NURS 231 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL EXAM -
PORTAGE LEARNING EXAM QUESTIONS AND
100% VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
GRADED A+ LATEST
1. A patient with chronic kidney disease has a serum potassium level of 6.2
mEq/L. Which finding would the nurse anticipate?
A. Muscle weakness and cardiac dysrhythmias
B. Polyuria and hypovolemia
C. Hyperreflexia and tachycardia
D. Constipation and hypotension
Answer: A
Rationale: Hyperkalemia can lead to muscle weakness and life-threatening cardiac
dysrhythmias due to impaired cardiac conduction.
2. Which pathophysiological mechanism is primarily responsible for edema in
heart failure?
A. Decreased oncotic pressure
B. Increased hydrostatic pressure
C. Increased capillary permeability
D. Lymphatic obstruction
Answer: B
Rationale: In heart failure, the heart cannot effectively pump blood, causing
increased hydrostatic pressure in capillaries, leading to fluid leakage into tissues.
,3. A patient presents with fatigue, pallor, and shortness of breath. Laboratory
results show hemoglobin 8 g/dL and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) 70 fL.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Iron-deficiency anemia
B. Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
C. Aplastic anemia
D. Hemolytic anemia
Answer: A
Rationale: Microcytic anemia (low MCV) with fatigue and pallor is most
commonly caused by iron deficiency.
4. Which compensatory mechanism occurs in metabolic acidosis?
A. Increased renal excretion of HCO₃⁻
B. Decreased respiratory rate
C. Increased respiratory rate
D. Increased bicarbonate reabsorption
Answer: C
Rationale: The respiratory system compensates for metabolic acidosis by
increasing ventilation (Kussmaul respirations) to decrease CO₂ levels.
5. Which of the following is a key pathophysiological feature of type 1 diabetes
mellitus?
A. Insulin resistance in peripheral tissues
B. Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells
C. Excessive hepatic gluconeogenesis due to stress
D. Impaired incretin hormone secretion
Answer: B
Rationale: Type 1 diabetes results from autoimmune-mediated destruction of
insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
,6. A patient with cirrhosis develops ascites. What is the primary mechanism
leading to fluid accumulation?
A. Hypoalbuminemia and portal hypertension
B. Increased aldosterone causing sodium excretion
C. Increased lymphatic drainage
D. Enhanced oncotic pressure in capillaries
Answer: A
Rationale: Liver dysfunction leads to low albumin (reduces plasma oncotic
pressure) and portal hypertension, resulting in fluid accumulation in the peritoneal
cavity.
7. Which cardiac biomarker is most specific for myocardial infarction?
A. Myoglobin
B. Troponin I
C. Creatine kinase (CK-MB)
D. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
Answer: B
Rationale: Troponin I is highly specific to cardiac tissue and remains elevated for
several days after myocardial injury.
8. A patient presents with jaundice, dark urine, and clay-colored stools.
Which type of jaundice does this suggest?
A. Hemolytic
B. Hepatocellular
C. Obstructive
D. Physiologic
Answer: C
Rationale: Obstructive jaundice occurs when bile flow is blocked, leading to dark
urine (bilirubin excretion) and pale stools (lack of bile pigments).
, 9. Which of the following best describes the pathophysiology of asthma?
A. Autoimmune destruction of alveoli
B. Chronic inflammation and bronchoconstriction
C. Alveolar fluid accumulation due to left heart failure
D. Progressive fibrosis of lung tissue
Answer: B
Rationale: Asthma is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation,
and reversible bronchoconstriction.
10. A patient with hyperthyroidism presents with palpitations, weight loss,
and heat intolerance. Which lab finding would most likely be present?
A. Decreased T3 and T4, increased TSH
B. Increased T3 and T4, decreased TSH
C. Increased TSH, normal T3 and T4
D. Decreased TSH, decreased T3 and T4
Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperthyroidism typically shows elevated thyroid hormones (T3 and
T4) with suppressed TSH due to negative feedback.
11. A patient is diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD). Which blood gas pattern is characteristic of chronic respiratory
failure in COPD?
A. Respiratory alkalosis with hypoxemia
B. Respiratory acidosis with hypercapnia
C. Metabolic acidosis with hypokalemia
D. Metabolic alkalosis with hypernatremia
Answer: B
Rationale: COPD leads to chronic CO₂ retention, causing respiratory acidosis with
elevated PaCO₂.
PORTAGE LEARNING EXAM QUESTIONS AND
100% VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
GRADED A+ LATEST
1. A patient with chronic kidney disease has a serum potassium level of 6.2
mEq/L. Which finding would the nurse anticipate?
A. Muscle weakness and cardiac dysrhythmias
B. Polyuria and hypovolemia
C. Hyperreflexia and tachycardia
D. Constipation and hypotension
Answer: A
Rationale: Hyperkalemia can lead to muscle weakness and life-threatening cardiac
dysrhythmias due to impaired cardiac conduction.
2. Which pathophysiological mechanism is primarily responsible for edema in
heart failure?
A. Decreased oncotic pressure
B. Increased hydrostatic pressure
C. Increased capillary permeability
D. Lymphatic obstruction
Answer: B
Rationale: In heart failure, the heart cannot effectively pump blood, causing
increased hydrostatic pressure in capillaries, leading to fluid leakage into tissues.
,3. A patient presents with fatigue, pallor, and shortness of breath. Laboratory
results show hemoglobin 8 g/dL and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) 70 fL.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
A. Iron-deficiency anemia
B. Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
C. Aplastic anemia
D. Hemolytic anemia
Answer: A
Rationale: Microcytic anemia (low MCV) with fatigue and pallor is most
commonly caused by iron deficiency.
4. Which compensatory mechanism occurs in metabolic acidosis?
A. Increased renal excretion of HCO₃⁻
B. Decreased respiratory rate
C. Increased respiratory rate
D. Increased bicarbonate reabsorption
Answer: C
Rationale: The respiratory system compensates for metabolic acidosis by
increasing ventilation (Kussmaul respirations) to decrease CO₂ levels.
5. Which of the following is a key pathophysiological feature of type 1 diabetes
mellitus?
A. Insulin resistance in peripheral tissues
B. Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells
C. Excessive hepatic gluconeogenesis due to stress
D. Impaired incretin hormone secretion
Answer: B
Rationale: Type 1 diabetes results from autoimmune-mediated destruction of
insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
,6. A patient with cirrhosis develops ascites. What is the primary mechanism
leading to fluid accumulation?
A. Hypoalbuminemia and portal hypertension
B. Increased aldosterone causing sodium excretion
C. Increased lymphatic drainage
D. Enhanced oncotic pressure in capillaries
Answer: A
Rationale: Liver dysfunction leads to low albumin (reduces plasma oncotic
pressure) and portal hypertension, resulting in fluid accumulation in the peritoneal
cavity.
7. Which cardiac biomarker is most specific for myocardial infarction?
A. Myoglobin
B. Troponin I
C. Creatine kinase (CK-MB)
D. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
Answer: B
Rationale: Troponin I is highly specific to cardiac tissue and remains elevated for
several days after myocardial injury.
8. A patient presents with jaundice, dark urine, and clay-colored stools.
Which type of jaundice does this suggest?
A. Hemolytic
B. Hepatocellular
C. Obstructive
D. Physiologic
Answer: C
Rationale: Obstructive jaundice occurs when bile flow is blocked, leading to dark
urine (bilirubin excretion) and pale stools (lack of bile pigments).
, 9. Which of the following best describes the pathophysiology of asthma?
A. Autoimmune destruction of alveoli
B. Chronic inflammation and bronchoconstriction
C. Alveolar fluid accumulation due to left heart failure
D. Progressive fibrosis of lung tissue
Answer: B
Rationale: Asthma is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation,
and reversible bronchoconstriction.
10. A patient with hyperthyroidism presents with palpitations, weight loss,
and heat intolerance. Which lab finding would most likely be present?
A. Decreased T3 and T4, increased TSH
B. Increased T3 and T4, decreased TSH
C. Increased TSH, normal T3 and T4
D. Decreased TSH, decreased T3 and T4
Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperthyroidism typically shows elevated thyroid hormones (T3 and
T4) with suppressed TSH due to negative feedback.
11. A patient is diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD). Which blood gas pattern is characteristic of chronic respiratory
failure in COPD?
A. Respiratory alkalosis with hypoxemia
B. Respiratory acidosis with hypercapnia
C. Metabolic acidosis with hypokalemia
D. Metabolic alkalosis with hypernatremia
Answer: B
Rationale: COPD leads to chronic CO₂ retention, causing respiratory acidosis with
elevated PaCO₂.
