3280 Pathophysiology Exam 1
Questions and Answers Exam Questions
and Answers (Latest 2026).
Define the stages of an illness - CORRECT ANSWERS Latent period: time between exposure
of tissue to injurious agent and first appearance of signs or symptoms also known as incubation period
Prodromal period: time during which first signs or symptoms appear indicating onset of disease
Acute clinical course: short-lived, may have severe signs and symptoms
Chronic clinical course: may last months to years, may follow an acute course
What are the stages of Selye's general adaptation syndrome? - CORRECT ANSWERS Alarm
Resistance/Adaptation
Exhaustion
What is the role of catecholamines in Selye's general adaptation syndrome? - CORRECT ANSWERS
Epinephrine: enhances myocardial contractility, increases heart rate, and increases cardiac output
Norepinephrine: Constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure, reduces gastric secretions, increases
night and far vision (pupil dilation)
Primary prevention and secondary prevention - CORRECT ANSWERS Primary: Altering
susceptibility or reducing exposure for susceptible persons Ex: vaccines, exercise, diet, and education
Secondary: Early detection, screening and management of disease Ex: colonoscopy, mammogram, self-
testicular exam
Risk factors in disease - CORRECT ANSWERS A factor that when present, increases the
likelihood of disease
, Name and define 5 cellular adaptations - CORRECT ANSWERS Atrophy: cells shrink and
reduce their differentiated functions in response to normal and injurious factors
Hypertrophy: increase in cell mass accompanied by an augmented functional capacity in response to
physiologic and pathophysiologic demands
Hyperplasia: increase in functional capacity related to an increase in cell number because of mitotic
division, more cells in the tissue
Metaplasia: replacement of one differentiated cell type with another
Dysplasia: Disorganized appearance of cells because of abnormal variations in size, shape, and
arrangement
What is hydropic swelling? - CORRECT ANSWERS Cellular swelling because of accumulation
of water, results from the malfunction of sodium-potassium pump with accumulation of sodium ions
within the cell
Compare and contrast apoptosis and necrosis - CORRECT ANSWERS Apoptosis: occurs in
response to injury that does not directly kill the cell Ex: hair loss
Necrosis: usually occurs as a consequence of ischemia or toxic injury
What are the two waste products of cell death? - CORRECT ANSWERS Troponin and lactic
acid
What are the steps in cell death related to ischemia? - CORRECT ANSWERS (1) ischemic
cellular injury, leading to (2) loss of the plasma membrane's ability to maintain electrochemical
gradients, which results in (3) an influx of calcium ions and mitochondrial dysfunction, and (4)
degradation of plasma membranes and nuclear structures
How do bacteria and viruses cause cell damage? - CORRECT ANSWERS
4 types of cellular death - CORRECT ANSWERS Coagulation: most common type, beings
with ischemia
Questions and Answers Exam Questions
and Answers (Latest 2026).
Define the stages of an illness - CORRECT ANSWERS Latent period: time between exposure
of tissue to injurious agent and first appearance of signs or symptoms also known as incubation period
Prodromal period: time during which first signs or symptoms appear indicating onset of disease
Acute clinical course: short-lived, may have severe signs and symptoms
Chronic clinical course: may last months to years, may follow an acute course
What are the stages of Selye's general adaptation syndrome? - CORRECT ANSWERS Alarm
Resistance/Adaptation
Exhaustion
What is the role of catecholamines in Selye's general adaptation syndrome? - CORRECT ANSWERS
Epinephrine: enhances myocardial contractility, increases heart rate, and increases cardiac output
Norepinephrine: Constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure, reduces gastric secretions, increases
night and far vision (pupil dilation)
Primary prevention and secondary prevention - CORRECT ANSWERS Primary: Altering
susceptibility or reducing exposure for susceptible persons Ex: vaccines, exercise, diet, and education
Secondary: Early detection, screening and management of disease Ex: colonoscopy, mammogram, self-
testicular exam
Risk factors in disease - CORRECT ANSWERS A factor that when present, increases the
likelihood of disease
, Name and define 5 cellular adaptations - CORRECT ANSWERS Atrophy: cells shrink and
reduce their differentiated functions in response to normal and injurious factors
Hypertrophy: increase in cell mass accompanied by an augmented functional capacity in response to
physiologic and pathophysiologic demands
Hyperplasia: increase in functional capacity related to an increase in cell number because of mitotic
division, more cells in the tissue
Metaplasia: replacement of one differentiated cell type with another
Dysplasia: Disorganized appearance of cells because of abnormal variations in size, shape, and
arrangement
What is hydropic swelling? - CORRECT ANSWERS Cellular swelling because of accumulation
of water, results from the malfunction of sodium-potassium pump with accumulation of sodium ions
within the cell
Compare and contrast apoptosis and necrosis - CORRECT ANSWERS Apoptosis: occurs in
response to injury that does not directly kill the cell Ex: hair loss
Necrosis: usually occurs as a consequence of ischemia or toxic injury
What are the two waste products of cell death? - CORRECT ANSWERS Troponin and lactic
acid
What are the steps in cell death related to ischemia? - CORRECT ANSWERS (1) ischemic
cellular injury, leading to (2) loss of the plasma membrane's ability to maintain electrochemical
gradients, which results in (3) an influx of calcium ions and mitochondrial dysfunction, and (4)
degradation of plasma membranes and nuclear structures
How do bacteria and viruses cause cell damage? - CORRECT ANSWERS
4 types of cellular death - CORRECT ANSWERS Coagulation: most common type, beings
with ischemia
