated by the mass, the lesion is either right middle lobe or left upper
lobe lingula.
The inability to fully relax the myocardium during relaxation is a trademark of which of the
following diagnoses? - CORRECT ANSWERS Diastolic dysfunction
Rationale: The inability for the heart to relax is a trademark of the diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction
and is common in patients with thickened hypertrophic myocardium.
An otherwise healthy African American adult male has been diagnosed with hypertension. He has
been restricting his salt intake, eating a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, and
exercising more, but his blood pressure is still elevated. Which is the BEST medication to prescribe
him? - CORRECT ANSWERS Calcium channel blocker
Rationale: African American patients per JNC8 Hypertension Guidelines should be managed with a
dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker such as amlodipine (Norvasc) as first line management
therapy for hypertension not at goal with DASH and lifestyle modifications.
Your patient has been diagnosed with a 4.5cm ascending aortic aneurysm. Which medical imaging
is considered standard of care for serial surveillance? - CORRECT ANSWERS CT
angiography of the chest
Rationale: CT angiography is considered the standard of care for measuring vascular luminal
dimensions with contrast. CT PE protocol is not timed properly for the aorta (it's timed for the
pulmonary artery). Although a plain film is able to catch large aneurysms at times, they are not
able to provide multi-axis reconstruction needed to accurately measure the size. Transesophageal
echo is not needed to accurately measure the aorta and requires the patient to undergo sedation
which is unnecessary.
Which of the following medications does not cause beta 1 stimulation? - CORRECT ANSWERS
phenylephrine
Rationale: Phenylephrine only stimulates alpha 1 receptors. The remaining three all have beta
receptor activity.
,A 50-year-old woman with a history of hypertension presents with dyspnea on exertion and
orthopnea. On examination, she has jugular venous distention and bilateral crackles on lung
auscultation. What is the most likely diagnosis? - CORRECT ANSWERS Congestive heart
failure
Rationale: Of the available options, the most accurate response is congestive heart failure as it is
signifying both a right ventricular back up with jugular venous extension and crackles on lung
assault, which are suggestive of left ventricular back up. it is possible the patient may have an
acute myocardial infarction that precipitated this, however, a patient has not described that,
rather is only describing dyspnea on exertion and orthopnea, which both speak to a state of fluid
overload. The only appropriate response of these available is congestive heart failure.
Your patient with a history of HFrEF (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction) with an ejection
fraction of 40% who is also not on optimal medical therapy has been diagnosed with a myocardial
infarction this admission and received emergent placement of a drug-eluting stent to the left
anterior descending artery. As the medical home who will manage this patient after discharge,
which medication strategy would you expect to be a priority in the patient's care? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Ordering a transthoracic echocardiogram and order a Lifevest if EF is less than
35%
Rationale: The patient should have a protective mechanism such as an implantable automated
cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) or a Lifevest if the EF is less than 35% due to the increased risk of
sudden cardiac death with low EF states. Since most patients are not eligible for 90 days for an
AICD in this state, optimizing their medication regimen and repeating an echo in 2-3 months to re-
evaluate for improvement in their EF is required by most insurance companies. A baseline echo is
needed at discharge to provide a baseline for improvement vs their repeat echo in 2-3 months.
Dual anti-platelet therapy is required for 12 months minimum post-MI.
A Holter monitor does not provide any conceivable benefit for this patient as presented.
Which of the following people groups represent the least risk of cardiac disease? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Caucasians
Rationale: Statistically African Americans, Native Hawaiians, and American Indians are at at
increased risk of cardiac disease due to higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity than
Caucasians.
A 65-year-old woman presents for a follow-up examination. She is a smoker, and her hypertension
is now adequately controlled with medication. Her mother died at age 40 from a heart attack. The
fasting lipid profile shows cholesterol = 240 mg/dL, HDL = 30, and LDL = 200. In addition to starting
therapeutic lifestyle changes, the nurse practitioner should start the patient on: - CORRECT
ANSWERS a statin drug.
Rationale: Bile acid sequestrants and cholesterol absorption inhibitors may be useful in reducing
ASVD risk, but for a patient who is an active smoker with premature coronary disease history (less
than age 65 for women), has hypertension and is far from an LDL goal, this patient is most certainly
a candidate for statin therapy, which represents the most aggressive therapy option of these four
listed.
Which of the following end-organ sequelae is not directly caused by uncontrolled hypertension? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Peripheral neuropathy
Ratioanle: Although patients with hypertension frequently have peripheral neuropathy, it is only
directly attributed to patients who are also diabetic and is commonly found in non-hypertensive
,diabetic patients. Proteinuria, AV nicking, and hemorrhagic stroke are all caused by uncontrolled
hypertension.
Preventive cardiac care should focus primarily on addressing all the following except? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Genetic predisposition
Rationale: Smoking cessation, exercise, and medication compliance all represent modifiable risk
factors and should be the focus of preventive care. Non-modifiable risk factors such as age, gender,
genetic/family history should not be the primary focus of prevention.
A 33-year-old woman presents with irregular menstrual cycles, hirsutism, and obesity. Laboratory
tests reveal elevated serum testosterone and LH ratio > 2:1. What is the most appropriate initial
treatment? - CORRECT ANSWERS Oral contraceptives
Rationale: These are classic symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome and the patient should be
treated with oral contraceptives to help stabilize their estrogen and progesterone. Additionally,
they may be managed on metformin and/or spironolactone for their PCOS.
Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) are often the first pharmacological treatment for polycystic ovary
syndrome (PCOS) because they help manage in several ways:
Menstrual irregularities: OCPs can help regulate menstrual cycles, making periods lighter and more
regular. This is important because irregular ovulation can lead to endometrial hyperplasia, which is
a buildup of uterine tissue that can increase the risk of uterine cancer.
Androgen excess: OCPs can reduce androgen production and increase sex hormone-binding
globulin (SHBG), which binds androgens. This can help reduce symptoms like acne, hirsutism
(unwanted body and facial hair), and androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness).
Endometrium protection: OCPs can protect the endometrium by ensuring regular ovulation
A 50-year-old woman with hypertension and diabetes comes in for a routine check-up. What
screening test should be regularly performed to monitor for early signs of diabetic nephropathy? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Urine dipstick for protein
Rationale: The most sensitive indicator of diabetic nephropathy would be the evidence of small
proteins in the urine (proteinuria) as found on urinalysis. The other options might describe macro-
organ function (such as BUN/Creat from a BMP, a renal biopsy which is not indicated for routine
diabetic nephropathy testing, and a Abd CT, which is more akin to evaluation of less subtle
findings), but at the functional level of the nephron, namely the glomerulus, evidence of glucose-
related damage is easily identified with proteinuria from a UA.
Which of the following is at highest risk for DMII? - CORRECT ANSWERS An adult woman
with a BMI of 27 who just delivered a baby weighing 9 1/2 lbs
Rationale: Of these options, an adult woman with a BMI of 27 who just delivered a baby weighing 9
1/2 lbs is the most likely due to their increased BMI and the large size of the baby. giving birth to a
large baby, also known as a large-for-gestational-age (LGA) baby, can increase the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Women who give birth to a LGA baby are 10% more likely
to develop DMII 10-14 years after pregnancy compared to women who give birth to babies of
average gestational age (AGA). This increased risk is even after adjusting for other risk factors, such
as age, obesity, high blood pressure, and family history of diabetes.
A starting dose for a elderly adult patient with a BMI of 20 needing levothryoxine - CORRECT
ANSWERS 25 mcg
, Rationale: The widely considered best practice for treatment of hypothyroidism in the elderly is to
"go slow and start low". 25 mcg is the most appropriate low dose to start with of these options. It
is possible that over time the dose will be increased until therapeutic levels are obtained, but the
risk of over-dosing the patient outweighs the desire to quickly achieve this state.
An adult female who recently returned for a recheck appointment. The only remarkable laboratory
result is for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), at 0.3 microunits/mL (normal = 0.4-6
microunits/mL). The patient reports that her neck hurts; examination reveals thyroid tenderness.
Which of the following laboratory tests should the nurse practitioner order now? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Triiodothyronine (T3) and free thyroxine (FT4)
Rationale: Remember that a patient with low TSH is suspicious of hyperthyroidism with a
corresponding finding of elevated T3/T4 and clinical symptoms of a goiter, tremulousness, anxiety,
palpitations, weight loss, insomnia, diarrhea, etc. This patient is describing a sore neck as well,
which is suggestive of Graves disease (hyperthyroid state).
All the following are symptoms of hypocalcemia except: - CORRECT ANSWERS Visual
field deficits
Rationale: Visual field deficits is a potential symptom of pituitary adenoma. All other are symptoms
related to hypocalcemia.
An adult patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus presents for a recheck. The patient
follows a carbohydrate counting diet and walks 30 minutes 5 times weekly. Current fasting blood
glucose = 116 mg/dL [normal = less than 99 mg/dL] and A1c = 6.3% [normal = less than 7.0%]. In
accordance with the American Diabetes Association, the nurse practitioner would recommend that
the next follow-up appointment be scheduled for: - CORRECT ANSWERS 6 months.
Rationale: Based off of the ADA recommendation, this patient should be evaluated in six months.
They are actually showing good control and excellent compliance with diet and exercise
management strategies. If there compliance was worse or they were not controlled with their A1c,
this would likely be a three month follow up.
Your patient has a diagnosis of Hashimoto's and is on Levothyroxine 75 mcg daily. Her recent TSH
was elevated at 15 uU/mL. Your next best action is to: - CORRECT ANSWERS Increase
Levothyroxine to 100 mcg daily
Rationale: When the TSH is elevated the patient needs more thyroid hormone. Once diagnosed
with Hashimoto's there is no clinical need/benefit to repeating anti bodies.
A patient has a 3 cm pituitary mass noted on CT. What is your next step in evaluating the patient? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Screen for hormone deficiencies
Rationale: Initial work up includes hormone testing. Cabergoline is the treatment for prolactinoma.
Surgery consult is indicated when there are VF deficits and/or abutment/compression on optic
nerves or chiasm or if adenoma is hyperfunctioning. Adenomas >1 cm with no VF deficit or
abutment/compression of optic nerves or chiasm require a follow up MRI at 6 months.
An adult female presents with a chief complaint of fatigue and weight gain. She states that she
doesn't feel like herself. A diagnosis of hypothyroidism is suspected. Which of the following
physical findings would support this diagnosis? - CORRECT ANSWERS Dry skin,
bradycardia, and hypoactive deep tendon reflexes
