Midterm Exam Study Guide:
GRADED A+. Questions and
Verified Answers. Latest 2026
Update
A patient presents for evaluation of a sharp, aching chest pain which increases
with breathing. Which anatomic area would you localize the symptom to?
A) Musculoskeletal
B) Reproductive
C) Urinary
D) Endocrine - Ans✔✔-A) Musculoskeletal
Chest pain may be due to a musculoskeletal condition, such as costochondritis
or
intercostal muscle cramp. This would be worsened by motion of the chest wall.
Pleuritic chest pain is also a sharp chest pain which increases with a deep
breath. This type of pain can
occur with inflammation of the pleura from pneumonia or other conditions and
pulmonary
embolus.
,A patient comes to the emergency room for evaluation of shortness of breath.
To which anatomic region would you assign the symptom?
A) Reproductive
B) Urinary
C) Cardiac
D) Hematologic - Ans✔✔-C) Cardiac
Cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure are the most likely on this list
to result in shortness of breath. There are cases within the other categories
which may also result
in shortness of breath, such as anemia in the hematologic category, pregnancy
in the reproductive
category, or sepsis with UTI in the urinary category.
A patient presents for evaluation of a cough. Which of the following anatomic
regions can be responsible for a cough?
A) Ophthalmologic
B) Auditory
C) Cardiac
D) Endocrine - Ans✔✔-C) Cardiac
The cardiac system can cause a cough if the patient has congestive heart
failure. This results in fluid buildup in the lungs, which in turn can cause a
cough that produces pink,
,frothy sputum. A foreign body in the ear may also cause a cough by stimulating
Arnold's branch of the vagus nerve, but this is less likely to be seen clinically
than heart failure.
A 22-year-old advertising copywriter presents for evaluation of joint pain. The
pain is new,
located in the wrists and fingers bilaterally, with some subjective fever. The
patient denies a
rash; she also denies recent travel or camping activities. She has a family
history significant for
rheumatoid arthritis. Based on this information, which of the following
pathologic processes
would be the most correct?
A) Infectious
B) Inflammatory
C) Hematologic
D) Traumatic - Ans✔✔-B) Inflammatory
The description is most consistent with an inflammatory process, although all
the other etiologies should be considered. Lyme disease is an infection which
commonly causes
arthritis, hemophilia is a hematologic condition which can cause bleeding in the
joints, and trauma can obviously cause joint pain.
A 47-year-old contractor presents for evaluation of neck pain, which has been
intermittent for several years. He normally takes over-the-counter medications
to ease the pain, but this time they haven't worked as well and he still has
, discomfort. He recently wallpapered the entire second floor in his house, which
caused him great discomfort. The pain resolved with rest. He denies fever,
chills, rash, upper respiratory symptoms, trauma, or injury to the neck. Based
on this description, what is the most likely pathologic process?
A) Infectious
B) Neoplastic
C) Degenerative
D) Traumatic - Ans✔✔-C) Degenerative
The description is most consistent with degenerative arthritis in the neck. The
patient has had intermittent symptoms and the questions asked to elicit
pertinent negative and
positive findings are negative for infectious, traumatic, or neoplastic disease.
A 15-year-old high school sophomore comes to the clinic for evaluation of a 3-
week history
of sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; clear nasal discharge; ear pain; and
nonproductive cough. Which
is the most likely pathologic process?
A) Infection
B) Inflammation
C) Allergic
D) Vascular - Ans✔✔-C) Allergic
This description is most consistent with allergic rhinitis.