WGU D236 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM | UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS | A+ VERIFIED ANSWERS AND
STUDY GUIDE
• Pressure that is due to albumin in the bloodstream? -✓✓ANSWER: Oncotic
• Oncotic -✓✓ANSWER: a form of osmotic pressure exerted by proteins
• In the blood, _____ is the most common plasma protein and is, therefore, a
primary determinant of oncotic pressure -✓✓ANSWER: albumin
• _____ controls osmotic pressure in vascular system, builds volume -
✓✓ANSWER: Albumin
• One question was about the difference in children and adult immunity -
✓✓ANSWER: Possible answer: naive T cells
• Learning check question: Which differences in immunity make children and
older adult patients more susceptible to infections? Choose 2 answers
Younger patients have fewer memory cells to combat infection
Older adult patients have a dwindling population of naive T cells
Older adult patients have more memory cells to combat infection
,Younger patients have a large population of naive T cells
Older adult patients have a large population of naive T cells -✓✓ANSWER:
Younger patients have fewer memory cells to combat infection
Older adult patients have a dwindling population of naive T cells
Rationale: younger patients have not been exposed to many pathogens, which
means that they have fewer memory cells than adults. The primary immune
response is relatively weak compared to a secondary response mediated by
memory cells.
Older adult patients do not have as many T cells compared to younger patients.
When these patients encounter novel pathogens, the reduced number of naive T
cells gives clonal selection fewer opportunities to "find" T cells that will be
effective.
• Fluid and electrolyte levels are regulated by _______, which regulates actions
such as thirst, ADH, the kidneys, and RAAS. -✓✓ANSWER: osmoreceptors
• Fluid deficit causes -✓✓ANSWER: -Excessive loss
-Inadequate intake
-Or combination of both
• Fluid deficit risk factors -✓✓ANSWER: -Vomiting/diarrhea
-Excessive sweating
,-Insufficient water intake
• Fluid deficit manifestations -✓✓ANSWER: -dry mucous membranes
-decreased skin turgor
-decreased urine output
-low blood pressure
-tachycardia
-confusion
• ROME for ABGs -✓✓ANSWER: Respiratory Opposite Metabolic Equal
If pH and pCO2 are moving in opposite directions, then it is pCO2 levels that are
causing the imbalance and it is respiratory in nature
If they are moving the same direction then it is metabolic in nature
• Buffers, renal compensation, and respiratory compensation help to maintain a
blood pH of _______ -✓✓ANSWER: 7.35-7.45
• A patient with a viral illness and severe vomiting has an elevated CO2 level and
a blood pH of 7.53. She is breathing slowly. What condition does the patient
have?
Metabolic alkalosis
Metabolic acidosis
Respiratory alkalosis
, Respiratory acidosis -✓✓ANSWER: Metabolic alkalosis
The patient's pH and CO2 level are both elevating (moving in the same direction).
This indicates metabolic alkalosis. The CO2 level is high because her respiratory
system is attempting to compensate for the high pH by exhaling less and retaining
more CO2
• To prevent changes in pH, the body employs buffer systems. The body utilizes 3
buffer systems: -✓✓ANSWER: proteins, phosphates, and the carbonic acid-
bicarbonate system
• Carbonic acid-bicarbonate system first line of defense is _____, second line of
defense is _____ -✓✓ANSWER: respirations; kidneys
• Carbonic acid-bicarbonate system equation -✓✓ANSWER: The equation moves
in both directions
• CABS Equation:
When CO2 levels are elevated, the equation moves ________, forming more H+
and HCO3- ions -✓✓ANSWER: toward the right
• CABS Equation:
When H+ ions are elevated, the equation moves _____, as H+ ions are converted
to CO2 and the CO2 is exhaled. -✓✓ANSWER: toward the left
• CO2 levels -✓✓ANSWER: 35-45
ACTUAL QUESTIONS | A+ VERIFIED ANSWERS AND
STUDY GUIDE
• Pressure that is due to albumin in the bloodstream? -✓✓ANSWER: Oncotic
• Oncotic -✓✓ANSWER: a form of osmotic pressure exerted by proteins
• In the blood, _____ is the most common plasma protein and is, therefore, a
primary determinant of oncotic pressure -✓✓ANSWER: albumin
• _____ controls osmotic pressure in vascular system, builds volume -
✓✓ANSWER: Albumin
• One question was about the difference in children and adult immunity -
✓✓ANSWER: Possible answer: naive T cells
• Learning check question: Which differences in immunity make children and
older adult patients more susceptible to infections? Choose 2 answers
Younger patients have fewer memory cells to combat infection
Older adult patients have a dwindling population of naive T cells
Older adult patients have more memory cells to combat infection
,Younger patients have a large population of naive T cells
Older adult patients have a large population of naive T cells -✓✓ANSWER:
Younger patients have fewer memory cells to combat infection
Older adult patients have a dwindling population of naive T cells
Rationale: younger patients have not been exposed to many pathogens, which
means that they have fewer memory cells than adults. The primary immune
response is relatively weak compared to a secondary response mediated by
memory cells.
Older adult patients do not have as many T cells compared to younger patients.
When these patients encounter novel pathogens, the reduced number of naive T
cells gives clonal selection fewer opportunities to "find" T cells that will be
effective.
• Fluid and electrolyte levels are regulated by _______, which regulates actions
such as thirst, ADH, the kidneys, and RAAS. -✓✓ANSWER: osmoreceptors
• Fluid deficit causes -✓✓ANSWER: -Excessive loss
-Inadequate intake
-Or combination of both
• Fluid deficit risk factors -✓✓ANSWER: -Vomiting/diarrhea
-Excessive sweating
,-Insufficient water intake
• Fluid deficit manifestations -✓✓ANSWER: -dry mucous membranes
-decreased skin turgor
-decreased urine output
-low blood pressure
-tachycardia
-confusion
• ROME for ABGs -✓✓ANSWER: Respiratory Opposite Metabolic Equal
If pH and pCO2 are moving in opposite directions, then it is pCO2 levels that are
causing the imbalance and it is respiratory in nature
If they are moving the same direction then it is metabolic in nature
• Buffers, renal compensation, and respiratory compensation help to maintain a
blood pH of _______ -✓✓ANSWER: 7.35-7.45
• A patient with a viral illness and severe vomiting has an elevated CO2 level and
a blood pH of 7.53. She is breathing slowly. What condition does the patient
have?
Metabolic alkalosis
Metabolic acidosis
Respiratory alkalosis
, Respiratory acidosis -✓✓ANSWER: Metabolic alkalosis
The patient's pH and CO2 level are both elevating (moving in the same direction).
This indicates metabolic alkalosis. The CO2 level is high because her respiratory
system is attempting to compensate for the high pH by exhaling less and retaining
more CO2
• To prevent changes in pH, the body employs buffer systems. The body utilizes 3
buffer systems: -✓✓ANSWER: proteins, phosphates, and the carbonic acid-
bicarbonate system
• Carbonic acid-bicarbonate system first line of defense is _____, second line of
defense is _____ -✓✓ANSWER: respirations; kidneys
• Carbonic acid-bicarbonate system equation -✓✓ANSWER: The equation moves
in both directions
• CABS Equation:
When CO2 levels are elevated, the equation moves ________, forming more H+
and HCO3- ions -✓✓ANSWER: toward the right
• CABS Equation:
When H+ ions are elevated, the equation moves _____, as H+ ions are converted
to CO2 and the CO2 is exhaled. -✓✓ANSWER: toward the left
• CO2 levels -✓✓ANSWER: 35-45
