,Galen NSG 3280 Exam 1 | Pathophysiology for
Nurses I (2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. Pathophysiology is best defined as the study of which of the following?
A) Abnormalities in the physiologic functioning of living beings
B) The structure of the human body
C) The psychological responses to illness
D) The therapeutic effects of medications
Correct Answer: Abnormalities in the physiologic functioning of living beings
Rationale: Pathophysiology examines disordered physiological processes that
underlie disease. It is not anatomy, psychology, or pharmacology, though it
integrates aspects of each. The term literally means the study of suffering
function.
2. Etiology, the study of causes, is classified as idiopathic when the cause is:
A) Infectious
B) Unknown
C) Genetic
D) Iatrogenic
Correct Answer: Unknown
,Rationale: Idiopathic etiology refers to diseases with no identifiable cause.
Iatrogenic refers to treatment-induced causes. Infectious and genetic are known
etiologies. Many diseases, like essential hypertension, are idiopathic.
3. An unintended or unwanted medical treatment resulting in disease has which
type of etiology?
A) Idiopathic
B) Nosocomial
C) Iatrogenic
D) Pathogenic
Correct Answer: Iatrogenic
Rationale: Iatrogenic causes arise from medical interventions, such as a surgical
complication or drug reaction. Nosocomial refers to hospital-acquired
infections. Idiopathic is unknown; pathogenic is disease-causing microorganism.
4. The beginning and development of a disease, from initial trigger to clinical
presentation, is termed:
A) Etiology
B) Clinical manifestations
C) Diagnosis
D) Pathogenesis
Correct Answer: Pathogenesis
, Rationale: Pathogenesis describes the sequence of events from the initial
stimulus to expression of disease. Etiology is the cause; clinical manifestations
are signs and symptoms; diagnosis is identification.
5. A risk factor is a variable that, when present, does which of the following?
A) Increases the likelihood of disease occurrence
B) Guarantees the individual will get the disease
C) Has no relation to disease development
D) Always leads to a chronic condition
Correct Answer: Increases the likelihood of disease occurrence
Rationale: Risk factors elevate probability, not certainty. They can be modifiable
(smoking) or nonmodifiable (age). They are not absolute predictors, and many
individuals with risk factors never develop the disease.
6. Which stage of the clinical course is characterized by absence of signs and
symptoms even though the disease process has begun?
A) Prodromal
B) Latent period
C) Manifest illness
D) Exacerbation
Correct Answer: Latent period
Nurses I (2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. Pathophysiology is best defined as the study of which of the following?
A) Abnormalities in the physiologic functioning of living beings
B) The structure of the human body
C) The psychological responses to illness
D) The therapeutic effects of medications
Correct Answer: Abnormalities in the physiologic functioning of living beings
Rationale: Pathophysiology examines disordered physiological processes that
underlie disease. It is not anatomy, psychology, or pharmacology, though it
integrates aspects of each. The term literally means the study of suffering
function.
2. Etiology, the study of causes, is classified as idiopathic when the cause is:
A) Infectious
B) Unknown
C) Genetic
D) Iatrogenic
Correct Answer: Unknown
,Rationale: Idiopathic etiology refers to diseases with no identifiable cause.
Iatrogenic refers to treatment-induced causes. Infectious and genetic are known
etiologies. Many diseases, like essential hypertension, are idiopathic.
3. An unintended or unwanted medical treatment resulting in disease has which
type of etiology?
A) Idiopathic
B) Nosocomial
C) Iatrogenic
D) Pathogenic
Correct Answer: Iatrogenic
Rationale: Iatrogenic causes arise from medical interventions, such as a surgical
complication or drug reaction. Nosocomial refers to hospital-acquired
infections. Idiopathic is unknown; pathogenic is disease-causing microorganism.
4. The beginning and development of a disease, from initial trigger to clinical
presentation, is termed:
A) Etiology
B) Clinical manifestations
C) Diagnosis
D) Pathogenesis
Correct Answer: Pathogenesis
, Rationale: Pathogenesis describes the sequence of events from the initial
stimulus to expression of disease. Etiology is the cause; clinical manifestations
are signs and symptoms; diagnosis is identification.
5. A risk factor is a variable that, when present, does which of the following?
A) Increases the likelihood of disease occurrence
B) Guarantees the individual will get the disease
C) Has no relation to disease development
D) Always leads to a chronic condition
Correct Answer: Increases the likelihood of disease occurrence
Rationale: Risk factors elevate probability, not certainty. They can be modifiable
(smoking) or nonmodifiable (age). They are not absolute predictors, and many
individuals with risk factors never develop the disease.
6. Which stage of the clinical course is characterized by absence of signs and
symptoms even though the disease process has begun?
A) Prodromal
B) Latent period
C) Manifest illness
D) Exacerbation
Correct Answer: Latent period
