Cardiac Medicine Certification (CMC) Practice Exam

Acute heart failure can result in tissue necrosis due to inadequate perfusion and oxygen delivery to various organs and tissues. When the heart is unable to pump effectively, it can lead to decreased cardiac output, which diminishes the blood flow to vital areas of the body. Consequently, when tissues do not receive sufficient blood supply, they can suffer from ischemia, leading to cell damage and ultimately necrosis. This process can affect multiple organs, particularly under severe cases of heart failure, where systemic effects become prominent. While the other conditions listed may arise in some contexts related to heart issues, they are not direct consequences of acute heart failure in the same way. Decreased heart rate, for instance, is not typically associated with acute heart failure, as the heart may actually compensate by increasing the rate initially. Hypotensive shock can occur but is often a result of severe cases of heart failure leading to shock rather than a direct result of the heart failure itself. Stable angina, which is characterized by predictable chest pain due to exertion, is also not a direct outcome of acute heart failure; rather, it suggests a different underlying condition like coronary artery disease.