NBME 3q

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NBME 3q

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4 Posts

epc924
Forum Junior

Topics: 11
Posts: 60

03/13/08 - 01:29 AM

39. After eating, a 40-year-old woman has a vague feeling of discomfort in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Ultrasonography discloses several small calculi, believed to be cholesterol gallstones, in the gallbladder. She begins oral therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid. Which of the following is the best rationale for this treatment?

A ) Addition of bilirubin to the bile

B ) Decrease in the concentration of bile acids

C ) Decrease in the ratio of cholesterol to bile acids

D ) Increase in the ability of the gallbladder to concentrate bile

E ) Increase in the concentration of lecithin in bile

the answer given is B. But I looked up online about the function of ursodeoxycholic acid. it is to remove cholesterol from gallstone and also inhibit absorbtion of cholesterol. can anyone help me explain this?

yarab99
Forum Elite
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Topics: 15
Posts: 260

03/13/08 - 01:52 AM

I saw it somewhere ,dont remember where , that its function is to dillute bile,,let me check again

macintosh
Forum Elite

Topics: 38
Posts: 178

03/13/08 - 02:00 PM

I pick choice "C" (i.e. Decrease in the ratio of cholesterol to bile acids)

Ursodeoxycholic acid is a bile acid, more specifically the secondary bile acid. It emulsifies fat, and because of this ability it is used in patients with gallstones to dissolve the stones. Additionally it also prevents reabsorption of cholesterol in the small intestine.

epc924
Forum Junior

Topics: 11
Posts: 60

03/14/08 - 02:48 AM

macintosh wrote:
I pick choice "C" (i.e. Decrease in the ratio of cholesterol to bile acids)

Ursodeoxycholic acid is a bile acid, more specifically the secondary bile acid. It emulsifies fat, and because of this ability it is used in patients with gallstones to dissolve the stones. Additionally it also prevents reabsorption of cholesterol in the small intestine.

i chose C too .. but the answer says B shaking head

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