BIOD 331 / NURS 231 Final Exam – Pathophysiology (Portage
Learning) – 250 Practice Questions with Verified Answers
QUESTIONS 1–250
Topic 1: Foundations of Pathophysiology
1. What is the definition of pathophysiology?
A) The study of the structure of body tissues and organs
B) The study of the cellular and organ changes that occur with disease and their effects on total body
function
C) The study of the normal function of the body and its systems
D) The study of the causes and origins of disease
Answer B: The study of the cellular and organ changes that occur with disease and their effects on
total body function
Rationale: Pathophysiology is defined as not only the cellular and organ changes that occur with disease, but
also the effects these changes have on total body function.
2. Name the five etiologic factors of disease.
A) Physical forces, chemical agents, biological agents, genetic factors, and nutritional imbalances
B) Physical forces, chemical agents, biological agents, genetic predisposition, and nutritional excesses or
deficiencies
C) Trauma, bacteria, viruses, inherited genes, and vitamin deficiencies
D) Mechanical forces, toxins, pathogens, mutations, and dietary factors
Answer B: Physical forces, chemical agents, biological agents, genetic predisposition, and nutritional
excesses or deficiencies
Rationale: The five etiologic factors are: (1) Physical forces (trauma, burns), (2) Chemical agents (poisons,
alcohol), (3) Biological agents (bacteria, viruses), (4) Genetic predisposition, and (5) Nutritional excesses or
deficiencies.
3. The difference between signs and symptoms is that:
,A) Signs are subjective; symptoms are objective
B) Signs are objective manifestations apparent to the physician; symptoms are subjective complaints
apparent to the patient
C) Signs are reported by the patient; symptoms are measured by the physician
D) There is no difference
Answer B: Signs are objective manifestations apparent to the physician; symptoms are subjective
complaints apparent to the patient
Rationale: Signs are objective manifestations of disease measurable by an observer, while symptoms are
subjective complaints reported by the patient.
4. What is the difference between incidence and prevalence?
A) Incidence is the total number of cases; prevalence is new cases
B) Incidence is the number of new cases in a population at a given time; prevalence is the number of cases
that exist in a population at a given time
C) Incidence measures death; prevalence measures illness
D) Incidence and prevalence are the same
Answer B: Incidence is the number of new cases in a population at a given time; prevalence is the
number of cases that exist in a population at a given time
Rationale: Incidence is the number of new cases, while prevalence is the total number of existing cases.
5. Which of the following best describes validity in diagnostic testing?
A) The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
B) How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
C) The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
D) The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
Answer B: How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
Rationale: Validity refers to whether a diagnostic tool measures what it is intended to measure, such as
using a blood pressure cuff to measure blood pressure.
6. Which of the following best describes reliability in diagnostic testing?
A) The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
B) How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
C) The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
,D) The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
Answer A: The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
Rationale: Reliability is the consistency of a test's results, usually dependent on someone's experience and
skill level.
7. Sensitivity in diagnostic testing is defined as:
A) The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
B) The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
C) The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
D) How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
Answer B: The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
Rationale: Sensitivity quantifies true positives—correctly identifying those with the disease.
8. Specificity in diagnostic testing is defined as:
A) The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
B) The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
C) The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
D) How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
Answer A: The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
Rationale: Specificity quantifies true negatives—correctly identifying those without the disease.
9. Epidemiology is defined as:
A) The study of disease treatment
B) The study of disease occurrence, tracking the health of a community by tracking age, race, nutritional
habits, and locations
C) The study of cellular changes in disease
D) The study of genetic mutations
Answer B: The study of disease occurrence, tracking the health of a community by tracking age, race,
nutritional habits, and locations
Rationale: Epidemiology tracks the health of a community by monitoring factors such as age, race,
nutritional habits, and geographic location.
, 10. Primary prevention aims to:
A) Detect disease early
B) Prevent disease before it occurs
C) Reduce complications after diagnosis
D) Cure established disease
Answer B: Prevent disease before it occurs
Rationale: Primary prevention includes health promotion and specific protection, such as vaccination and
smoking cessation education.
11. Secondary prevention aims to:
A) Prevent disease before it occurs
B) Detect disease early in its course
C) Reduce complications after diagnosis
D) Cure advanced disease
Answer B: Detect disease early in its course
Rationale: Secondary prevention includes screening and early intervention, such as mammography and
blood pressure screening.
12. Tertiary prevention aims to:
A) Prevent disease before it occurs
B) Detect disease early
C) Reduce complications or deterioration after disease diagnosis
D) Eliminate all disease
Answer C: Reduce complications or deterioration after disease diagnosis
Rationale: Tertiary prevention focuses on rehabilitation and preventing further complications, such as
cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack. --- ### Topic 2: Cellular Biology
13. Which of the following is true of the mitochondria? (Select all that apply.)
A) It is involved in cellular respiration
B) They play a role in apoptosis
C) It controls free radicals
D) It synthesizes proteins
Answer A: and B: It is involved in cellular respiration; They play a role in apoptosis
Learning) – 250 Practice Questions with Verified Answers
QUESTIONS 1–250
Topic 1: Foundations of Pathophysiology
1. What is the definition of pathophysiology?
A) The study of the structure of body tissues and organs
B) The study of the cellular and organ changes that occur with disease and their effects on total body
function
C) The study of the normal function of the body and its systems
D) The study of the causes and origins of disease
Answer B: The study of the cellular and organ changes that occur with disease and their effects on
total body function
Rationale: Pathophysiology is defined as not only the cellular and organ changes that occur with disease, but
also the effects these changes have on total body function.
2. Name the five etiologic factors of disease.
A) Physical forces, chemical agents, biological agents, genetic factors, and nutritional imbalances
B) Physical forces, chemical agents, biological agents, genetic predisposition, and nutritional excesses or
deficiencies
C) Trauma, bacteria, viruses, inherited genes, and vitamin deficiencies
D) Mechanical forces, toxins, pathogens, mutations, and dietary factors
Answer B: Physical forces, chemical agents, biological agents, genetic predisposition, and nutritional
excesses or deficiencies
Rationale: The five etiologic factors are: (1) Physical forces (trauma, burns), (2) Chemical agents (poisons,
alcohol), (3) Biological agents (bacteria, viruses), (4) Genetic predisposition, and (5) Nutritional excesses or
deficiencies.
3. The difference between signs and symptoms is that:
,A) Signs are subjective; symptoms are objective
B) Signs are objective manifestations apparent to the physician; symptoms are subjective complaints
apparent to the patient
C) Signs are reported by the patient; symptoms are measured by the physician
D) There is no difference
Answer B: Signs are objective manifestations apparent to the physician; symptoms are subjective
complaints apparent to the patient
Rationale: Signs are objective manifestations of disease measurable by an observer, while symptoms are
subjective complaints reported by the patient.
4. What is the difference between incidence and prevalence?
A) Incidence is the total number of cases; prevalence is new cases
B) Incidence is the number of new cases in a population at a given time; prevalence is the number of cases
that exist in a population at a given time
C) Incidence measures death; prevalence measures illness
D) Incidence and prevalence are the same
Answer B: Incidence is the number of new cases in a population at a given time; prevalence is the
number of cases that exist in a population at a given time
Rationale: Incidence is the number of new cases, while prevalence is the total number of existing cases.
5. Which of the following best describes validity in diagnostic testing?
A) The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
B) How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
C) The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
D) The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
Answer B: How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
Rationale: Validity refers to whether a diagnostic tool measures what it is intended to measure, such as
using a blood pressure cuff to measure blood pressure.
6. Which of the following best describes reliability in diagnostic testing?
A) The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
B) How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
C) The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
,D) The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
Answer A: The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
Rationale: Reliability is the consistency of a test's results, usually dependent on someone's experience and
skill level.
7. Sensitivity in diagnostic testing is defined as:
A) The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
B) The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
C) The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
D) How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
Answer B: The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
Rationale: Sensitivity quantifies true positives—correctly identifying those with the disease.
8. Specificity in diagnostic testing is defined as:
A) The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
B) The proportion of people with a disease who test positive
C) The likelihood of obtaining the same result with repeat testing
D) How well a tool measures what it is intended to measure
Answer A: The proportion of people without a disease who test negative
Rationale: Specificity quantifies true negatives—correctly identifying those without the disease.
9. Epidemiology is defined as:
A) The study of disease treatment
B) The study of disease occurrence, tracking the health of a community by tracking age, race, nutritional
habits, and locations
C) The study of cellular changes in disease
D) The study of genetic mutations
Answer B: The study of disease occurrence, tracking the health of a community by tracking age, race,
nutritional habits, and locations
Rationale: Epidemiology tracks the health of a community by monitoring factors such as age, race,
nutritional habits, and geographic location.
, 10. Primary prevention aims to:
A) Detect disease early
B) Prevent disease before it occurs
C) Reduce complications after diagnosis
D) Cure established disease
Answer B: Prevent disease before it occurs
Rationale: Primary prevention includes health promotion and specific protection, such as vaccination and
smoking cessation education.
11. Secondary prevention aims to:
A) Prevent disease before it occurs
B) Detect disease early in its course
C) Reduce complications after diagnosis
D) Cure advanced disease
Answer B: Detect disease early in its course
Rationale: Secondary prevention includes screening and early intervention, such as mammography and
blood pressure screening.
12. Tertiary prevention aims to:
A) Prevent disease before it occurs
B) Detect disease early
C) Reduce complications or deterioration after disease diagnosis
D) Eliminate all disease
Answer C: Reduce complications or deterioration after disease diagnosis
Rationale: Tertiary prevention focuses on rehabilitation and preventing further complications, such as
cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack. --- ### Topic 2: Cellular Biology
13. Which of the following is true of the mitochondria? (Select all that apply.)
A) It is involved in cellular respiration
B) They play a role in apoptosis
C) It controls free radicals
D) It synthesizes proteins
Answer A: and B: It is involved in cellular respiration; They play a role in apoptosis
