A 55-year-old man comes to the GP because of progressive shortness of breath for the past 8 months. Physical examination shows JVD and pedal edema. A 2/6 holosystolic murmur that increases with inspiration is auscultated along the left sternal border. He has been smoking two packs of cigarettes daily for 30 years. Which of the following best explains the mechanism for his peripheral edema?
Decreased intravascular oncotic pressure
Increased peripheral vascular resistance
Increased pulmonary vascular resistance
Increased vascular permeability
Tricuspid regurgitation
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Cut-to-the-chase Answer (1:09):
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HY USMLE Answer (5:25):