NBME Answers and Explanations

nbme21/Block 3/Question#35

A 63-year-old woman comes to the physician because ...

Increased resting cardiac output

+1 upvote downvote
submitted by cellgamesgojan(3),

AV Fistulas re-rout blood from the arterial system to the venous system, by-passing the Arterioles = Increase PL ---> INCREASE VR. All in all = Increase CO.

According to UWorld, the arterioles are a major source of resistance ... so bypassing the arterioles results in a decrease in Total Peripheral Resistance ... causing an increase in the rate and volume of blood returning to the heart. I am pretty sure there is more to the physiology behind this, but I hope this explained a little.

big92 "Immediately following creation, arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is associated with an increase in cardiac output (CO), achieved predominantly through a reduction in systemic vascular resistance, increased myocardial contractility, and an increase in stroke volume (SV) and heart rate. Over the following week, circulating blood volume increases in conjunction with increases in atrial and brain natriuretic peptides. These alterations are associated with early increases in left ventricular (LV) filling pressure with the potential for resultant impact on atrial and ventricular chamber dimensions and function." (PMID: 25258554) There's also another study by Epstein from the 1950s looking at the effects of AVF's effect on CO in men (PMID: 13052718). Apparently, the increase in resting CO is a big problem because it can lead to high-output cardiac failure (LVH).

+0 upvote downvote
submitted by nuts4med(0),

Anyone have an idea why the decreased arterial O2 saturation is incorrect? Assuming she has pulm edema since she has LE edema, wouldn't a lower O2 sat be expected too?

haliburton I believe there would be no decrease in O2 saturation because oxygenated blood (high pressure) is shunted into deoxygenated circuit. As long as the lungs can keep up, this should increase venous oxygenation on average.