NSG 5140 Final Advanced Pathophysiology
Exam 2026 Questions and Answers
Graded A+ ACTUAL!!!
1. Which type of cellular adaptation involves an increase in the size of existing cells?
a. Hyperplasia
b. Hypertrophy
c. Atrophy
d. Metaplasia
ANSWER✔✨-: b. Hypertrophy
Rationale:
a. Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells, not the size of individual cells.
b. Hypertrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨- as it specifically refers to an increase in the size of existing
cells, often due to increased functional demand or hormonal stimulation.
c. Atrophy is a decrease in the size and function of cells.
d. Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with another.
2. A patient with long-standing hypertension develops an enlarged heart. This is most likely an example
of:
a. Pathologic hyperplasia
b. Physiologic hypertrophy
c. Pathologic hypertrophy
d. Physiologic hyperplasia
ANSWER✔✨-: c. Pathologic hypertrophy
,Rationale:
a. Pathologic hyperplasia is an abnormal increase in cell number, not size, and is not the primary
mechanism in hypertensive heart disease.
b. Physiologic hypertrophy is a normal, adaptive response to increased demand, such as in skeletal
muscle with exercise. Hypertension-induced cardiac enlargement is pathological.
c. Pathologic hypertrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. It is an adaptive increase in cell size in
response to a disease state (hypertension) that can eventually lead to heart failure if the stress is not
relieved.
d. Physiologic hyperplasia is a normal increase in cell number, which does not describe the enlargement
of cardiac myocytes.
3. Which of the following is characterized by an increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue?
a. Hypertrophy
b. Atrophy
c. Hyperplasia
d. Metaplasia
ANSWER✔✨-: c. Hyperplasia
Rationale:
a. Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size.
b. Atrophy is a decrease in cell size and number.
c. Hyperplasia is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. It is an increase in the number of cells, which can occur via
mitotic division of stem cells or differentiated cells.
d. Metaplasia is a change in cell type.
4. The enlargement of the uterus during pregnancy is primarily due to:
a. Pathologic hypertrophy
b. Physiologic hyperplasia and hypertrophy
c. Pathologic hyperplasia
d. Metaplasia
,ANSWER✔✨-: b. Physiologic hyperplasia and hypertrophy
Rationale:
a. Pathologic hypertrophy is abnormal and not a feature of normal pregnancy.
b. Physiologic hyperplasia and hypertrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. The uterine smooth muscle
cells undergo both an increase in number (hyperplasia) and size (hypertrophy) under the influence of
estrogen, which is a normal, adaptive process.
c. Pathologic hyperplasia is an abnormal proliferation of cells, not seen in a healthy pregnancy.
d. Metaplasia is a change in cell type, which is not the primary adaptation in the pregnant uterus.
5. A decrease in the size of a cell or organ is termed:
a. Hypertrophy
b. Hyperplasia
c. Atrophy
d. Dysplasia
ANSWER✔✨-: c. Atrophy
Rationale:
a. Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size.
b. Hyperplasia is an increase in cell number.
c. Atrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. It is a reduction in the size of a cell, tissue, or organ due to a
decrease in cell size and/or number.
d. Dysplasia is a disorderly proliferation of cells with abnormal cell morphology.
6. A patient is placed on a strict bed rest for a prolonged period following a severe injury. This will most
likely lead to atrophy of skeletal muscles due to:
a. Denervation
b. Ischemia
c. Disuse
d. Malnutrition
, ANSWER✔✨-: c. Disuse
Rationale:
a. Denervation atrophy occurs due to loss of nerve supply, not immobility.
b. Ischemia is a lack of blood supply, which can cause atrophy but is not the primary mechanism in bed
rest.
c. Disuse is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. Prolonged immobility reduces the functional demand on
skeletal muscles, leading to a decrease in cell size and protein synthesis.
d. Malnutrition is a reduction in nutrients, which can cause atrophy but is not the primary cause in this
scenario of bed rest.
7. Which of the following is a characteristic of physiologic atrophy?
a. It is always a pathologic process.
b. It is a normal part of development and aging.
c. It is caused by a lack of blood supply.
d. It is an increase in cell size.
ANSWER✔✨-: b. It is a normal part of development and aging.
Rationale:
a. Physiologic atrophy is not pathologic; it is a normal process.
b. Physiologic atrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. Examples include the shrinkage of the thymus
gland in early life and the reduction in uterine size after childbirth.
c. A lack of blood supply causes pathologic atrophy, not physiologic.
d. Physiologic atrophy is a decrease, not an increase, in cell size.
8. A patient with a cast on his leg for 8 weeks shows a significant decrease in the circumference of the
calf muscle. This is an example of:
a. Pathologic hyperplasia
b. Physiologic hypertrophy
c. Disuse atrophy
d. Denervation atrophy
Exam 2026 Questions and Answers
Graded A+ ACTUAL!!!
1. Which type of cellular adaptation involves an increase in the size of existing cells?
a. Hyperplasia
b. Hypertrophy
c. Atrophy
d. Metaplasia
ANSWER✔✨-: b. Hypertrophy
Rationale:
a. Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells, not the size of individual cells.
b. Hypertrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨- as it specifically refers to an increase in the size of existing
cells, often due to increased functional demand or hormonal stimulation.
c. Atrophy is a decrease in the size and function of cells.
d. Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with another.
2. A patient with long-standing hypertension develops an enlarged heart. This is most likely an example
of:
a. Pathologic hyperplasia
b. Physiologic hypertrophy
c. Pathologic hypertrophy
d. Physiologic hyperplasia
ANSWER✔✨-: c. Pathologic hypertrophy
,Rationale:
a. Pathologic hyperplasia is an abnormal increase in cell number, not size, and is not the primary
mechanism in hypertensive heart disease.
b. Physiologic hypertrophy is a normal, adaptive response to increased demand, such as in skeletal
muscle with exercise. Hypertension-induced cardiac enlargement is pathological.
c. Pathologic hypertrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. It is an adaptive increase in cell size in
response to a disease state (hypertension) that can eventually lead to heart failure if the stress is not
relieved.
d. Physiologic hyperplasia is a normal increase in cell number, which does not describe the enlargement
of cardiac myocytes.
3. Which of the following is characterized by an increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue?
a. Hypertrophy
b. Atrophy
c. Hyperplasia
d. Metaplasia
ANSWER✔✨-: c. Hyperplasia
Rationale:
a. Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size.
b. Atrophy is a decrease in cell size and number.
c. Hyperplasia is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. It is an increase in the number of cells, which can occur via
mitotic division of stem cells or differentiated cells.
d. Metaplasia is a change in cell type.
4. The enlargement of the uterus during pregnancy is primarily due to:
a. Pathologic hypertrophy
b. Physiologic hyperplasia and hypertrophy
c. Pathologic hyperplasia
d. Metaplasia
,ANSWER✔✨-: b. Physiologic hyperplasia and hypertrophy
Rationale:
a. Pathologic hypertrophy is abnormal and not a feature of normal pregnancy.
b. Physiologic hyperplasia and hypertrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. The uterine smooth muscle
cells undergo both an increase in number (hyperplasia) and size (hypertrophy) under the influence of
estrogen, which is a normal, adaptive process.
c. Pathologic hyperplasia is an abnormal proliferation of cells, not seen in a healthy pregnancy.
d. Metaplasia is a change in cell type, which is not the primary adaptation in the pregnant uterus.
5. A decrease in the size of a cell or organ is termed:
a. Hypertrophy
b. Hyperplasia
c. Atrophy
d. Dysplasia
ANSWER✔✨-: c. Atrophy
Rationale:
a. Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size.
b. Hyperplasia is an increase in cell number.
c. Atrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. It is a reduction in the size of a cell, tissue, or organ due to a
decrease in cell size and/or number.
d. Dysplasia is a disorderly proliferation of cells with abnormal cell morphology.
6. A patient is placed on a strict bed rest for a prolonged period following a severe injury. This will most
likely lead to atrophy of skeletal muscles due to:
a. Denervation
b. Ischemia
c. Disuse
d. Malnutrition
, ANSWER✔✨-: c. Disuse
Rationale:
a. Denervation atrophy occurs due to loss of nerve supply, not immobility.
b. Ischemia is a lack of blood supply, which can cause atrophy but is not the primary mechanism in bed
rest.
c. Disuse is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. Prolonged immobility reduces the functional demand on
skeletal muscles, leading to a decrease in cell size and protein synthesis.
d. Malnutrition is a reduction in nutrients, which can cause atrophy but is not the primary cause in this
scenario of bed rest.
7. Which of the following is a characteristic of physiologic atrophy?
a. It is always a pathologic process.
b. It is a normal part of development and aging.
c. It is caused by a lack of blood supply.
d. It is an increase in cell size.
ANSWER✔✨-: b. It is a normal part of development and aging.
Rationale:
a. Physiologic atrophy is not pathologic; it is a normal process.
b. Physiologic atrophy is the correct ANSWER✔✨-. Examples include the shrinkage of the thymus
gland in early life and the reduction in uterine size after childbirth.
c. A lack of blood supply causes pathologic atrophy, not physiologic.
d. Physiologic atrophy is a decrease, not an increase, in cell size.
8. A patient with a cast on his leg for 8 weeks shows a significant decrease in the circumference of the
calf muscle. This is an example of:
a. Pathologic hyperplasia
b. Physiologic hypertrophy
c. Disuse atrophy
d. Denervation atrophy
