Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to
Clinical Medicine
8th Edition
Author(s)Gary D. Hammer; Stephen J. McPhee
TEST BANK
Ch. 1 — Introduction
Question 1
A 58-year-old patient presents with fatigue and unintended
weight loss. You suspect a chronic disease process. Which
clinical approach best reflects the pathophysiologic method
emphasized in the text when converting symptoms into
diagnostic reasoning?
A. Rely primarily on a single abnormal lab value to establish
diagnosis.
B. Integrate normal physiology, mechanisms that produce the
observed signs, and risk-factor context to generate differential
,diagnoses.
C. Order imaging studies for every patient before clinical
assessment.
D. Use only epidemiologic prevalence to choose the most likely
diagnosis.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Integrating normal physiology, underlying
mechanisms, and patient context is the pathophysiologic
approach Hammer & McPhee advocate for linking symptoms to
disease processes and refining a differential.
Rationale — A: Overreliance on one lab value ignores
mechanism and can mislead.
Rationale — C: Routine imaging before assessment is inefficient
and may miss physiologic clues.
Rationale — D: Prevalence informs probability but cannot
replace mechanistic reasoning for an individual.
Teaching Point: Use physiology → mechanism → clinical
features to prioritize diagnoses.
Citation: Hammer & McPhee (2019). Pathophysiology of
Disease (8th Ed.). Ch. 1. AccessMedicine
Ch. 1 — Introduction
Question 2
A nursing student is designing a study to evaluate a new
biomarker for early organ injury. Which concept from the
,introductory chapter most directly affects how the student
interprets the biomarker’s clinical utility?
A. The book’s checklist for imaging protocols.
B. The relationship among sensitivity, specificity, and pretest
probability.
C. The method for calculating body mass index.
D. Standardized time intervals for vital signs.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Sensitivity, specificity, and pretest
probability determine how a biomarker changes diagnostic
confidence and should guide clinical use.
Rationale — A: Imaging protocols are procedure-focused and
not primary for biomarker interpretation.
Rationale — C: BMI calculation is unrelated to biomarker
diagnostic performance.
Rationale — D: Vital-sign timing is important clinically but not
central to biomarker validity.
Teaching Point: Diagnostic value depends on test characteristics
and pretest probability.
Citation: Hammer & McPhee (2019). Pathophysiology of
Disease (8th Ed.). Ch. 1. AccessMedicine
Ch. 1 — Introduction
Question 3
A patient’s clinical presentation suggests loss of homeostatic
, control. According to principles described in the Introduction,
which physiologic explanation best links homeostatic failure to
symptom development?
A. Homeostatic mechanisms always prevent disease, so
symptoms indicate psychosomatic causes.
B. Disruption of feedback loops leads to maladaptive set-point
changes producing clinical signs.
C. Homeostasis only applies to electrolyte balance and not to
metabolic processes.
D. Symptoms only emerge when infections are present.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Pathophysiology frames symptoms as
consequences of altered regulatory feedback and set-point
disturbances (e.g., hypothalamic, endocrine).
Rationale — A: Homeostatic failure commonly produces organic
disease, not just psychosomatic symptoms.
Rationale — C: Homeostasis applies broadly, including
metabolic and endocrine systems.
Rationale — D: Many noninfectious mechanisms (genetic,
metabolic) cause symptoms.
Teaching Point: Disease often reflects broken feedback control
and shifted physiologic set-points.
Citation: Hammer & McPhee (2019). Pathophysiology of
Disease (8th Ed.). Ch. 1. AccessMedicine
Clinical Medicine
8th Edition
Author(s)Gary D. Hammer; Stephen J. McPhee
TEST BANK
Ch. 1 — Introduction
Question 1
A 58-year-old patient presents with fatigue and unintended
weight loss. You suspect a chronic disease process. Which
clinical approach best reflects the pathophysiologic method
emphasized in the text when converting symptoms into
diagnostic reasoning?
A. Rely primarily on a single abnormal lab value to establish
diagnosis.
B. Integrate normal physiology, mechanisms that produce the
observed signs, and risk-factor context to generate differential
,diagnoses.
C. Order imaging studies for every patient before clinical
assessment.
D. Use only epidemiologic prevalence to choose the most likely
diagnosis.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Integrating normal physiology, underlying
mechanisms, and patient context is the pathophysiologic
approach Hammer & McPhee advocate for linking symptoms to
disease processes and refining a differential.
Rationale — A: Overreliance on one lab value ignores
mechanism and can mislead.
Rationale — C: Routine imaging before assessment is inefficient
and may miss physiologic clues.
Rationale — D: Prevalence informs probability but cannot
replace mechanistic reasoning for an individual.
Teaching Point: Use physiology → mechanism → clinical
features to prioritize diagnoses.
Citation: Hammer & McPhee (2019). Pathophysiology of
Disease (8th Ed.). Ch. 1. AccessMedicine
Ch. 1 — Introduction
Question 2
A nursing student is designing a study to evaluate a new
biomarker for early organ injury. Which concept from the
,introductory chapter most directly affects how the student
interprets the biomarker’s clinical utility?
A. The book’s checklist for imaging protocols.
B. The relationship among sensitivity, specificity, and pretest
probability.
C. The method for calculating body mass index.
D. Standardized time intervals for vital signs.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Sensitivity, specificity, and pretest
probability determine how a biomarker changes diagnostic
confidence and should guide clinical use.
Rationale — A: Imaging protocols are procedure-focused and
not primary for biomarker interpretation.
Rationale — C: BMI calculation is unrelated to biomarker
diagnostic performance.
Rationale — D: Vital-sign timing is important clinically but not
central to biomarker validity.
Teaching Point: Diagnostic value depends on test characteristics
and pretest probability.
Citation: Hammer & McPhee (2019). Pathophysiology of
Disease (8th Ed.). Ch. 1. AccessMedicine
Ch. 1 — Introduction
Question 3
A patient’s clinical presentation suggests loss of homeostatic
, control. According to principles described in the Introduction,
which physiologic explanation best links homeostatic failure to
symptom development?
A. Homeostatic mechanisms always prevent disease, so
symptoms indicate psychosomatic causes.
B. Disruption of feedback loops leads to maladaptive set-point
changes producing clinical signs.
C. Homeostasis only applies to electrolyte balance and not to
metabolic processes.
D. Symptoms only emerge when infections are present.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct: Pathophysiology frames symptoms as
consequences of altered regulatory feedback and set-point
disturbances (e.g., hypothalamic, endocrine).
Rationale — A: Homeostatic failure commonly produces organic
disease, not just psychosomatic symptoms.
Rationale — C: Homeostasis applies broadly, including
metabolic and endocrine systems.
Rationale — D: Many noninfectious mechanisms (genetic,
metabolic) cause symptoms.
Teaching Point: Disease often reflects broken feedback control
and shifted physiologic set-points.
Citation: Hammer & McPhee (2019). Pathophysiology of
Disease (8th Ed.). Ch. 1. AccessMedicine
