NURS 535 Practice Exam Questions with
Verified Answers
What is polycythemia? - ✔✔too many RBCs
What is anemia? - ✔✔Reduction in the total number of erythrocytes in the circulating blood or
in the quality or quantity of hemoglobin
What is the etiology of anemia? - ✔✔• Impaired erythrocyte production
• Acute or chronic blood loss
• Increased erythrocyte destruction
• Combination of the above
What is mean cell volume (MCV)? - ✔✔Average volume of RBC in cubic micrometers
What is mean cell hemoglobin (MCH)? - ✔✔Average content of Hb per RBC
What is mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)? - ✔✔average concentration of Hb in
given volume of packed RBCs in gm/dL
What is red blood cell distribution width (RWD)? - ✔✔Coefficient of variation of RBC volume
What is the size of a RBC? - ✔✔normocytic, microcytic, macrocytic
What is the color of a RBC? - ✔✔degree of hemoglobination- normochromic, hypochromic
What is the shape of a RBC? - ✔✔spherocytosis, elliptocytosis
,What is anisocytosis? - ✔✔Red cells are present in various sizes
What is poikilocytosis? - ✔✔Red cells are present in various shapes
What is the physiologic manifestation of anemia? - ✔✔Reduced oxygen carrying capacity
What are classic anemia symptoms? - ✔✔fatigue, weakness, dyspnea, pallor
What causes anemia? - ✔✔Due to hypoxemia and tissue hypoxia
What is the effect of anemia on the cardiovascular system? - ✔✔Increased preload, heart rate,
and stroke volume;
reduced afterload
What is the effect of anemia on the respiratory system? - ✔✔dyspnea
What is the effect of anemia on the nervous system? - ✔✔myelin degeneration
What is the effect of anemia on the GI system? - ✔✔pain, nausea, vomiting, anorexia
What is normochromic macrocytic anemia also called? - ✔✔megaloblastic anemia
What is normochromic macrocytic anemia? - ✔✔an anemia in which the red blood cells
(erythrocytes) are larger than their normal volume.
,What causes normochromic macrocytic anemia? - ✔✔Defective DNA synthesis due to
deficiencies in vitamin B12 or folate (coenzymes for nuclear maturation and the
DNA synthesis pathway)
What happens to RNA in normochromic macrocytic anemia? - ✔✔RNA processes occur at a
normal rate which results in unequal growth of the nucleus and cytoplasm
What causes pernicious anemia? - ✔✔a lack of intrinsic factor from the gastric parietal cells
which is required for vitamin B12 absorption. Results in vitamin B12 deficiency
What are the symptoms in pernicious anemia? - ✔✔Typical anemia symptoms with neurologic
manifestations such as nerve demyelination. Also loss of appetite, abdominal pain, beefy red
tongue (atrophic glossitis), icterus, splenic enlargement
What is the treatment for pernicious anemia? - ✔✔Parenteral or high oral doses of vitamin B12
What happens to older adults with pernicious anemia? - ✔✔It is often unrecognized in older
adults due to subtle, slow onset and presentation
What is folate deficiency anemia? - ✔✔the lack of folic acid in the blood
Where is folate absorbed? - ✔✔occurs in the upper small intestine
What are the symptoms in folate deficiency anemia? - ✔✔Similar to pernicious anemia except
neurologic manifestations generally not seen
What is the treatment of folate deficiency anemia? - ✔✔requires daily oral administration of
folate
, What characterizes hypochromic microcytic anemia? - ✔✔red cells that are abnormally small
and contain reduced amounts of hemoglobin
What is hypochromic microcytic anemia related to? - ✔✔• Disorders of iron metabolism
• Disorders of porphyrin and heme synthesis
• Disorders of globin synthesis
What is the most common type of anemia? - ✔✔iron deficiency anemia
What are the different types of iron deficiency anemia? - ✔✔• Nutritional iron deficiency
• Metabolic or functional deficiency
What does progression of iron deficiency cause? - ✔✔Brittle, thin, coarsely ridged, and spoon-
shaped nails. A red, sore, and painful tongue
When does a person become symptomatic in iron deficiency anemia? - ✔✔Hgb 7-8 g/dl
What is sideroblastic anemia? - ✔✔a form of anemia in which the bone marrow produces
ringed sideroblasts rather than healthy red blood cells (erythrocytes).
What is the etiology of sideroblastic anemia? - ✔✔Altered mitochondrial metabolism causing
ineffective iron uptake and resulting in dysfunctional hemoglobin synthesis
What is the diagnostic criteria for sideroblastic anemia? - ✔✔ringed sideroblasts
What are sideroblasts? - ✔✔erythroblasts that contain iron granules that have not been
synthesized into hemoglobin
Verified Answers
What is polycythemia? - ✔✔too many RBCs
What is anemia? - ✔✔Reduction in the total number of erythrocytes in the circulating blood or
in the quality or quantity of hemoglobin
What is the etiology of anemia? - ✔✔• Impaired erythrocyte production
• Acute or chronic blood loss
• Increased erythrocyte destruction
• Combination of the above
What is mean cell volume (MCV)? - ✔✔Average volume of RBC in cubic micrometers
What is mean cell hemoglobin (MCH)? - ✔✔Average content of Hb per RBC
What is mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)? - ✔✔average concentration of Hb in
given volume of packed RBCs in gm/dL
What is red blood cell distribution width (RWD)? - ✔✔Coefficient of variation of RBC volume
What is the size of a RBC? - ✔✔normocytic, microcytic, macrocytic
What is the color of a RBC? - ✔✔degree of hemoglobination- normochromic, hypochromic
What is the shape of a RBC? - ✔✔spherocytosis, elliptocytosis
,What is anisocytosis? - ✔✔Red cells are present in various sizes
What is poikilocytosis? - ✔✔Red cells are present in various shapes
What is the physiologic manifestation of anemia? - ✔✔Reduced oxygen carrying capacity
What are classic anemia symptoms? - ✔✔fatigue, weakness, dyspnea, pallor
What causes anemia? - ✔✔Due to hypoxemia and tissue hypoxia
What is the effect of anemia on the cardiovascular system? - ✔✔Increased preload, heart rate,
and stroke volume;
reduced afterload
What is the effect of anemia on the respiratory system? - ✔✔dyspnea
What is the effect of anemia on the nervous system? - ✔✔myelin degeneration
What is the effect of anemia on the GI system? - ✔✔pain, nausea, vomiting, anorexia
What is normochromic macrocytic anemia also called? - ✔✔megaloblastic anemia
What is normochromic macrocytic anemia? - ✔✔an anemia in which the red blood cells
(erythrocytes) are larger than their normal volume.
,What causes normochromic macrocytic anemia? - ✔✔Defective DNA synthesis due to
deficiencies in vitamin B12 or folate (coenzymes for nuclear maturation and the
DNA synthesis pathway)
What happens to RNA in normochromic macrocytic anemia? - ✔✔RNA processes occur at a
normal rate which results in unequal growth of the nucleus and cytoplasm
What causes pernicious anemia? - ✔✔a lack of intrinsic factor from the gastric parietal cells
which is required for vitamin B12 absorption. Results in vitamin B12 deficiency
What are the symptoms in pernicious anemia? - ✔✔Typical anemia symptoms with neurologic
manifestations such as nerve demyelination. Also loss of appetite, abdominal pain, beefy red
tongue (atrophic glossitis), icterus, splenic enlargement
What is the treatment for pernicious anemia? - ✔✔Parenteral or high oral doses of vitamin B12
What happens to older adults with pernicious anemia? - ✔✔It is often unrecognized in older
adults due to subtle, slow onset and presentation
What is folate deficiency anemia? - ✔✔the lack of folic acid in the blood
Where is folate absorbed? - ✔✔occurs in the upper small intestine
What are the symptoms in folate deficiency anemia? - ✔✔Similar to pernicious anemia except
neurologic manifestations generally not seen
What is the treatment of folate deficiency anemia? - ✔✔requires daily oral administration of
folate
, What characterizes hypochromic microcytic anemia? - ✔✔red cells that are abnormally small
and contain reduced amounts of hemoglobin
What is hypochromic microcytic anemia related to? - ✔✔• Disorders of iron metabolism
• Disorders of porphyrin and heme synthesis
• Disorders of globin synthesis
What is the most common type of anemia? - ✔✔iron deficiency anemia
What are the different types of iron deficiency anemia? - ✔✔• Nutritional iron deficiency
• Metabolic or functional deficiency
What does progression of iron deficiency cause? - ✔✔Brittle, thin, coarsely ridged, and spoon-
shaped nails. A red, sore, and painful tongue
When does a person become symptomatic in iron deficiency anemia? - ✔✔Hgb 7-8 g/dl
What is sideroblastic anemia? - ✔✔a form of anemia in which the bone marrow produces
ringed sideroblasts rather than healthy red blood cells (erythrocytes).
What is the etiology of sideroblastic anemia? - ✔✔Altered mitochondrial metabolism causing
ineffective iron uptake and resulting in dysfunctional hemoglobin synthesis
What is the diagnostic criteria for sideroblastic anemia? - ✔✔ringed sideroblasts
What are sideroblasts? - ✔✔erythroblasts that contain iron granules that have not been
synthesized into hemoglobin
