Study for the PANCE Cardiology Test. Enhance your knowledge with comprehensive flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question comes with hints and detailed explanations. Prepare thoroughly for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a major Duke criterion?

Infective endocarditis is diagnosed using the Duke criteria, which split findings into major and minor categories. Major criteria reflect strong evidence of infection of the endocardial surface: a typical organism in blood cultures (often in more than one culture) or positive cultures persistently, and imaging evidence of endocardial involvement such as vegetation seen on echocardiography or new-valve regurgitation. Fever, while common in many illnesses, is nonspecific and is classified as a minor criterion because it doesn’t by itself prove endocardial infection. Thus, fever ≥38.0°C is not a major Duke criterion. The other findings—positive blood cultures, vegetation on echocardiography, and new valvular regurgitation—are all major criteria.

Infective endocarditis is diagnosed using the Duke criteria, which split findings into major and minor categories. Major criteria reflect strong evidence of infection of the endocardial surface: a typical organism in blood cultures (often in more than one culture) or positive cultures persistently, and imaging evidence of endocardial involvement such as vegetation seen on echocardiography or new-valve regurgitation. Fever, while common in many illnesses, is nonspecific and is classified as a minor criterion because it doesn’t by itself prove endocardial infection. Thus, fever ≥38.0°C is not a major Duke criterion. The other findings—positive blood cultures, vegetation on echocardiography, and new valvular regurgitation—are all major criteria.