Aspirin: ABFM practice questions

13 board-style questions on aspirin in the PulseMD family medicine question bank — physician-reviewed, written against current guidelines with the reference cited on each question. Two free samples below; the full set with answers, explanations, and spaced review is free to start.

Sample question 1

A 50-year-old man presents for a health maintenance visit. His BMI is 36 kg/m², blood pressure is 142/88 mmHg, fasting glucose is 92 mg/dL, triglycerides are 210 mg/dL, and HDL is 32 mg/dL. Waist circumference is 43 inches. He asks about his metabolic risk. According to the ATP III/AHA/NHLBI harmonized definition, which of the following best describes his metabolic syndrome status?

  1. He does not meet criteria because his BMI, not waist circumference, is the relevant measure
  2. He meets criteria for metabolic syndrome
  3. He does not meet criteria because only 2 of the required 5 components are abnormal
  4. He meets criteria only if his fasting glucose exceeds 100 mg/dL

Sample question 2

A 52-year-old man with well-controlled hypertension asks about aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. He has no history of cardiovascular events, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. His 10-year ASCVD risk is calculated at 14%. He has no history of GI bleeding or peptic ulcer disease. Based on the most recent USPSTF recommendations, what is the most appropriate advice?

  1. Aspirin is contraindicated for primary prevention in all patients and should never be recommended
  2. Start aspirin 325 mg daily given his intermediate cardiovascular risk profile
  3. Discuss initiation as an individual decision; net benefit of aspirin is small in adults aged 40-59
  4. Start aspirin 81 mg daily automatically since his 10-year ASCVD risk exceeds 10%

Create a free PulseMD account to answer these, see the explanations, and practice five minutes a day.

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