SARAH MICHELLE BOARD REVIEW 2026
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ What is the normal range for TSH? Answer: 0.5-5.0
◉ When do you order a full thyroid profile? Answer: If thyroid
screening of TSH comes back abnormal, then we will reorder TSH
and T3, T4.
◉ What disorder demonstrates a low TSH level and high T3 and T4
levels? Answer: Hyperthyroidism
◉ What disorder demonstrates a high TSH level and low T3 and T4
levels? Answer: Hypothyroidism
◉ What medication is used to treat hypothyroidism? Answer:
Levothyroxine (Synthroid)
◉ What dose of Synthroid do you want to start your patient on?
Answer: If patient is elderly or if they have a significant cardiac
history then we are going to start at a lower dose of 12.5-25 mcg po
daily.
In a normal healthy patient, we will start at 25-50 mcg po daily.
,◉ After initiation of medication for treatment of hypothyroidism,
when do you recheck TSH level? Answer: 6-8 weeks
◉ When TSH level is stabilized, how often do you recheck their
level? Answer: Every 6-12 months
◉ What is the go to medication for treatment of hyperthyroidism?
Answer: Tapazole and PTU
◉ How do you manage treatment for hyperthyroidism in a pregnant
patient? Answer: We need to use PTU instead if they are in their first
trimester. After first trimester, then they can be switched to tapazole.
◉ What medication class is used to treat symptoms of
hyperthyroidism? Answer: Beta-blockers- these help manage
tachycardia and palpitations
◉ What are 2 other treatments for the hyperthyroidism? Answer:
Thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine
◉ What labs are used to measure and evaluate kidney function?
Answer: GFR, BUN, Creatinine
,◉ What lab value is most accurate description of kidney function?
Answer: GFR- this is going to tell us how the kidneys are filtering the
blood and how well they are removing waste.
◉ What is a normal GFR value? Answer: >90
◉ What GFR value indicates an absolute need to start a patient on
dialysis? Answer: <15- this means that patient is in CKD stage 5
◉ What is the second most important lab value to measure kidney
function? Answer: Creatinine
◉ What is creatinine? Answer: A waste product in the blood. If your
kidneys are functioning properly, then this waste product is removed
by your kidneys. When kidney function decreases, your creatinine
level starts to rise.
◉ What is a normal creatine value? Answer: Around 1
◉ Why is BUN least telling for kidney function? Answer: Blood urea
nitrogen is a normal waste product when your body breaks down
urea. However, this is not specific to the kidneys. It can also indicate
liver issues.
, ◉ What is a normal BUN level? Answer: 10-20
◉ With which first-line BP medication do we want to check the
BUN/Cr? Answer: ACE Inhibitors
◉ What finding on a UA id indicative of true kidney damage?
Answer: Casts- WBC or RBC casts always need to be referred out
◉ When do we screen for microalbumin in the urine? Answer: We're
always going to screen when DM and HTN is first diagnosed.
◉ What are the most common causes of CKD? Answer: HTN and DM
◉ Why is it important to perform early screening for microalbumin
in the urine? Answer: Patients who have mild kidney damage do not
have symptoms, this screening will ideally identify damage early and
prevent progression.
◉ What stage of CKD do patients show true symptoms? Answer:
Stage 3 or worse
◉ How often are we screening for micro albumin? Answer: Bare
minimum is going to be annually for patients with DM or HTN or
both.
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ What is the normal range for TSH? Answer: 0.5-5.0
◉ When do you order a full thyroid profile? Answer: If thyroid
screening of TSH comes back abnormal, then we will reorder TSH
and T3, T4.
◉ What disorder demonstrates a low TSH level and high T3 and T4
levels? Answer: Hyperthyroidism
◉ What disorder demonstrates a high TSH level and low T3 and T4
levels? Answer: Hypothyroidism
◉ What medication is used to treat hypothyroidism? Answer:
Levothyroxine (Synthroid)
◉ What dose of Synthroid do you want to start your patient on?
Answer: If patient is elderly or if they have a significant cardiac
history then we are going to start at a lower dose of 12.5-25 mcg po
daily.
In a normal healthy patient, we will start at 25-50 mcg po daily.
,◉ After initiation of medication for treatment of hypothyroidism,
when do you recheck TSH level? Answer: 6-8 weeks
◉ When TSH level is stabilized, how often do you recheck their
level? Answer: Every 6-12 months
◉ What is the go to medication for treatment of hyperthyroidism?
Answer: Tapazole and PTU
◉ How do you manage treatment for hyperthyroidism in a pregnant
patient? Answer: We need to use PTU instead if they are in their first
trimester. After first trimester, then they can be switched to tapazole.
◉ What medication class is used to treat symptoms of
hyperthyroidism? Answer: Beta-blockers- these help manage
tachycardia and palpitations
◉ What are 2 other treatments for the hyperthyroidism? Answer:
Thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine
◉ What labs are used to measure and evaluate kidney function?
Answer: GFR, BUN, Creatinine
,◉ What lab value is most accurate description of kidney function?
Answer: GFR- this is going to tell us how the kidneys are filtering the
blood and how well they are removing waste.
◉ What is a normal GFR value? Answer: >90
◉ What GFR value indicates an absolute need to start a patient on
dialysis? Answer: <15- this means that patient is in CKD stage 5
◉ What is the second most important lab value to measure kidney
function? Answer: Creatinine
◉ What is creatinine? Answer: A waste product in the blood. If your
kidneys are functioning properly, then this waste product is removed
by your kidneys. When kidney function decreases, your creatinine
level starts to rise.
◉ What is a normal creatine value? Answer: Around 1
◉ Why is BUN least telling for kidney function? Answer: Blood urea
nitrogen is a normal waste product when your body breaks down
urea. However, this is not specific to the kidneys. It can also indicate
liver issues.
, ◉ What is a normal BUN level? Answer: 10-20
◉ With which first-line BP medication do we want to check the
BUN/Cr? Answer: ACE Inhibitors
◉ What finding on a UA id indicative of true kidney damage?
Answer: Casts- WBC or RBC casts always need to be referred out
◉ When do we screen for microalbumin in the urine? Answer: We're
always going to screen when DM and HTN is first diagnosed.
◉ What are the most common causes of CKD? Answer: HTN and DM
◉ Why is it important to perform early screening for microalbumin
in the urine? Answer: Patients who have mild kidney damage do not
have symptoms, this screening will ideally identify damage early and
prevent progression.
◉ What stage of CKD do patients show true symptoms? Answer:
Stage 3 or worse
◉ How often are we screening for micro albumin? Answer: Bare
minimum is going to be annually for patients with DM or HTN or
both.
