RASMUSSEN PATHO LATEST 2026 CORE EXAM MANUAL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔Manifestations of?: heartburn, epigastric pain (usually after a meal or when
recombinant), dysphagia, dry cough, laryngitis, pharyngitis, regurgitation of food, and
sensation of a lump in the throat. - ✔✔GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
✔✔Complications of?: esophagitis, strictures, ulcerations, esophageal cancer, and
chronic pulmonary disease - ✔✔GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
✔✔Often confused with angina and may warrant ruling out cardiac disease - ✔✔GERD
(Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
✔✔Lesions affecting the lining of the stomach or duodenum - ✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease
(PUD)
✔✔Risk factors of?: being male, advancing age, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
use (NSAIDs), H. pylori infections, certain gastric tumors, and those for GERD. -
✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)
✔✔Vary in severity from superficial erosions to complete penetration through the GI
tract wall. Develops because of an imbalance between destructive forces and protective
mechanisms - ✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)
✔✔Types of Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) - ✔✔Duodenal Ulcers
Gastric Ulcers
Stress Ulcers
✔✔Most commonly associated with excessive acid or H. pylori infections. Typically
present with epigastric pain that is relieved in the presence of food - ✔✔Duodenal
ulcers
✔✔Less frequent but more deadly. Typically associated with malignancy and
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Pain typically worsens with eating. - ✔✔Gastric
Ulcers
✔✔Develop because of a major physiological stressor on the body due to local tissue
ischemia, tissue acidosis, bile salts entering the stomach, and decreased GI motility. -
✔✔Stress ulcers
✔✔Stress ulcers associated with burns - ✔✔Curling's ulcers
✔✔Stress ulcers associated with head injuries - ✔✔Cushing's ulcers
,✔✔Most frequently develop in the stomach; multiple ulcers can form within hours of the
precipitating event. - ✔✔Stress ulcers
✔✔Often hemorrhage is the first indicator because the ulcer develops rapidly and tends
to be masked by the primary problem - ✔✔Stress ulcer
✔✔Complications of?: GI hemorrhage, obstruction, perforation, and peritonitis -
✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)
✔✔Manifestations of?: epigastric or abdominal pain, abdominal cramping, heartburn,
indigestion, nausea, and vomiting - ✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)
✔✔Acute inflammation and necrosis of large intestine; it affects the mucosa and
sometimes other layers - ✔✔Pseudomembranous Colitis (C. Diff)
✔✔Causes of?: Exposure to antibiotics, patients with cancer, or post abdominal surgery
susceptible, mediated by bacterial toxins - ✔✔Pseudomembranous Colitis (C. Diff)
✔✔Manifestations of?: Diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal pain, fever, and leukocytosis
- ✔✔Pseudomembranous Colitis (C. Diff)
✔✔Inflammation of the vermiform appendix. Most often caused by an infection. Triggers
local tissue edema, which obstructs the small structure. As fluid builds inside the
appendix, microorganisms proliferate - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔The appendix fills with purulent exudate and area blood vessels become
compressed - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Ischemia and necrosis develop. The pressure inside the appendix escalates, forcing
bacteria and toxins out to surrounding structures. - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Complications of?: abscesses, peritonitis, gangrene, and death - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Manifestations of?: Vary from asymptomatic to sudden and severe. Sharp
abdominal pain develops, gradually intensifies (over about 12-24 hours), and becomes
localized to the lower right quadrant of the abdomen (McBurney point).
Pain may occur anywhere in abdomen.
Pain will temporarily subside if the appendix ruptures, and then the pain will return and
escalate. - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Manifestations of?: Nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, and bowel pattern
changes.
, indications of inflammation and infection (fever, chills, leukocytosis).
Indications of peritonitis (abdominal rigidity, tachycardia, and hypotension) -
✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Conditions related to the development of diverticula, outwardly bulging pouches of
the intestinal wall that occur when mucosa sections or large intestine submucosa layers
herniate through a weakened muscular layer. - ✔✔Diverticular Disease
✔✔May be congenital or acquired. Thought to be caused by a low-fiber diet and poor
bowel habits that result in chronic constipation. The muscular wall can become
weakened from the prolonged effort of moving hard stools. More common in developed
countries where processed foods and low-fiber diets are typical. - ✔✔Diverticular
Disease
✔✔Asymptomatic diverticular disease, usually with multiple diverticula present -
✔✔Diverticulosis
✔✔Diverticula have become inflamed, usually because of retained fecal matter. Can
result in potentially fatal obstructions, infection, abscess, perforation, peritonitis,
hemorrhage, and shock. Often asymptomatic until the condition becomes serious -
✔✔Diverticulitis
✔✔Manifestations?: abdominal cramping followed by passing a large quantity of frank
blood, low-grade fever, abdominal tenderness (usually left lower quadrant), abdominal
distension, constipation, obstipation, nausea, vomiting, palpable abdominal mass, and
leukocytosis - ✔✔Diverticular Disease
✔✔Consist of physical barriers, whereas functional obstructions result from GI tract
dysfunction. Partial or complete blockage of small or large bowel. - ✔✔Mechanical
Bowel Obstruction
✔✔Caused by?: foreign bodies, adhesions, hernia, tumors, impacted feces, volvulus,
intussusception, strictures, Crohn's Disease, diverticulitis, Hirschsprung's disease, and
fecal impaction. - ✔✔Mechanical Bowel Obstruction
✔✔Also called paralytic ileuses, usually result from neurologic impairment; intra-
abdominal surgery complications; chemical, electrolyte, and mineral disturbances; intra-
abdominal infections; abdominal blood supply impairment; renal and lung disease; and
use of certain medications - ✔✔Functional Obstructions
✔✔Most commonly occurs as a secondary tumor that he metastasized from the breast,
lung, or other GI structures - ✔✔Liver Cancer
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔Manifestations of?: heartburn, epigastric pain (usually after a meal or when
recombinant), dysphagia, dry cough, laryngitis, pharyngitis, regurgitation of food, and
sensation of a lump in the throat. - ✔✔GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
✔✔Complications of?: esophagitis, strictures, ulcerations, esophageal cancer, and
chronic pulmonary disease - ✔✔GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
✔✔Often confused with angina and may warrant ruling out cardiac disease - ✔✔GERD
(Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
✔✔Lesions affecting the lining of the stomach or duodenum - ✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease
(PUD)
✔✔Risk factors of?: being male, advancing age, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
use (NSAIDs), H. pylori infections, certain gastric tumors, and those for GERD. -
✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)
✔✔Vary in severity from superficial erosions to complete penetration through the GI
tract wall. Develops because of an imbalance between destructive forces and protective
mechanisms - ✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)
✔✔Types of Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) - ✔✔Duodenal Ulcers
Gastric Ulcers
Stress Ulcers
✔✔Most commonly associated with excessive acid or H. pylori infections. Typically
present with epigastric pain that is relieved in the presence of food - ✔✔Duodenal
ulcers
✔✔Less frequent but more deadly. Typically associated with malignancy and
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Pain typically worsens with eating. - ✔✔Gastric
Ulcers
✔✔Develop because of a major physiological stressor on the body due to local tissue
ischemia, tissue acidosis, bile salts entering the stomach, and decreased GI motility. -
✔✔Stress ulcers
✔✔Stress ulcers associated with burns - ✔✔Curling's ulcers
✔✔Stress ulcers associated with head injuries - ✔✔Cushing's ulcers
,✔✔Most frequently develop in the stomach; multiple ulcers can form within hours of the
precipitating event. - ✔✔Stress ulcers
✔✔Often hemorrhage is the first indicator because the ulcer develops rapidly and tends
to be masked by the primary problem - ✔✔Stress ulcer
✔✔Complications of?: GI hemorrhage, obstruction, perforation, and peritonitis -
✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)
✔✔Manifestations of?: epigastric or abdominal pain, abdominal cramping, heartburn,
indigestion, nausea, and vomiting - ✔✔Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)
✔✔Acute inflammation and necrosis of large intestine; it affects the mucosa and
sometimes other layers - ✔✔Pseudomembranous Colitis (C. Diff)
✔✔Causes of?: Exposure to antibiotics, patients with cancer, or post abdominal surgery
susceptible, mediated by bacterial toxins - ✔✔Pseudomembranous Colitis (C. Diff)
✔✔Manifestations of?: Diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal pain, fever, and leukocytosis
- ✔✔Pseudomembranous Colitis (C. Diff)
✔✔Inflammation of the vermiform appendix. Most often caused by an infection. Triggers
local tissue edema, which obstructs the small structure. As fluid builds inside the
appendix, microorganisms proliferate - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔The appendix fills with purulent exudate and area blood vessels become
compressed - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Ischemia and necrosis develop. The pressure inside the appendix escalates, forcing
bacteria and toxins out to surrounding structures. - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Complications of?: abscesses, peritonitis, gangrene, and death - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Manifestations of?: Vary from asymptomatic to sudden and severe. Sharp
abdominal pain develops, gradually intensifies (over about 12-24 hours), and becomes
localized to the lower right quadrant of the abdomen (McBurney point).
Pain may occur anywhere in abdomen.
Pain will temporarily subside if the appendix ruptures, and then the pain will return and
escalate. - ✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Manifestations of?: Nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, and bowel pattern
changes.
, indications of inflammation and infection (fever, chills, leukocytosis).
Indications of peritonitis (abdominal rigidity, tachycardia, and hypotension) -
✔✔Appendicitis
✔✔Conditions related to the development of diverticula, outwardly bulging pouches of
the intestinal wall that occur when mucosa sections or large intestine submucosa layers
herniate through a weakened muscular layer. - ✔✔Diverticular Disease
✔✔May be congenital or acquired. Thought to be caused by a low-fiber diet and poor
bowel habits that result in chronic constipation. The muscular wall can become
weakened from the prolonged effort of moving hard stools. More common in developed
countries where processed foods and low-fiber diets are typical. - ✔✔Diverticular
Disease
✔✔Asymptomatic diverticular disease, usually with multiple diverticula present -
✔✔Diverticulosis
✔✔Diverticula have become inflamed, usually because of retained fecal matter. Can
result in potentially fatal obstructions, infection, abscess, perforation, peritonitis,
hemorrhage, and shock. Often asymptomatic until the condition becomes serious -
✔✔Diverticulitis
✔✔Manifestations?: abdominal cramping followed by passing a large quantity of frank
blood, low-grade fever, abdominal tenderness (usually left lower quadrant), abdominal
distension, constipation, obstipation, nausea, vomiting, palpable abdominal mass, and
leukocytosis - ✔✔Diverticular Disease
✔✔Consist of physical barriers, whereas functional obstructions result from GI tract
dysfunction. Partial or complete blockage of small or large bowel. - ✔✔Mechanical
Bowel Obstruction
✔✔Caused by?: foreign bodies, adhesions, hernia, tumors, impacted feces, volvulus,
intussusception, strictures, Crohn's Disease, diverticulitis, Hirschsprung's disease, and
fecal impaction. - ✔✔Mechanical Bowel Obstruction
✔✔Also called paralytic ileuses, usually result from neurologic impairment; intra-
abdominal surgery complications; chemical, electrolyte, and mineral disturbances; intra-
abdominal infections; abdominal blood supply impairment; renal and lung disease; and
use of certain medications - ✔✔Functional Obstructions
✔✔Most commonly occurs as a secondary tumor that he metastasized from the breast,
lung, or other GI structures - ✔✔Liver Cancer
