Statins: ABFM practice questions

6 board-style questions on statins in the PulseMD family medicine question bank, 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 58-year-old woman with no history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes has an LDL cholesterol of 148 mg/dL, HDL of 52 mg/dL, total cholesterol of 228 mg/dL, and triglycerides of 140 mg/dL. Her 10-year ASCVD risk score is calculated at 9.5%. She exercises regularly and follows a healthy diet. According to the 2018 ACC/AHA cholesterol guidelines, what is the recommended approach?

1. Start ezetimibe monotherapy
2. Start high-intensity statin therapy
3. Continue lifestyle modifications only; statins are not indicated below 10% ASCVD risk
4. Start moderate-intensity statin therapy after a clinician-patient risk discussion

Sample question 2

A 50-year-old man with type 2 diabetes diagnosed 12 years ago presents for cardiovascular risk assessment. His LDL is 138 mg/dL and he has no known cardiovascular disease. Additional findings include microalbuminuria (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio 82 mg/g), mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and an ABI of 0.92. His 10-year ASCVD risk is calculated at 22%. According to ACC/AHA cholesterol guidelines, what statin intensity is recommended?

1. Moderate-intensity statin therapy
2. High-intensity statin therapy to reduce LDL by at least 50%
3. Low-intensity statin therapy
4. No statin is needed since LDL is below 190 mg/dL and he has no known ASCVD

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