Question

Addison just went through a hard break up while trying to study for her MCAT exam. The breakup has caused her to suffer from extreme depression while studying has caused her to develop extreme stress. The stress and depression have increased her blood pressure. She not only has an increase in her blood pressure but her heart sounds also swish and whistle.

1. What effect does the extreme stress and depression causing her blood pressure to increase have on her heart?

A. screws up her cordae tendinae causing a prolapse

B. damages her semilunar valves

C. stops the blood flow in her heart

D. increases the SA nodes causing more permeability

E. two of the above are correct

2. What have the heart sounds that swish and whistle done to damage Addison’s heart?

A. created accumulated scare tissue

B. damaged the four valves within the heart

C. harms the blood flow by going in multiple directions through the heart

D. three of the above are correct

E. two of the above are correct

3. Addison’s adrenal glands have not been producing a good amount of cortisol due to her studying for the MCAT exam. Why is that so?

A. the hormones that regulate her body are not active

B. her stress levels are increasing causing her immune system to slow down

C. she is suffering from adrenal insufficiency

D. two of the above are correct

E. none of the above are correct

Answer 1

1. Increases the SA node causing more permiability.

The increase in stress makes the production of more stress hormones. These stress hormone acts by increasing the heart rate. This done by stimulating the SA node to fire more. No damage is created in the SA valves and no blood flow is is obstructed.

2. harms the blood flow by going in multiple directions through the heart.

This is the turbulent flow of the blood in the heart. As the stress increase the pressure. It leads to the blood flow in multi directions. It cannot damage the four heart valves. But can damage the two AV valves.

3. Two of the options are correct.

The hormones regulate her body activities are not active

She is suffering from adrenal insufficiency.

The cortisol is a stress hormone. This produced in relation to stress from the adrenal gland. If it is less in a stress means it's due to the adrenal insufficiency in producing it or the corticotropin releasing hormone necessary for the cortisol release is not active.