NUR 5461 Advanced Pathophysiology Module 1
Quiz William Paterson University Actual Exam
2026/2027 | Complete Exam-Style Questions with
Detailed Rationales | Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
SECTION 1: Cellular Adaptation (Questions 1–7)
Q1: A 62-year-old client with long-standing, poorly controlled hypertension undergoes
echocardiography, which reveals increased thickness of the left ventricular wall with no
change in the number of cardiac muscle cells. Which cellular adaptation best explains
this finding?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy [CORRECT]
D. Dysplasia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size in response to increased workload;
chronic hypertension forces the left ventricle to pump against elevated afterload,
causing individual cardiac myocytes to enlarge and thicken the ventricular wall.
Q2: Which cellular adaptation is defined as an increase in the number of cells in an
organ or tissue in response to a stimulus?
A. Atrophy
B. Hyperplasia [CORRECT]
C. Hypertrophy
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in cell number, most often driven by hormonal or
compensatory stimuli, and occurs only in tissues whose cells are capable of division.
, Q3: A 54-year-old client with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease undergoes
endoscopy. Biopsy of the distal esophagus reveals replacement of the normal
squamous epithelium with columnar epithelium (Barrett esophagus). Which cellular
adaptation is demonstrated?
A. Metaplasia [CORRECT]
B. Dysplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Atrophy
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with
another cell type better able to tolerate the adverse environment; chronic acid exposure
in GERD converts esophageal squamous epithelium to columnar epithelium.
Q4: A client's right lower extremity is immobilized in a cast for 6 weeks following a tibial
fracture. Upon cast removal, the right calf is noticeably smaller in circumference than
the left. Which cellular adaptation accounts for this change?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Atrophy [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size resulting from disuse, denervation,
ischemia, malnutrition, or aging; immobilization reduces the workload on calf muscles,
causing the individual muscle cells to shrink.
Q5: A 68-year-old male presents with urinary hesitancy and weak stream. Biopsy of the
prostate reveals an enlarged gland due to an increased number of epithelial and stromal
cells responding to dihydrotestosterone. Which adaptation is present?
A. Hyperplasia [CORRECT]
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
Quiz William Paterson University Actual Exam
2026/2027 | Complete Exam-Style Questions with
Detailed Rationales | Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
SECTION 1: Cellular Adaptation (Questions 1–7)
Q1: A 62-year-old client with long-standing, poorly controlled hypertension undergoes
echocardiography, which reveals increased thickness of the left ventricular wall with no
change in the number of cardiac muscle cells. Which cellular adaptation best explains
this finding?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy [CORRECT]
D. Dysplasia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size in response to increased workload;
chronic hypertension forces the left ventricle to pump against elevated afterload,
causing individual cardiac myocytes to enlarge and thicken the ventricular wall.
Q2: Which cellular adaptation is defined as an increase in the number of cells in an
organ or tissue in response to a stimulus?
A. Atrophy
B. Hyperplasia [CORRECT]
C. Hypertrophy
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in cell number, most often driven by hormonal or
compensatory stimuli, and occurs only in tissues whose cells are capable of division.
, Q3: A 54-year-old client with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease undergoes
endoscopy. Biopsy of the distal esophagus reveals replacement of the normal
squamous epithelium with columnar epithelium (Barrett esophagus). Which cellular
adaptation is demonstrated?
A. Metaplasia [CORRECT]
B. Dysplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Atrophy
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with
another cell type better able to tolerate the adverse environment; chronic acid exposure
in GERD converts esophageal squamous epithelium to columnar epithelium.
Q4: A client's right lower extremity is immobilized in a cast for 6 weeks following a tibial
fracture. Upon cast removal, the right calf is noticeably smaller in circumference than
the left. Which cellular adaptation accounts for this change?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Atrophy [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size resulting from disuse, denervation,
ischemia, malnutrition, or aging; immobilization reduces the workload on calf muscles,
causing the individual muscle cells to shrink.
Q5: A 68-year-old male presents with urinary hesitancy and weak stream. Biopsy of the
prostate reveals an enlarged gland due to an increased number of epithelial and stromal
cells responding to dihydrotestosterone. Which adaptation is present?
A. Hyperplasia [CORRECT]
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
