42648 A CARDIO MECH Friday, May 1, 2026 05 30pm – 08 30pm In Person HH
B103 SZAFRON JASON (jszafron).carnegie mellon university
42648 CARDIO MECH: 200 Q&A Plus Rationales
PART 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF CARDIOVASCULAR MECHANICS
Question 1:
A mechanical heart valve (MHV) is being discussed for a patient at Carnegie
Mellon's simulation lab. The student correctly identifies that the primary
disadvantage of a mechanical valve compared to a biological tissue valve is:
A. It is less durable and wears out faster.
B. It requires lifelong immunosuppressive therapy.
C. It is more thrombogenic, requiring lifelong anticoagulation.
D. It restricts the patient from all forms of exercise.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Mechanical heart valves are more durable than tissue valves, but their
synthetic materials make them highly thrombogenic (clot-forming). This
necessitates lifelong anticoagulation therapy with drugs like warfarin to prevent
stroke or valve thrombosis .
,Question 2:
In Prof. Szafron's lecture on "Vascular Mechanics," the concept of "Growth and
Remodeling" (G&R) in arteries is best described as:
A. The immediate dilation of a vessel in response to increased flow.
B. The long-term, adaptive changes in vessel wall structure and composition in
response to sustained mechanical stimuli.
C. The inflammatory response to an implanted stent.
D. The surgical replacement of a diseased vessel segment.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Growth and Remodeling (G&R) refers to the biological process by
which blood vessels alter their mass, composition, and structure (e.g., collagen,
elastin, smooth muscle) over weeks to months to adapt to chronic changes in
blood pressure or flow .
Question 3:
What is the standard medical imaging procedure a patient must undergo prior to
an angiocardiogram to ensure they do not have a severe allergic reaction?
A. CT scan of the chest
B. Skin test for lidocaine
,C. Ask if the client is allergic to shellfish or iodine
D. MRI of the heart
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Angiocardiograms use iodine-based contrast dye. A severe allergy to
shellfish (which is high in iodine) or a known iodine allergy is a major
contraindication, as it significantly increases the risk of anaphylaxis during the
procedure .
Question 4:
During the cardiac cycle, the systolic phase refers to:
A. Relaxation and filling of the ventricles.
B. Contraction and ejection of blood from the ventricles.
C. The period where all heart valves are closed (isovolumetric).
D. Repolarization of the atria.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Systole is the phase of the cardiac cycle where the heart muscle
contracts. In ventricular systole, the pressure rises above the aorta/pulmonary
trunk, forcing the semilunar valves open and ejecting blood.
, Question 5:
Vascular mechanics studies often use a "pressure-diameter" loop. An increase in
the slope of this loop (stiffness) indicates:
A. Increased vessel compliance.
B. Decreased vessel compliance.
C. Vasodilation.
D. Aneurysm formation.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Compliance (distensibility) is the change in volume for a given change
in pressure. A steeper slope means the vessel diameter changes very little even
when pressure increases significantly, which defines a stiff, non-compliant vessel
(often seen in aging or hypertension).
PART 2: HEMODYNAMICS AND CARDIAC OUTPUT
Question 6:
A patient post-MI has a low Cardiac Output (CO). The physician orders a drug to
increase contractility. What parameter defines Cardiac Output?
A. Heart Rate x Blood Pressure
B103 SZAFRON JASON (jszafron).carnegie mellon university
42648 CARDIO MECH: 200 Q&A Plus Rationales
PART 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF CARDIOVASCULAR MECHANICS
Question 1:
A mechanical heart valve (MHV) is being discussed for a patient at Carnegie
Mellon's simulation lab. The student correctly identifies that the primary
disadvantage of a mechanical valve compared to a biological tissue valve is:
A. It is less durable and wears out faster.
B. It requires lifelong immunosuppressive therapy.
C. It is more thrombogenic, requiring lifelong anticoagulation.
D. It restricts the patient from all forms of exercise.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Mechanical heart valves are more durable than tissue valves, but their
synthetic materials make them highly thrombogenic (clot-forming). This
necessitates lifelong anticoagulation therapy with drugs like warfarin to prevent
stroke or valve thrombosis .
,Question 2:
In Prof. Szafron's lecture on "Vascular Mechanics," the concept of "Growth and
Remodeling" (G&R) in arteries is best described as:
A. The immediate dilation of a vessel in response to increased flow.
B. The long-term, adaptive changes in vessel wall structure and composition in
response to sustained mechanical stimuli.
C. The inflammatory response to an implanted stent.
D. The surgical replacement of a diseased vessel segment.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Growth and Remodeling (G&R) refers to the biological process by
which blood vessels alter their mass, composition, and structure (e.g., collagen,
elastin, smooth muscle) over weeks to months to adapt to chronic changes in
blood pressure or flow .
Question 3:
What is the standard medical imaging procedure a patient must undergo prior to
an angiocardiogram to ensure they do not have a severe allergic reaction?
A. CT scan of the chest
B. Skin test for lidocaine
,C. Ask if the client is allergic to shellfish or iodine
D. MRI of the heart
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Angiocardiograms use iodine-based contrast dye. A severe allergy to
shellfish (which is high in iodine) or a known iodine allergy is a major
contraindication, as it significantly increases the risk of anaphylaxis during the
procedure .
Question 4:
During the cardiac cycle, the systolic phase refers to:
A. Relaxation and filling of the ventricles.
B. Contraction and ejection of blood from the ventricles.
C. The period where all heart valves are closed (isovolumetric).
D. Repolarization of the atria.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Systole is the phase of the cardiac cycle where the heart muscle
contracts. In ventricular systole, the pressure rises above the aorta/pulmonary
trunk, forcing the semilunar valves open and ejecting blood.
, Question 5:
Vascular mechanics studies often use a "pressure-diameter" loop. An increase in
the slope of this loop (stiffness) indicates:
A. Increased vessel compliance.
B. Decreased vessel compliance.
C. Vasodilation.
D. Aneurysm formation.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Compliance (distensibility) is the change in volume for a given change
in pressure. A steeper slope means the vessel diameter changes very little even
when pressure increases significantly, which defines a stiff, non-compliant vessel
(often seen in aging or hypertension).
PART 2: HEMODYNAMICS AND CARDIAC OUTPUT
Question 6:
A patient post-MI has a low Cardiac Output (CO). The physician orders a drug to
increase contractility. What parameter defines Cardiac Output?
A. Heart Rate x Blood Pressure
