Vascular surgery: claudication pharmacotherapy: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

General Surgery · Vascular surgery: claudication pharmacotherapy

Sample item

A 62-year-old man with stable intermittent claudication, on aspirin and a statin, is considered for a drug to lengthen walking distance. Which condition would contraindicate cilostazol?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Heart failure of any severity

Cilostazol is a phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitor with antiplatelet and vasodilator action that improves walking distance in claudication. Other PDE-3 inhibitors increase mortality in heart failure, so cilostazol is contraindicated in heart failure of any grade. Supervised exercise and risk-factor control remain the foundation of treatment.

Option by option

  • A. Hypertension

    Hypertension is not a contraindication and should be controlled alongside.

  • B. Type 2 diabetes mellitus

    Diabetes does not preclude cilostazol, although it increases the risk of peripheral disease.

  • C. Heart failure of any severity (correct)

    Correct. Heart failure is a contraindication because of the excess mortality seen with PDE-3 inhibitors.

  • D. Chronic kidney disease stage 2

    Mild renal impairment is not a contraindication.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is C, Heart failure of any severity. Cilostazol is a phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitor with antiplatelet and vasodilator action that improves walking distance in claudication.

Why is "Hypertension" not the answer?

Hypertension is not a contraindication and should be controlled alongside.

Why is "Type 2 diabetes mellitus" not the answer?

Diabetes does not preclude cilostazol, although it increases the risk of peripheral disease.

Why is "Chronic kidney disease stage 2" not the answer?

Mild renal impairment is not a contraindication.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vascular surgery: claudication pharmacotherapy in General Surgery. Other PDE-3 inhibitors increase mortality in heart failure, so cilostazol is contraindicated in heart failure of any grade. Supervised exercise and risk-factor control remain the foundation of treatment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Vascular surgery: claudication pharmacotherapy?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.