PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL NUR 2063
FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
What is Gastritis and what causes it?
✔✔ Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach's mucosal lining, which can affect
the entire stomach or just a portion. It may be short-term (acute) or long-lasting
(chronic).
✔✔ Common causes include Helicobacter pylori infection (which disrupts the
mucosal lining through toxins and enzymes), use of NSAIDs, alcohol overuse,
stress, physical injury, infections, and autoimmune diseases.
What are the symptoms of Gastritis?
✔✔ Common signs include stomach discomfort, heartburn, upper abdominal pain,
cramping, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever, and fatigue.
✔✔ Blood in vomit (hematemesis) or black, tar-like stools may signal bleeding
ulcers. Long-term gastritis can lead to peptic ulcers, stomach cancer, anemia, or
severe bleeding.
How is Gastritis diagnosed and treated?
✔✔ Diagnosis may involve a medical history, physical exam, imaging (like GI x-
rays), endoscopy (EGD), and tests for H. pylori (breath, stool, or blood tests).
✔✔ Acute gastritis often resolves on its own.
✔✔ Medications may include antacids, acid blockers, and agents to protect the
stomach lining.
✔✔ Dietary changes, smaller meals, and GERD-like management strategies can
also help.
What is Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)?
✔✔ PUD involves sores or lesions that erode the stomach or duodenal lining,
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,potentially penetrating deep into the wall of the GI tract. The severity can vary
greatly.
What causes PUD and how does it develop?
✔✔ Causes: Most commonly H. pylori infection and frequent NSAID use.
✔✔ Pathophysiology: Ulcers form due to an imbalance between harmful factors
(like acid and enzymes) and protective defenses in the stomach lining.
What are Duodenal Ulcers in PUD?
✔✔ These are usually linked to high acid production or H. pylori.
✔✔ Pain is often relieved by eating.
What are Gastric Ulcers in PUD?
✔✔ Less common but more dangerous. Often linked to NSAID use and possibly
cancer.
✔✔ Pain tends to get worse after meals.
PUD Stress ulcers - ANSWERS✔✔develop because of major physiological
stressor on body due to local tissue ischemia, tissue acidosis, bile salts entering
stomach, and decreased GI motility
most frequently develop in stomach; multiple ulcers can form within hours of the
precipitating event
often hemorrhage is the first indication (vomiting blood or blood in stool)
PUD manifestations/treatment - ANSWERS✔✔epigastric, abd. pain, abd.
cramping, heartburn, indigestion, chest pain, nausea/voimiting, melena (dark, tarry
stools), fatigue, unexplained weight loss
Treatment: same as gastritis: antacids, mucosal barrier agents, acid-reducing agents
possible surgical repair
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,Iron-deficiency Anemia - ANSWERS✔✔Not enough iron for hemoglobin
production
erythrocytes pale and small
Etiology: decreased iron consumption/absorption, increased bleeding
manifestations in addition to "anemia": brittle nails, headache/irritability, pica,
cyanosis of sclera of eyes, delayed healing
Anemia - ANSWERS✔✔common acquired or inherited disorder of erythrocytes
that impairs the bloods oxygen-carrying capacity.
ETIOLOGY: decrease in # of circulating erythrocytes, reduction in hemoglobin
content, presence of abnormal hemoglobin
MANIFESTATIONS: weakness, fatigue, pallor, syncope, dyspnea, tachycardia
Pernicious anemia - ANSWERS✔✔B12 deficiency or megaloblastic anemia
large, immature erythrocytes.
usually lack of intrinsic factor (protein necessary for b12 absorption in stomach)
b12 is needed for cell division and maturity.
too little b12 gradually causes neuro problems because of the breakdown in
myelin, neuro effects may be seen before anemia is diagnosed.
Additional manifestations: bleeding gums, diarrhea, impaired smell, DTR loss,
anorexia, personality/memory changes, + babinski sign, stomatitis, paresthesia of
hands and feet, unsteady gait
aplastic anemia - ANSWERS✔✔bone marrow fails to make enough blood cells
leading to pancytopenia
MANIFESTATIONS: general anemia, leukcytopenia, and recurrent infections
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, can be caused by cancers, cancer treatment, pesticides
Sickle cell anemia - ANSWERS✔✔genetic, hemoglobin-s trait vs. gene
crescent shape during times of hypoxia, can clump together and clog vessels.
MANIFESTATIONS: swelling in hands and feet, sickle cell crisis, abd. pain, bone
pain, jaundice, skin ulcers, stroke, chest pain
tissue ischemia and necrosis.
electrophoresis and stem cell transplant may cure
thalassemia - ANSWERS✔✔genetic, not RBC problem, hemoglobin problem. lack
one or 2 proteins that make up hemoglobin
MANIFESTATIONS: heart failure, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, bone
deformities, jaundice, fatigue, dyspnea
Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) - ANSWERS✔✔hypocoagulopathy
due to immune system destroying its own platelets (autoantibodies) Circulating
IgG reacts with the platelets which are then destroyed in the spleen and liver.
can be acute or chronic
ETIOLOGY: idiopathic, autoimmune disease, live vaccines, immunodeficiency
disorders, viral infections
Manifestations: abnormal bleeding (petechiae, epistaxis [nose bleed], hematuria)
ACUTE TREATMENT: glucocorticoid steroids, immunoglobulins,
plasmapheresis and platelet pheresis
CHRONIC TREATMENT: splenectomy, blood transfusions, immunosuppressants
Thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura - ANSWERS✔✔coagulation disorter d/t
deficiency of enzyme responsible for cleaving von Willebrand factor
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FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
What is Gastritis and what causes it?
✔✔ Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach's mucosal lining, which can affect
the entire stomach or just a portion. It may be short-term (acute) or long-lasting
(chronic).
✔✔ Common causes include Helicobacter pylori infection (which disrupts the
mucosal lining through toxins and enzymes), use of NSAIDs, alcohol overuse,
stress, physical injury, infections, and autoimmune diseases.
What are the symptoms of Gastritis?
✔✔ Common signs include stomach discomfort, heartburn, upper abdominal pain,
cramping, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever, and fatigue.
✔✔ Blood in vomit (hematemesis) or black, tar-like stools may signal bleeding
ulcers. Long-term gastritis can lead to peptic ulcers, stomach cancer, anemia, or
severe bleeding.
How is Gastritis diagnosed and treated?
✔✔ Diagnosis may involve a medical history, physical exam, imaging (like GI x-
rays), endoscopy (EGD), and tests for H. pylori (breath, stool, or blood tests).
✔✔ Acute gastritis often resolves on its own.
✔✔ Medications may include antacids, acid blockers, and agents to protect the
stomach lining.
✔✔ Dietary changes, smaller meals, and GERD-like management strategies can
also help.
What is Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)?
✔✔ PUD involves sores or lesions that erode the stomach or duodenal lining,
Downloaded by Great Mind ()
,potentially penetrating deep into the wall of the GI tract. The severity can vary
greatly.
What causes PUD and how does it develop?
✔✔ Causes: Most commonly H. pylori infection and frequent NSAID use.
✔✔ Pathophysiology: Ulcers form due to an imbalance between harmful factors
(like acid and enzymes) and protective defenses in the stomach lining.
What are Duodenal Ulcers in PUD?
✔✔ These are usually linked to high acid production or H. pylori.
✔✔ Pain is often relieved by eating.
What are Gastric Ulcers in PUD?
✔✔ Less common but more dangerous. Often linked to NSAID use and possibly
cancer.
✔✔ Pain tends to get worse after meals.
PUD Stress ulcers - ANSWERS✔✔develop because of major physiological
stressor on body due to local tissue ischemia, tissue acidosis, bile salts entering
stomach, and decreased GI motility
most frequently develop in stomach; multiple ulcers can form within hours of the
precipitating event
often hemorrhage is the first indication (vomiting blood or blood in stool)
PUD manifestations/treatment - ANSWERS✔✔epigastric, abd. pain, abd.
cramping, heartburn, indigestion, chest pain, nausea/voimiting, melena (dark, tarry
stools), fatigue, unexplained weight loss
Treatment: same as gastritis: antacids, mucosal barrier agents, acid-reducing agents
possible surgical repair
Downloaded by Great Mind ()
,Iron-deficiency Anemia - ANSWERS✔✔Not enough iron for hemoglobin
production
erythrocytes pale and small
Etiology: decreased iron consumption/absorption, increased bleeding
manifestations in addition to "anemia": brittle nails, headache/irritability, pica,
cyanosis of sclera of eyes, delayed healing
Anemia - ANSWERS✔✔common acquired or inherited disorder of erythrocytes
that impairs the bloods oxygen-carrying capacity.
ETIOLOGY: decrease in # of circulating erythrocytes, reduction in hemoglobin
content, presence of abnormal hemoglobin
MANIFESTATIONS: weakness, fatigue, pallor, syncope, dyspnea, tachycardia
Pernicious anemia - ANSWERS✔✔B12 deficiency or megaloblastic anemia
large, immature erythrocytes.
usually lack of intrinsic factor (protein necessary for b12 absorption in stomach)
b12 is needed for cell division and maturity.
too little b12 gradually causes neuro problems because of the breakdown in
myelin, neuro effects may be seen before anemia is diagnosed.
Additional manifestations: bleeding gums, diarrhea, impaired smell, DTR loss,
anorexia, personality/memory changes, + babinski sign, stomatitis, paresthesia of
hands and feet, unsteady gait
aplastic anemia - ANSWERS✔✔bone marrow fails to make enough blood cells
leading to pancytopenia
MANIFESTATIONS: general anemia, leukcytopenia, and recurrent infections
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, can be caused by cancers, cancer treatment, pesticides
Sickle cell anemia - ANSWERS✔✔genetic, hemoglobin-s trait vs. gene
crescent shape during times of hypoxia, can clump together and clog vessels.
MANIFESTATIONS: swelling in hands and feet, sickle cell crisis, abd. pain, bone
pain, jaundice, skin ulcers, stroke, chest pain
tissue ischemia and necrosis.
electrophoresis and stem cell transplant may cure
thalassemia - ANSWERS✔✔genetic, not RBC problem, hemoglobin problem. lack
one or 2 proteins that make up hemoglobin
MANIFESTATIONS: heart failure, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, bone
deformities, jaundice, fatigue, dyspnea
Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) - ANSWERS✔✔hypocoagulopathy
due to immune system destroying its own platelets (autoantibodies) Circulating
IgG reacts with the platelets which are then destroyed in the spleen and liver.
can be acute or chronic
ETIOLOGY: idiopathic, autoimmune disease, live vaccines, immunodeficiency
disorders, viral infections
Manifestations: abnormal bleeding (petechiae, epistaxis [nose bleed], hematuria)
ACUTE TREATMENT: glucocorticoid steroids, immunoglobulins,
plasmapheresis and platelet pheresis
CHRONIC TREATMENT: splenectomy, blood transfusions, immunosuppressants
Thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura - ANSWERS✔✔coagulation disorter d/t
deficiency of enzyme responsible for cleaving von Willebrand factor
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