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Question

A 38-year-old man presents with chest pain and shortness of breath. His pulse rate is $85$/min, blood pressure is $180/118$ mmHg and the cardiac auscultation reveals an ejection systolic murmur. The ECG shows LVH pattern and ST depression in the anterior leads. His Troponin T test is positive. The echocardiogram of the person is likely to reveal

The correct answer is
Aortic stenosis

Clinical Presentation Analysis

The patient presents with symptoms of chest pain and shortness of breath. Key clinical findings include severe hypertension (BP: $180/118$ mmHg), an ejection systolic murmur, LVH on ECG with anterior ST depression, and a positive Troponin T test.

Aortic Stenosis Diagnostic Reasoning

The combination of symptoms and findings points towards Aortic Stenosis (AS):

  • Murmur: An ejection systolic murmur indicates obstruction of blood flow from the left ventricle during contraction, characteristic of conditions like AS.
  • Symptoms: Angina (chest pain) and dyspnea (shortness of breath) are classic symptoms of AS, resulting from increased myocardial workload and oxygen demand.
  • ECG: Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) signifies the heart muscle adapting to increased pressure load, common in AS. ST depression suggests myocardial ischemia, potentially due to the imbalance between oxygen supply and demand, exacerbated by hypertension.
  • Troponin T: A positive result confirms myocardial injury, consistent with ischemia seen in severe AS.
  • Echocardiogram: This imaging modality is crucial for diagnosing AS by visualizing the aortic valve's structure, assessing the severity of stenosis (e.g., valve area, transvalvular gradients), and evaluating left ventricular function and hypertrophy.

Differential Diagnosis Exclusion

Other options are less likely:

  • Aortic Regurgitation: Typically causes a diastolic murmur.
  • Mitral Regurgitation: Characterized by a holosystolic murmur.
  • Mitral Valve Prolapse: Usually associated with mid-systolic clicks and/or late systolic murmurs, not typically the primary cause of severe LVH and ischemic symptoms described.

Given the clinical picture, the echocardiogram is most likely to reveal findings consistent with Aortic Stenosis.

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