NURS 5315 Advanced Pathophysiology UTA Exam 1 – 2025 Version
NURS 5315 Advanced Pathophysiology UTA Exam 1 – 2025
Version with 100% Verified Answers and Expert Rationales
1. What is the primary mechanism by which atrophy occurs in cells?
A. Increased protein synthesis
B. Imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation
C. Increased mitochondrial function
D. Enhanced cellular division
Answer: B. Imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation
Rationale: Atrophy is characterized by a decrease in cell size due to an imbalance
where protein degradation exceeds synthesis. This can occur physiologically (e.g.,
thymus gland in early childhood) or pathologically (e.g., disuse atrophy in muscles).
Increased protein synthesis would lead to hypertrophy, while mitochondrial function
and cellular division are not directly related to atrophy.
2. Which of the following best describes hyperplasia?
A. Increase in cell size due to increased workload
B. Increase in cell number through mitosis
C. Abnormal change in cell size, shape, or organization
D. Reversible change of one cell type to another
Answer: B. Increase in cell number through mitosis
Rationale: Hyperplasia involves an increased number of cells due to mitosis, often
as a compensatory or hormonal response (e.g., liver regeneration). Hypertrophy
involves increased cell size, dysplasia involves abnormal cell changes, and metaplasia
involves cell type transformation.
3. What is a common pathological cause of dysplasia?
A. Increased hormonal stimulation
B. Chronic irritation or cell injury
C. Decreased workload
D. Enhanced ATP production
Answer: B. Chronic irritation or cell injury
Rationale: Dysplasia is characterized by abnormal changes in cell size, shape, or
organization, often due to chronic irritation or injury (e.g., cervical dysplasia from
HPV). Hormonal stimulation is more associated with hyperplasia, decreased work-
load with atrophy, and ATP production is unrelated to dysplasia.
4. Metaplasia is best described as:
A. Irreversible cell damage leading to necrosis
B. Reversible change of one cell type to another
C. Increase in cell size due to stress
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, NURS 5315 Advanced Pathophysiology UTA Exam 1 – 2025 Version
D. Decrease in cell number due to apoptosis
Answer: B. Reversible change of one cell type to another
Rationale: Metaplasia involves a reversible change where one differentiated cell type
transforms into another to adapt to chronic stressors (e.g., squamous metaplasia in
smokers’ lungs). It is not necrosis, hypertrophy, or apoptosis-related.
5. What is the most likely outcome of severe hypoxia in a cell?
A. Increased ATP production
B. Cellular swelling
C. Cell death
D. Enhanced protein synthesis
Answer: C. Cell death
Rationale: Severe hypoxia leads to inadequate oxygenation, reducing ATP pro-
duction via mitochondrial dysfunction, shifting to anaerobic metabolism, and ul-
timately causing cell death (necrosis or apoptosis). Cellular swelling may occur
earlier, but death is the final outcome.
6. Which electrolyte imbalance is most likely to cause cardiac arrhythmias?
A. Hypernatremia
B. Hypokalemia
C. Hypermagnesemia
D. Hypocalcemia
Answer: B. Hypokalemia
Rationale: Hypokalemia disrupts the membrane potential of cardiac cells, leading to
arrhythmias. It affects the action potential duration, increasing the risk of ectopic
beats. Other imbalances may cause symptoms, but hypokalemia is most directly
linked to arrhythmias.
7. A patient with a sodium level of 115 mEq/L exhibits disorientation and lethargy.
What is the underlying pathological process?
A. Hyperpolarization of the action potential
B. Cellular dehydration
C. Osmotic movement of water into cells
D. Increased potassium efflux
Answer: C. Osmotic movement of water into cells
Rationale: Severe hyponatremia (115 mEq/L) causes a hypoosmolar state, leading
to water movement into cells, including brain cells, causing cerebral edema, which
manifests as disorientation and lethargy. Hyperpolarization and potassium efflux
are not directly related, and dehydration is associated with hypernatremia.
8. What is the primary role of the buffer system in acid-base homeostasis?
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, NURS 5315 Advanced Pathophysiology UTA Exam 1 – 2025 Version
A. Increase CO2 production
B. Neutralize excess acids or bases
C. Enhance renal excretion of bicarbonate
D. Decrease respiratory rate
Answer: B. Neutralize excess acids or bases
Rationale: Buffer systems (e.g., bicarbonate, phosphate) rapidly neutralize excess
acids or bases to maintain blood pH within a narrow range (7.35–7.45). They do
not directly affect CO2 production, renal excretion, or respiratory rate.
9. A patient is hyperventilating at 33 breaths per minute. Which arterial blood gas
(ABG) value is most consistent with this scenario?
A. PCO2 45 mmHg
B. PCO2 15 mmHg
C. pH 7.30
D. O2 sat 90
Answer: B. PCO2 15 mmHg
Rationale: Hyperventilation causes excessive CO2 exhalation, lowering PCO2 (nor-
mal 35–45 mmHg), leading to respiratory alkalosis. A PCO2 of 15 mmHg is con-
sistent with this. A pH of 7.30 indicates acidosis, not alkalosis, and O2 saturation
is less relevant.
10. What is the primary source of cellular injury in ischemia?
A. Excess glucose metabolism
B. Oxygen deficiency
C. Increased ATP production
D. Enhanced mitochondrial function
Answer: B. Oxygen deficiency
Rationale: Ischemia results from reduced blood flow, leading to oxygen deficiency,
which impairs aerobic metabolism, reduces ATP production, and causes cellular in-
jury. Glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function are disrupted, not enhanced.
11. Which process best explains the action potential in excitable cells?
A. Rapid influx of calcium ions
B. Sodium-potassium pump failure
C. Rapid influx of sodium ions
D. Increased chloride efflux
Answer: C. Rapid influx of sodium ions
Rationale: The action potential in excitable cells (e.g., neurons, muscle cells) is
initiated by a rapid influx of sodium ions, depolarizing the membrane. Calcium
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NURS 5315 Advanced Pathophysiology UTA Exam 1 – 2025
Version with 100% Verified Answers and Expert Rationales
1. What is the primary mechanism by which atrophy occurs in cells?
A. Increased protein synthesis
B. Imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation
C. Increased mitochondrial function
D. Enhanced cellular division
Answer: B. Imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation
Rationale: Atrophy is characterized by a decrease in cell size due to an imbalance
where protein degradation exceeds synthesis. This can occur physiologically (e.g.,
thymus gland in early childhood) or pathologically (e.g., disuse atrophy in muscles).
Increased protein synthesis would lead to hypertrophy, while mitochondrial function
and cellular division are not directly related to atrophy.
2. Which of the following best describes hyperplasia?
A. Increase in cell size due to increased workload
B. Increase in cell number through mitosis
C. Abnormal change in cell size, shape, or organization
D. Reversible change of one cell type to another
Answer: B. Increase in cell number through mitosis
Rationale: Hyperplasia involves an increased number of cells due to mitosis, often
as a compensatory or hormonal response (e.g., liver regeneration). Hypertrophy
involves increased cell size, dysplasia involves abnormal cell changes, and metaplasia
involves cell type transformation.
3. What is a common pathological cause of dysplasia?
A. Increased hormonal stimulation
B. Chronic irritation or cell injury
C. Decreased workload
D. Enhanced ATP production
Answer: B. Chronic irritation or cell injury
Rationale: Dysplasia is characterized by abnormal changes in cell size, shape, or
organization, often due to chronic irritation or injury (e.g., cervical dysplasia from
HPV). Hormonal stimulation is more associated with hyperplasia, decreased work-
load with atrophy, and ATP production is unrelated to dysplasia.
4. Metaplasia is best described as:
A. Irreversible cell damage leading to necrosis
B. Reversible change of one cell type to another
C. Increase in cell size due to stress
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, NURS 5315 Advanced Pathophysiology UTA Exam 1 – 2025 Version
D. Decrease in cell number due to apoptosis
Answer: B. Reversible change of one cell type to another
Rationale: Metaplasia involves a reversible change where one differentiated cell type
transforms into another to adapt to chronic stressors (e.g., squamous metaplasia in
smokers’ lungs). It is not necrosis, hypertrophy, or apoptosis-related.
5. What is the most likely outcome of severe hypoxia in a cell?
A. Increased ATP production
B. Cellular swelling
C. Cell death
D. Enhanced protein synthesis
Answer: C. Cell death
Rationale: Severe hypoxia leads to inadequate oxygenation, reducing ATP pro-
duction via mitochondrial dysfunction, shifting to anaerobic metabolism, and ul-
timately causing cell death (necrosis or apoptosis). Cellular swelling may occur
earlier, but death is the final outcome.
6. Which electrolyte imbalance is most likely to cause cardiac arrhythmias?
A. Hypernatremia
B. Hypokalemia
C. Hypermagnesemia
D. Hypocalcemia
Answer: B. Hypokalemia
Rationale: Hypokalemia disrupts the membrane potential of cardiac cells, leading to
arrhythmias. It affects the action potential duration, increasing the risk of ectopic
beats. Other imbalances may cause symptoms, but hypokalemia is most directly
linked to arrhythmias.
7. A patient with a sodium level of 115 mEq/L exhibits disorientation and lethargy.
What is the underlying pathological process?
A. Hyperpolarization of the action potential
B. Cellular dehydration
C. Osmotic movement of water into cells
D. Increased potassium efflux
Answer: C. Osmotic movement of water into cells
Rationale: Severe hyponatremia (115 mEq/L) causes a hypoosmolar state, leading
to water movement into cells, including brain cells, causing cerebral edema, which
manifests as disorientation and lethargy. Hyperpolarization and potassium efflux
are not directly related, and dehydration is associated with hypernatremia.
8. What is the primary role of the buffer system in acid-base homeostasis?
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, NURS 5315 Advanced Pathophysiology UTA Exam 1 – 2025 Version
A. Increase CO2 production
B. Neutralize excess acids or bases
C. Enhance renal excretion of bicarbonate
D. Decrease respiratory rate
Answer: B. Neutralize excess acids or bases
Rationale: Buffer systems (e.g., bicarbonate, phosphate) rapidly neutralize excess
acids or bases to maintain blood pH within a narrow range (7.35–7.45). They do
not directly affect CO2 production, renal excretion, or respiratory rate.
9. A patient is hyperventilating at 33 breaths per minute. Which arterial blood gas
(ABG) value is most consistent with this scenario?
A. PCO2 45 mmHg
B. PCO2 15 mmHg
C. pH 7.30
D. O2 sat 90
Answer: B. PCO2 15 mmHg
Rationale: Hyperventilation causes excessive CO2 exhalation, lowering PCO2 (nor-
mal 35–45 mmHg), leading to respiratory alkalosis. A PCO2 of 15 mmHg is con-
sistent with this. A pH of 7.30 indicates acidosis, not alkalosis, and O2 saturation
is less relevant.
10. What is the primary source of cellular injury in ischemia?
A. Excess glucose metabolism
B. Oxygen deficiency
C. Increased ATP production
D. Enhanced mitochondrial function
Answer: B. Oxygen deficiency
Rationale: Ischemia results from reduced blood flow, leading to oxygen deficiency,
which impairs aerobic metabolism, reduces ATP production, and causes cellular in-
jury. Glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function are disrupted, not enhanced.
11. Which process best explains the action potential in excitable cells?
A. Rapid influx of calcium ions
B. Sodium-potassium pump failure
C. Rapid influx of sodium ions
D. Increased chloride efflux
Answer: C. Rapid influx of sodium ions
Rationale: The action potential in excitable cells (e.g., neurons, muscle cells) is
initiated by a rapid influx of sodium ions, depolarizing the membrane. Calcium
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