Pathophysiology Exam 1 – Sample Questions with Verified Answers (Latest 2025 Update)
Study Guide for A+ Success
A report comes back indicating that muscular atrophy has occurred. A nurse recalls that muscular
atrophy involves a decrease in muscle cell:
a. number
b. size
c. vacuoles
d. lipofuscin B. Size CORRECT ANSWER During childhood, the thymus decreases in size, and this is
referred to as what type of atrophy?
a. Physiologic
b. Pathologic
c. Disuse
d. Neurogenic A. Physiologic CORRECT ANSWER When planning care for a cardiac patient, the nurse
knows that in response to an increased workload, cardiac myocardial cells will experience hypertrophy
which is an:
a. increase in size
b. decrease in length
c. increase in excitability
d. decrease in number A. Increase in size CORRECT ANSWER A 55-year-old male with a 30-year
history of smoking is examined for respiratory disturbance. Examination of his airway (bronchial) reveals
that stratified squamous epithelial cells have replaced the normal columnar ciliated cells. This type of
cellular adaption is called:
a. anaplasia
b. hyperplasia
c. metaplasia
d. dysplasia C. Metaplasia CORRECT ANSWER When planning care for the pregnant patient, the
nurse will recall that the mammary glands enlarge as a consequence of:
a. compensatory hyperplasia
b. hormonal hyperplasia
c. hormonal anaplasia
,d. compensatory anaplasia B. Hormonal hyperplasia CORRECT ANSWER A 24-year-old female
presents with excessive menstrual bleeding. The physician identified endometrial changes that are due
to hormonal imbalances. These cellular changes would be referred to as:
a. dysplasia
b. pathologic dysplasia
c. hyperplasia
d. pathologic hyperplas D. Pathologic hyperplasia CORRECT ANSWER A 55-year-old male is diagnosed
with hepatocellular cancer secondary to hepatitis C. If the cancerous region of his liver is removed, the
remaining cells would undergo:
a. pathologic hyperplasia
b. pathologic metaplasia
c. compensatory hyperplasia
d. compensatory aplasia C. Compensatory hyperplasia CORRECT ANSWER A 40-year-old
female's Pap smear indicates abnormal changes in the shape and organization of cervical cells. Which
term would be used to identify this type of change?
a. Metaplasia
b. Atrophy
c. Hypertrophy
d. Dysplasia D. Dyspalsia CORRECT ANSWER A 75-year-old male presents with chest pain on
exertion. The chest pain is most likely due to hypoxic injury secondary to:
a. malnutrition
b. free radicals
c. ischemia
d. chemical toxicity C. Ischemia CORRECT ANSWER A patient has a heart attack that leads to
progressive cell injury that causes cell death with severe cell swelling and breakdown of organelles.
What term would the nurse use to define this process?
a. Adaptation
b. Calcification
c. Apoptosis
D. Necrosis D. Necrosis CORRECT ANSWER Sodium and water accumulation in an injured cell are a
direct result of:
a. decreased ATP production
,b. karyorrhexis
c. ribosome detachment
d. dehydration A. Decreased ATP production CORRECT ANSWER The early dilation (swelling) of the
cell's endoplasmic reticulum results in:
a. increased aerobic metabolism
b. failure of DNA
c. reduced protein synthesis
d. increase Na+ - K+ pump function C. Reduced protein synthesis CORRECT ANSWER A 52-year-old
male suffered a myocardial infarction secondary to atherosclerosis and ischemia. Once blood flow is
returned to the damaged heart, reperfusion injury occurs as a result of:
a. oxidative stress
b. vacuolation
c. decreased intracellular calcium
d. lipid acceptor proteins A. Oxidative stress CORRECT ANSWER A family presents to their
primary care provider reporting headache, nausea, weakness, tinnitus, and vomiting. Which of the
following would be the most likely expression for these symptoms?
a. Lead exposure
b. Carbon monoxide poisoning
c. Ethanol exposure
d. Mercury poisoning B. Carbon monoxide poisoning CORRECT ANSWER A common pathway of
irreversible cell injury involved increased intracellular:
a. sodium
b. potassium
c. magnesium
d. calcium D. Calcium CORRECT ANSWER A 50-year-old male sustained a closed head injury as a
result of a motor vehicle accident. CT scan revealed a collection of blood between the inner surface of
the dura mater and the surface of the brain. Which type of injury will the nurse be caring for?
a. Subdural hematoma
b. Epidural hematoma
c. Contusion
, d. Abrasion A. Subdural hematoma CORRECT ANSWER A 20-year-old male presents to the
emergency department with a jagged sharp-force injury that is longer than it is deep. What type of
wound would the nurse be caring for?
a. Stab wound
b. Incised wound
c. Puncture wound
d. Chopping wound B. Incised wound CORRECT ANSWER A 30-year-old female presents with a
gunshot wound to the head. The wound has seared edges and a deep penetration of smoke and
gunpowder fragments. This wound would be documented as a(n):
a. exit
b. intermediate range entrance
c. contact range entrance
d. indeterminate range entrance C. Contact range entrance CORRECT ANSWER A 15-year-old
female presents to the ER following a physical assault. She has internal damage to the neck with deep
bruising. X-ray reveals fractures of the hyoid bone and tracheal and cricoid cartilage. Which of the
following most likely caused her injuries?
a. Chemical asphyxiation
b. Choking asphyxiation
c. Ligature strangulation
d. Manual strangulation D. Manual strangulation CORRECT ANSWER A 55-year-old male has swelling of
the feet. Which of the following aided in the development of swelling?
a. Increased ATP
b. Chloride movement out of the cell
c. Na+ movement into the cell
d. Decreased oncotic pressure C. Na+ movement into the cell CORRECT ANSWER A 35-year-old
female is diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Biopsy of the tumor reveals Russel bodies, and laboratory
testing reveals kidney dysfunction. Which substance should the nurse monitor as it is accumulating in
the patients' body?
a. Glycogen
b. Protein
c. Pigment
d. Melanin B. Protein CORRECT ANSWER A newborn male is diagnosed with albinism based on
skin, eye, and hair appearance. Which finding will support this diagnosis?
Study Guide for A+ Success
A report comes back indicating that muscular atrophy has occurred. A nurse recalls that muscular
atrophy involves a decrease in muscle cell:
a. number
b. size
c. vacuoles
d. lipofuscin B. Size CORRECT ANSWER During childhood, the thymus decreases in size, and this is
referred to as what type of atrophy?
a. Physiologic
b. Pathologic
c. Disuse
d. Neurogenic A. Physiologic CORRECT ANSWER When planning care for a cardiac patient, the nurse
knows that in response to an increased workload, cardiac myocardial cells will experience hypertrophy
which is an:
a. increase in size
b. decrease in length
c. increase in excitability
d. decrease in number A. Increase in size CORRECT ANSWER A 55-year-old male with a 30-year
history of smoking is examined for respiratory disturbance. Examination of his airway (bronchial) reveals
that stratified squamous epithelial cells have replaced the normal columnar ciliated cells. This type of
cellular adaption is called:
a. anaplasia
b. hyperplasia
c. metaplasia
d. dysplasia C. Metaplasia CORRECT ANSWER When planning care for the pregnant patient, the
nurse will recall that the mammary glands enlarge as a consequence of:
a. compensatory hyperplasia
b. hormonal hyperplasia
c. hormonal anaplasia
,d. compensatory anaplasia B. Hormonal hyperplasia CORRECT ANSWER A 24-year-old female
presents with excessive menstrual bleeding. The physician identified endometrial changes that are due
to hormonal imbalances. These cellular changes would be referred to as:
a. dysplasia
b. pathologic dysplasia
c. hyperplasia
d. pathologic hyperplas D. Pathologic hyperplasia CORRECT ANSWER A 55-year-old male is diagnosed
with hepatocellular cancer secondary to hepatitis C. If the cancerous region of his liver is removed, the
remaining cells would undergo:
a. pathologic hyperplasia
b. pathologic metaplasia
c. compensatory hyperplasia
d. compensatory aplasia C. Compensatory hyperplasia CORRECT ANSWER A 40-year-old
female's Pap smear indicates abnormal changes in the shape and organization of cervical cells. Which
term would be used to identify this type of change?
a. Metaplasia
b. Atrophy
c. Hypertrophy
d. Dysplasia D. Dyspalsia CORRECT ANSWER A 75-year-old male presents with chest pain on
exertion. The chest pain is most likely due to hypoxic injury secondary to:
a. malnutrition
b. free radicals
c. ischemia
d. chemical toxicity C. Ischemia CORRECT ANSWER A patient has a heart attack that leads to
progressive cell injury that causes cell death with severe cell swelling and breakdown of organelles.
What term would the nurse use to define this process?
a. Adaptation
b. Calcification
c. Apoptosis
D. Necrosis D. Necrosis CORRECT ANSWER Sodium and water accumulation in an injured cell are a
direct result of:
a. decreased ATP production
,b. karyorrhexis
c. ribosome detachment
d. dehydration A. Decreased ATP production CORRECT ANSWER The early dilation (swelling) of the
cell's endoplasmic reticulum results in:
a. increased aerobic metabolism
b. failure of DNA
c. reduced protein synthesis
d. increase Na+ - K+ pump function C. Reduced protein synthesis CORRECT ANSWER A 52-year-old
male suffered a myocardial infarction secondary to atherosclerosis and ischemia. Once blood flow is
returned to the damaged heart, reperfusion injury occurs as a result of:
a. oxidative stress
b. vacuolation
c. decreased intracellular calcium
d. lipid acceptor proteins A. Oxidative stress CORRECT ANSWER A family presents to their
primary care provider reporting headache, nausea, weakness, tinnitus, and vomiting. Which of the
following would be the most likely expression for these symptoms?
a. Lead exposure
b. Carbon monoxide poisoning
c. Ethanol exposure
d. Mercury poisoning B. Carbon monoxide poisoning CORRECT ANSWER A common pathway of
irreversible cell injury involved increased intracellular:
a. sodium
b. potassium
c. magnesium
d. calcium D. Calcium CORRECT ANSWER A 50-year-old male sustained a closed head injury as a
result of a motor vehicle accident. CT scan revealed a collection of blood between the inner surface of
the dura mater and the surface of the brain. Which type of injury will the nurse be caring for?
a. Subdural hematoma
b. Epidural hematoma
c. Contusion
, d. Abrasion A. Subdural hematoma CORRECT ANSWER A 20-year-old male presents to the
emergency department with a jagged sharp-force injury that is longer than it is deep. What type of
wound would the nurse be caring for?
a. Stab wound
b. Incised wound
c. Puncture wound
d. Chopping wound B. Incised wound CORRECT ANSWER A 30-year-old female presents with a
gunshot wound to the head. The wound has seared edges and a deep penetration of smoke and
gunpowder fragments. This wound would be documented as a(n):
a. exit
b. intermediate range entrance
c. contact range entrance
d. indeterminate range entrance C. Contact range entrance CORRECT ANSWER A 15-year-old
female presents to the ER following a physical assault. She has internal damage to the neck with deep
bruising. X-ray reveals fractures of the hyoid bone and tracheal and cricoid cartilage. Which of the
following most likely caused her injuries?
a. Chemical asphyxiation
b. Choking asphyxiation
c. Ligature strangulation
d. Manual strangulation D. Manual strangulation CORRECT ANSWER A 55-year-old male has swelling of
the feet. Which of the following aided in the development of swelling?
a. Increased ATP
b. Chloride movement out of the cell
c. Na+ movement into the cell
d. Decreased oncotic pressure C. Na+ movement into the cell CORRECT ANSWER A 35-year-old
female is diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Biopsy of the tumor reveals Russel bodies, and laboratory
testing reveals kidney dysfunction. Which substance should the nurse monitor as it is accumulating in
the patients' body?
a. Glycogen
b. Protein
c. Pigment
d. Melanin B. Protein CORRECT ANSWER A newborn male is diagnosed with albinism based on
skin, eye, and hair appearance. Which finding will support this diagnosis?
