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NURS 6202 PRACTICE EXAM — ADVANCED
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (CAPELLA UNIVERSITY) 2026/2027
COMPLETE (100) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Prepare for the NURS 6202 Practice Exam – Advanced Pathophysiology (Capella
University) with a comprehensive study resource designed to reinforce major disease
processes and advanced pathophysiology concepts. It supports review of
cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, endocrine, renal, gastrointestinal, immune,
hematologic, and metabolic disorders, along with their underlying physiological
mechanisms. Use the practice material to strengthen clinical reasoning, connect
disease processes with patient manifestations, and identify areas that may require
additional review before the final examination. This resource is best suited for Capella
University NURS 6202 students, graduate-level nursing learners, and advanced
practice nursing students preparing for Advanced Pathophysiology assessments.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION 1: CELLULAR INJURY, ADAPTATION & CELL DEATH (Questions 1-
15)
1. A patient presents with cellular swelling, fatty changes, and loss of
microvilli. Which type of cellular injury is most likely occurring?
a) Irreversible injury
b) Reversible injury
c) Necrosis
d) Apoptosis
Answer: b) Reversible injury
Rationale: Cellular swelling, fatty changes, and loss of microvilli are hallmark
features of reversible cell injury. In reversible injury, the cell can recover if the
offending stimulus is removed. Irreversible injury is characterized by
membrane rupture, nuclear changes (pyknosis, karyorrhexis, karyolysis), and
mitochondrial dysfunction.
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2. Failure of the sodium-potassium (Na⁺/K⁺) pump primarily leads to
which of the following?
a) Increased intracellular potassium
b) Cellular dehydration
c) Cellular swelling
d) Increased ATP production
Answer: c) Cellular swelling
Rationale: The Na⁺/K⁺ pump maintains intracellular sodium concentration
low and potassium concentration high. When the pump fails due to hypoxia or
ATP depletion, sodium accumulates inside the cell, drawing water into the cell
and causing cellular swelling—the earliest manifestation of cell injury.
3. Which type of necrosis is most commonly associated with myocardial
infarction?
a) Liquefactive necrosis
b) Caseous necrosis
c) Coagulative necrosis
d) Fat necrosis
Answer: c) Coagulative necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is the characteristic type of necrosis seen in
ischemic injury to solid organs such as the heart, kidney, and spleen. The
cellular architecture is preserved for several days due to the denaturation of
structural proteins.
4. A patient with a brain injury develops liquefactive necrosis. This type of
necrosis is most commonly associated with which of the following?
a) Ischemic injury to the heart
b) Bacterial infection in the brain
c) Fat necrosis in the breast
d) Tuberculous infection
Answer: b) Bacterial infection in the brain
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis is characterized by the complete digestion of
dead cells, forming a liquid mass. It is most commonly associated with
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bacterial infections in the brain (abscesses) and hypoxic injury to the central
nervous system.
5. Which of the following is a characteristic of apoptosis?
a) Inflammation is present
b) Cell membrane remains intact
c) Cell swelling occurs
d) Cell lysis occurs
Answer: b) Cell membrane remains intact
Rationale: Apoptosis is programmed cell death characterized by cell
shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and fragmentation into apoptotic bodies. The
cell membrane remains intact, and there is no inflammatory response, unlike
necrosis which involves cell lysis and inflammation.
6. A patient develops cellular atrophy in a muscle after prolonged
immobilization. Which of the following best describes the mechanism of
this atrophy?
a) Decreased protein synthesis and increased protein degradation
b) Increased protein synthesis
c) Increased cell division
d) Decreased apoptosis
Answer: a) Decreased protein synthesis and increased protein
degradation
Rationale: Atrophy is characterized by a decrease in cell size due to
decreased protein synthesis and increased protein degradation. This is
commonly seen in muscles after disuse, denervation, or decreased workload.
7. A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular
hypertrophy. Which type of cellular adaptation is this?
a) Atrophy
b) Hypertrophy
c) Hyperplasia
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d) Metaplasia
Answer: b) Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size due to increased workload.
In chronic hypertension, the left ventricle experiences increased afterload,
leading to hypertrophy of cardiac muscle cells.
8. A patient with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease develops
Barrett's esophagus. This is an example of which cellular adaptation?
a) Atrophy
b) Hypertrophy
c) Hyperplasia
d) Metaplasia
Answer: d) Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell
type with another. In Barrett's esophagus, the normal stratified squamous
epithelium of the esophagus is replaced by columnar epithelium, which is
more resistant to acid injury.
9. Which of the following is an example of physiologic hyperplasia?
a) Endometrial hyperplasia
b) Benign prostatic hyperplasia
c) Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy
d) Hyperplasia in response to HPV infection
Answer: c) Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy
Rationale: Physiologic hyperplasia occurs in response to a normal stimulus.
Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy is a classic example. Endometrial
hyperplasia, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and hyperplasia due to HPV
infection are pathologic.
10. Cellular swelling caused by hypoxia is primarily due to:
a) Decreased intracellular sodium
b) Increased intracellular sodium
NURS 6202 PRACTICE EXAM — ADVANCED
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (CAPELLA UNIVERSITY) 2026/2027
COMPLETE (100) CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Prepare for the NURS 6202 Practice Exam – Advanced Pathophysiology (Capella
University) with a comprehensive study resource designed to reinforce major disease
processes and advanced pathophysiology concepts. It supports review of
cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, endocrine, renal, gastrointestinal, immune,
hematologic, and metabolic disorders, along with their underlying physiological
mechanisms. Use the practice material to strengthen clinical reasoning, connect
disease processes with patient manifestations, and identify areas that may require
additional review before the final examination. This resource is best suited for Capella
University NURS 6202 students, graduate-level nursing learners, and advanced
practice nursing students preparing for Advanced Pathophysiology assessments.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION 1: CELLULAR INJURY, ADAPTATION & CELL DEATH (Questions 1-
15)
1. A patient presents with cellular swelling, fatty changes, and loss of
microvilli. Which type of cellular injury is most likely occurring?
a) Irreversible injury
b) Reversible injury
c) Necrosis
d) Apoptosis
Answer: b) Reversible injury
Rationale: Cellular swelling, fatty changes, and loss of microvilli are hallmark
features of reversible cell injury. In reversible injury, the cell can recover if the
offending stimulus is removed. Irreversible injury is characterized by
membrane rupture, nuclear changes (pyknosis, karyorrhexis, karyolysis), and
mitochondrial dysfunction.
, Page 2 of 39
2. Failure of the sodium-potassium (Na⁺/K⁺) pump primarily leads to
which of the following?
a) Increased intracellular potassium
b) Cellular dehydration
c) Cellular swelling
d) Increased ATP production
Answer: c) Cellular swelling
Rationale: The Na⁺/K⁺ pump maintains intracellular sodium concentration
low and potassium concentration high. When the pump fails due to hypoxia or
ATP depletion, sodium accumulates inside the cell, drawing water into the cell
and causing cellular swelling—the earliest manifestation of cell injury.
3. Which type of necrosis is most commonly associated with myocardial
infarction?
a) Liquefactive necrosis
b) Caseous necrosis
c) Coagulative necrosis
d) Fat necrosis
Answer: c) Coagulative necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is the characteristic type of necrosis seen in
ischemic injury to solid organs such as the heart, kidney, and spleen. The
cellular architecture is preserved for several days due to the denaturation of
structural proteins.
4. A patient with a brain injury develops liquefactive necrosis. This type of
necrosis is most commonly associated with which of the following?
a) Ischemic injury to the heart
b) Bacterial infection in the brain
c) Fat necrosis in the breast
d) Tuberculous infection
Answer: b) Bacterial infection in the brain
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis is characterized by the complete digestion of
dead cells, forming a liquid mass. It is most commonly associated with
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bacterial infections in the brain (abscesses) and hypoxic injury to the central
nervous system.
5. Which of the following is a characteristic of apoptosis?
a) Inflammation is present
b) Cell membrane remains intact
c) Cell swelling occurs
d) Cell lysis occurs
Answer: b) Cell membrane remains intact
Rationale: Apoptosis is programmed cell death characterized by cell
shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and fragmentation into apoptotic bodies. The
cell membrane remains intact, and there is no inflammatory response, unlike
necrosis which involves cell lysis and inflammation.
6. A patient develops cellular atrophy in a muscle after prolonged
immobilization. Which of the following best describes the mechanism of
this atrophy?
a) Decreased protein synthesis and increased protein degradation
b) Increased protein synthesis
c) Increased cell division
d) Decreased apoptosis
Answer: a) Decreased protein synthesis and increased protein
degradation
Rationale: Atrophy is characterized by a decrease in cell size due to
decreased protein synthesis and increased protein degradation. This is
commonly seen in muscles after disuse, denervation, or decreased workload.
7. A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular
hypertrophy. Which type of cellular adaptation is this?
a) Atrophy
b) Hypertrophy
c) Hyperplasia
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d) Metaplasia
Answer: b) Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size due to increased workload.
In chronic hypertension, the left ventricle experiences increased afterload,
leading to hypertrophy of cardiac muscle cells.
8. A patient with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease develops
Barrett's esophagus. This is an example of which cellular adaptation?
a) Atrophy
b) Hypertrophy
c) Hyperplasia
d) Metaplasia
Answer: d) Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell
type with another. In Barrett's esophagus, the normal stratified squamous
epithelium of the esophagus is replaced by columnar epithelium, which is
more resistant to acid injury.
9. Which of the following is an example of physiologic hyperplasia?
a) Endometrial hyperplasia
b) Benign prostatic hyperplasia
c) Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy
d) Hyperplasia in response to HPV infection
Answer: c) Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy
Rationale: Physiologic hyperplasia occurs in response to a normal stimulus.
Liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy is a classic example. Endometrial
hyperplasia, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and hyperplasia due to HPV
infection are pathologic.
10. Cellular swelling caused by hypoxia is primarily due to:
a) Decreased intracellular sodium
b) Increased intracellular sodium
