Pathophysiology 2026 Practice Test
Questions & Detailed Rationales: Disease
Mechanisms, Cellular Injury,
Inflammation, Diagnosis, Clinical
Findings & Nursing Review
SECTION 1: CELLULAR INJURY & ADAPTATION (Questions 1–25)
Question 1
A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which mechanism is
the most common cause of reversible cell injury?
A. ATP depletion
B. DNA mutation
C. Protein denaturation
D. Membrane rupture
Rationale: ATP depletion is the most common and reversible cause of cell injury.
Without ATP, the sodium-potassium pump fails, causing cellular swelling. If blood
flow is restored, the cell can recover.
Question 2
A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy. Which
cellular adaptation does this represent?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Metaplasia
,Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size, often in response to increased
workload. Cardiac muscle cells enlarge in response to chronic hypertension.
Question 3
A patient with a enlarged prostate develops urinary retention. Which cellular
adaptation explains the prostate enlargement?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Dysplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells, often in response to
hormonal stimulation. Benign prostatic hyperplasia involves increased cell
number.
Question 4
A patient with a chronic illness experiences muscle wasting. Which cellular
adaptation does this represent?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size due to decreased workload, disuse, or
inadequate nutrition.
Question 5
A smoker develops changes in the cells lining the bronchi from columnar to
squamous. Which cellular adaptation is this?
,A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type with
another, often in response to chronic irritation.
Question 6
A patient with cervical dysplasia has cells that vary in size and shape. Which
cellular change is this?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia is disordered cellular growth with variation in cell size,
shape, and organization. It is a precancerous condition.
Question 7
Which type of cell death is characterized by cell swelling, membrane rupture, and
inflammation?
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Autophagy
D. Senescence
Rationale: Necrosis is uncontrolled cell death characterized by cell swelling,
membrane rupture, and inflammation.
, Question 8
Which type of cell death is programmed and does not cause inflammation?
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Gangrene
D. Coagulation
Rationale: Apoptosis is programmed cell death that does not cause inflammation
and is essential for normal tissue development.
Question 9
A patient with frostbite develops dry, black, shriveled tissue. Which type of
necrosis is this?
A. Liquefactive
B. Coagulative
C. Caseous
D. Dry gangrene
Rationale: Dry gangrene occurs when tissue dies due to ischemia and becomes
dry, black, and shriveled.
Question 10
A patient with a bacterial infection develops a wet, swollen area of necrotic tissue.
Which type of necrosis is this?
A. Coagulative
B. Liquefactive
C. Caseous
D. Fat
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs with bacterial infections and is
characterized by liquefied tissue.
Questions & Detailed Rationales: Disease
Mechanisms, Cellular Injury,
Inflammation, Diagnosis, Clinical
Findings & Nursing Review
SECTION 1: CELLULAR INJURY & ADAPTATION (Questions 1–25)
Question 1
A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which mechanism is
the most common cause of reversible cell injury?
A. ATP depletion
B. DNA mutation
C. Protein denaturation
D. Membrane rupture
Rationale: ATP depletion is the most common and reversible cause of cell injury.
Without ATP, the sodium-potassium pump fails, causing cellular swelling. If blood
flow is restored, the cell can recover.
Question 2
A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy. Which
cellular adaptation does this represent?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Metaplasia
,Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size, often in response to increased
workload. Cardiac muscle cells enlarge in response to chronic hypertension.
Question 3
A patient with a enlarged prostate develops urinary retention. Which cellular
adaptation explains the prostate enlargement?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Dysplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells, often in response to
hormonal stimulation. Benign prostatic hyperplasia involves increased cell
number.
Question 4
A patient with a chronic illness experiences muscle wasting. Which cellular
adaptation does this represent?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size due to decreased workload, disuse, or
inadequate nutrition.
Question 5
A smoker develops changes in the cells lining the bronchi from columnar to
squamous. Which cellular adaptation is this?
,A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type with
another, often in response to chronic irritation.
Question 6
A patient with cervical dysplasia has cells that vary in size and shape. Which
cellular change is this?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia is disordered cellular growth with variation in cell size,
shape, and organization. It is a precancerous condition.
Question 7
Which type of cell death is characterized by cell swelling, membrane rupture, and
inflammation?
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Autophagy
D. Senescence
Rationale: Necrosis is uncontrolled cell death characterized by cell swelling,
membrane rupture, and inflammation.
, Question 8
Which type of cell death is programmed and does not cause inflammation?
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Gangrene
D. Coagulation
Rationale: Apoptosis is programmed cell death that does not cause inflammation
and is essential for normal tissue development.
Question 9
A patient with frostbite develops dry, black, shriveled tissue. Which type of
necrosis is this?
A. Liquefactive
B. Coagulative
C. Caseous
D. Dry gangrene
Rationale: Dry gangrene occurs when tissue dies due to ischemia and becomes
dry, black, and shriveled.
Question 10
A patient with a bacterial infection develops a wet, swollen area of necrotic tissue.
Which type of necrosis is this?
A. Coagulative
B. Liquefactive
C. Caseous
D. Fat
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs with bacterial infections and is
characterized by liquefied tissue.
