2% of candidates passed this question.

The question was very specific for the cardiovascular system and therefore answers that described respiratory changes and airway modulation failed to score marks. This answer leant itself to a tabular format. Candidates are reminded to ensure they document the facts in the correct column i.e. obesity facts in the obesity column. The cardiovascular changes associated with term pregnancy are well described in various texts. Those associated with morbid obesity required some integration from various sources and would include a structured series of comments such as heart rate (unchanged), blood pressure (tendency for hypertension), stoke volume (increased), cardiac output (increased), blood volume (increased – although perhaps decreased on a ml/kg basis), systolic function (preserved or increased), LV wall thickness increased. The pathological changes seen with the diseases associated with obesity are difficult to tease out and better answers identified this. Morbid obesity has a specific definition and stating this aided focus of the answers.