Maryville NR 512 Advanced
Pathophysiology Exam 1 With Actual
120 Questions & Verified Answers,Plus
Rationales/Expert Verified For
Guaranteed Pass Graded A+/
2025/2026 /Latest Update/Instant
Download Pdf
1. A 60-year-old smoker develops chronic bronchitis. Which pathophysiologic change
primarily explains his productive cough?
A. Alveolar destruction
B. Bronchial smooth muscle hypertrophy
C. Mucous gland hyperplasia and increased sputum production
D. Loss of surfactant
Mucous gland enlargement and goblet cell hyperplasia increase mucus secretion,
causing productive cough in chronic bronchitis.
2. Which type of cell death is most often associated with an inflammatory response and
cell swelling?
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Autophagy
D. Senescence
Necrosis results in plasma membrane rupture, releasing intracellular contents that
provoke inflammation and is characterized by cell swelling.
3. In left-sided heart failure, which of the following best explains pulmonary edema?
A. Increased lymphatic drainage
B. Decreased pulmonary capillary permeability
C. Increased hydrostatic pressure in pulmonary capillaries
D. Decreased oncotic pressure from hypoalbuminemia
Left ventricular dysfunction raises pulmonary venous pressure, increasing
hydrostatic pressure and causing transudation of fluid into alveoli.
,4. A patient with type 1 diabetes presents with hyperglycemia, ketonuria, and
metabolic acidosis. The primary mechanism for acidosis is:
A. Lactic acid accumulation from hypoxia
B. Increased renal bicarbonate excretion
C. Ketone body production from unchecked lipolysis
D. Excessive ingestion of acidic foods
Insulin deficiency causes lipolysis and free fatty acid oxidation into ketone bodies
(β-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate), leading to metabolic acidosis.
5. Which electrolyte disturbance is most likely to cause peaked T waves and widened
QRS complexes on ECG?
A. Hypokalemia
B. Hyperkalemia
C. Hypocalcemia
D. Hypernatremia
Elevated serum potassium reduces myocardial membrane potential, causing
peaked T waves and with severe hyperkalemia, QRS widening and conduction
block.
6. The hallmark cellular change in Alzheimer disease is:
A. Lewy bodies
B. Demyelination
C. Neurofibrillary tangles and β-amyloid plaques
D. Oligodendrocyte loss
Alzheimer’s features extracellular β-amyloid plaques and intracellular
neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau.
7. Atherosclerotic plaque formation is initiated mainly by:
A. Platelet aggregation alone
B. Elevated HDL levels
C. Endothelial injury with lipid accumulation in the intima
D. Increased smooth muscle apoptosis
Endothelial injury/dysfunction allows LDL infiltration and macrophage uptake,
forming fatty streaks and initiating plaque development.
8. Which acid–base disturbance is expected with prolonged vomiting?
A. Metabolic acidosis with low HCO3−
B. Respiratory acidosis due to hypoventilation
C. Metabolic alkalosis with elevated HCO3−
D. Respiratory alkalosis due to hyperventilation
Loss of gastric H+ (acid) from vomiting produces metabolic alkalosis; kidneys
compensate by retaining HCO3− initially until volume/electrolytes change.
, 9. In nephrotic syndrome, which of the following best explains edema formation?
A. Increased glomerular filtration rate
B. Hypoalbuminemia reducing plasma oncotic pressure
C. Increased lymphatic flow
D. Decreased capillary hydrostatic pressure
Massive proteinuria lowers plasma oncotic pressure (albumin), favoring fluid
movement into interstitium and causing edema.
10. A patient has acute pancreatitis. Which laboratory finding supports the diagnosis?
A. Low serum amylase and lipase
B. Elevated alkaline phosphatase only
C. Elevated serum amylase and lipase
D. Hypocalcemia only
Acute pancreatitis commonly elevates serum amylase and lipase due to pancreatic
acinar cell injury; hypocalcemia may occur but is not diagnostic alone.
11. Which mechanism explains hypoxemia that corrects with 100% oxygen
administration?
A. Right-to-left shunt
B. Diffusion impairment unresponsive to oxygen
C. V/Q mismatch or hypoventilation
D. Shunting through anatomical lung defects
Hypoxemia from V/Q mismatch or hypoventilation typically improves with
supplemental O₂; true right-to-left shunt is less responsive.
12. Graves disease causes hyperthyroidism primarily via:
A. Destruction of thyroid tissue
B. Iodine deficiency
C. Autoantibodies stimulating TSH receptor
D. Pituitary adenoma producing excess TSH
Graves is caused by TSH receptor-stimulating autoantibodies (TSI) leading to excess
thyroid hormone production.
13. The most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in adults is:
A. Staphylococcus aureus
B. Streptococcus pneumoniae
C. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
D. Mycoplasma hominis
Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most frequent cause of community-
acquired bacterial pneumonia in adults.
14. In compensated respiratory acidosis, the primary renal compensation is:
A. Decreased HCO3− reabsorption
Pathophysiology Exam 1 With Actual
120 Questions & Verified Answers,Plus
Rationales/Expert Verified For
Guaranteed Pass Graded A+/
2025/2026 /Latest Update/Instant
Download Pdf
1. A 60-year-old smoker develops chronic bronchitis. Which pathophysiologic change
primarily explains his productive cough?
A. Alveolar destruction
B. Bronchial smooth muscle hypertrophy
C. Mucous gland hyperplasia and increased sputum production
D. Loss of surfactant
Mucous gland enlargement and goblet cell hyperplasia increase mucus secretion,
causing productive cough in chronic bronchitis.
2. Which type of cell death is most often associated with an inflammatory response and
cell swelling?
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Autophagy
D. Senescence
Necrosis results in plasma membrane rupture, releasing intracellular contents that
provoke inflammation and is characterized by cell swelling.
3. In left-sided heart failure, which of the following best explains pulmonary edema?
A. Increased lymphatic drainage
B. Decreased pulmonary capillary permeability
C. Increased hydrostatic pressure in pulmonary capillaries
D. Decreased oncotic pressure from hypoalbuminemia
Left ventricular dysfunction raises pulmonary venous pressure, increasing
hydrostatic pressure and causing transudation of fluid into alveoli.
,4. A patient with type 1 diabetes presents with hyperglycemia, ketonuria, and
metabolic acidosis. The primary mechanism for acidosis is:
A. Lactic acid accumulation from hypoxia
B. Increased renal bicarbonate excretion
C. Ketone body production from unchecked lipolysis
D. Excessive ingestion of acidic foods
Insulin deficiency causes lipolysis and free fatty acid oxidation into ketone bodies
(β-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate), leading to metabolic acidosis.
5. Which electrolyte disturbance is most likely to cause peaked T waves and widened
QRS complexes on ECG?
A. Hypokalemia
B. Hyperkalemia
C. Hypocalcemia
D. Hypernatremia
Elevated serum potassium reduces myocardial membrane potential, causing
peaked T waves and with severe hyperkalemia, QRS widening and conduction
block.
6. The hallmark cellular change in Alzheimer disease is:
A. Lewy bodies
B. Demyelination
C. Neurofibrillary tangles and β-amyloid plaques
D. Oligodendrocyte loss
Alzheimer’s features extracellular β-amyloid plaques and intracellular
neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau.
7. Atherosclerotic plaque formation is initiated mainly by:
A. Platelet aggregation alone
B. Elevated HDL levels
C. Endothelial injury with lipid accumulation in the intima
D. Increased smooth muscle apoptosis
Endothelial injury/dysfunction allows LDL infiltration and macrophage uptake,
forming fatty streaks and initiating plaque development.
8. Which acid–base disturbance is expected with prolonged vomiting?
A. Metabolic acidosis with low HCO3−
B. Respiratory acidosis due to hypoventilation
C. Metabolic alkalosis with elevated HCO3−
D. Respiratory alkalosis due to hyperventilation
Loss of gastric H+ (acid) from vomiting produces metabolic alkalosis; kidneys
compensate by retaining HCO3− initially until volume/electrolytes change.
, 9. In nephrotic syndrome, which of the following best explains edema formation?
A. Increased glomerular filtration rate
B. Hypoalbuminemia reducing plasma oncotic pressure
C. Increased lymphatic flow
D. Decreased capillary hydrostatic pressure
Massive proteinuria lowers plasma oncotic pressure (albumin), favoring fluid
movement into interstitium and causing edema.
10. A patient has acute pancreatitis. Which laboratory finding supports the diagnosis?
A. Low serum amylase and lipase
B. Elevated alkaline phosphatase only
C. Elevated serum amylase and lipase
D. Hypocalcemia only
Acute pancreatitis commonly elevates serum amylase and lipase due to pancreatic
acinar cell injury; hypocalcemia may occur but is not diagnostic alone.
11. Which mechanism explains hypoxemia that corrects with 100% oxygen
administration?
A. Right-to-left shunt
B. Diffusion impairment unresponsive to oxygen
C. V/Q mismatch or hypoventilation
D. Shunting through anatomical lung defects
Hypoxemia from V/Q mismatch or hypoventilation typically improves with
supplemental O₂; true right-to-left shunt is less responsive.
12. Graves disease causes hyperthyroidism primarily via:
A. Destruction of thyroid tissue
B. Iodine deficiency
C. Autoantibodies stimulating TSH receptor
D. Pituitary adenoma producing excess TSH
Graves is caused by TSH receptor-stimulating autoantibodies (TSI) leading to excess
thyroid hormone production.
13. The most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia in adults is:
A. Staphylococcus aureus
B. Streptococcus pneumoniae
C. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
D. Mycoplasma hominis
Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most frequent cause of community-
acquired bacterial pneumonia in adults.
14. In compensated respiratory acidosis, the primary renal compensation is:
A. Decreased HCO3− reabsorption
