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PATH 370 – QUIZ 7 PRACTICE QUESTIONS Chapters 28, 29, 30, and 31 – Advanced
Pathophysiology Review
CHAPTER 28: CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS AND
ADVANCED CONCEPTS
1. Which of the following best describes the pathophysiology of
essential hypertension?
A) Single identifiable cause
B) Multifactorial with increased peripheral vascular resistance
and endothelial dysfunction
C) Only genetic factors
D) Only dietary factors
Answer: B
Rationale: Essential hypertension is multifactorial, involving
increased peripheral resistance, endothelial dysfunction,
sympathetic overactivity, and genetic/environmental factors.
2. Hypertensive emergency is defined as:
A) Blood pressure > 140/90 without symptoms
B) Severe hypertension (> 180/120) with acute end-organ
damage
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C) Any elevated blood pressure
D) Mild hypertension with headache only
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypertensive emergency is severe BP elevation with
evidence of acute end-organ damage (brain, heart, kidneys).
3. Which organ is most commonly damaged in hypertensive
emergency?
A) Liver
B) Brain (hypertensive encephalopathy, stroke)
C) Spleen
D) Pancreas only
Answer: B
Rationale: The brain is commonly affected, causing
hypertensive encephalopathy, hemorrhage, or stroke.
4. Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is defined
as ejection fraction:
A) > 50%
B) < 40%
C) > 60%
D) 50–60%
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Answer: B
Rationale: HFrEF is defined as EF ≤ 40%, indicating systolic
dysfunction.
5. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is
defined as EF:
A) < 40%
B) ≥ 50% with diastolic dysfunction
C) < 30%
D) Always normal without symptoms
Answer: B
Rationale: HFpEF has EF ≥ 50% but impaired diastolic filling.
6. The most common cause of HFpEF is:
A) Myocardial infarction
B) Chronic hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy
C) Valvular disease only
D) Congenital heart disease only
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypertension-induced LVH and diastolic dysfunction
are common causes of HFpEF.
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7. Which biomarker is most useful for diagnosing and
monitoring heart failure?
A) Troponin
B) B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)
C) C-reactive protein
D) D-dimer
Answer: B
Rationale: BNP and NT-proBNP are released by stretched
ventricular myocytes and correlate with heart failure severity.
8. Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of:
A) Hypertension
B) Ischemic stroke from atrial thrombus formation
C) Myocardial infarction only
D) Aortic aneurysm only
Answer: B
Rationale: Stasis in the fibrillating atria promotes thrombus
formation, which can embolize to the brain causing stroke.
9. The CHA₂DS₂-VASc score is used to:
PATH 370 – QUIZ 7 PRACTICE QUESTIONS Chapters 28, 29, 30, and 31 – Advanced
Pathophysiology Review
CHAPTER 28: CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS AND
ADVANCED CONCEPTS
1. Which of the following best describes the pathophysiology of
essential hypertension?
A) Single identifiable cause
B) Multifactorial with increased peripheral vascular resistance
and endothelial dysfunction
C) Only genetic factors
D) Only dietary factors
Answer: B
Rationale: Essential hypertension is multifactorial, involving
increased peripheral resistance, endothelial dysfunction,
sympathetic overactivity, and genetic/environmental factors.
2. Hypertensive emergency is defined as:
A) Blood pressure > 140/90 without symptoms
B) Severe hypertension (> 180/120) with acute end-organ
damage
, Page |2
C) Any elevated blood pressure
D) Mild hypertension with headache only
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypertensive emergency is severe BP elevation with
evidence of acute end-organ damage (brain, heart, kidneys).
3. Which organ is most commonly damaged in hypertensive
emergency?
A) Liver
B) Brain (hypertensive encephalopathy, stroke)
C) Spleen
D) Pancreas only
Answer: B
Rationale: The brain is commonly affected, causing
hypertensive encephalopathy, hemorrhage, or stroke.
4. Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is defined
as ejection fraction:
A) > 50%
B) < 40%
C) > 60%
D) 50–60%
, Page |3
Answer: B
Rationale: HFrEF is defined as EF ≤ 40%, indicating systolic
dysfunction.
5. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is
defined as EF:
A) < 40%
B) ≥ 50% with diastolic dysfunction
C) < 30%
D) Always normal without symptoms
Answer: B
Rationale: HFpEF has EF ≥ 50% but impaired diastolic filling.
6. The most common cause of HFpEF is:
A) Myocardial infarction
B) Chronic hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy
C) Valvular disease only
D) Congenital heart disease only
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypertension-induced LVH and diastolic dysfunction
are common causes of HFpEF.
, Page |4
7. Which biomarker is most useful for diagnosing and
monitoring heart failure?
A) Troponin
B) B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)
C) C-reactive protein
D) D-dimer
Answer: B
Rationale: BNP and NT-proBNP are released by stretched
ventricular myocytes and correlate with heart failure severity.
8. Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of:
A) Hypertension
B) Ischemic stroke from atrial thrombus formation
C) Myocardial infarction only
D) Aortic aneurysm only
Answer: B
Rationale: Stasis in the fibrillating atria promotes thrombus
formation, which can embolize to the brain causing stroke.
9. The CHA₂DS₂-VASc score is used to:
