Exam 2 – Pathophysiology | Complete Test
Bank with Verified Questions & Answers |
2026 Update
In which of the following patient (client) situations would a physician be most justified in preliminarily
ruling out pericarditis as a contributing pathology to the patient (client)'s health problems? --SOLUTION--
A 77-year-old with diminished S3 and S4 heart tones, irregular heart rate and history of a-fib
Following cardiac surgery, the nurse suspects the patient (client) may be developing a cardiac
tamponade. Which of the following clinical manifestations would support this diagnosis? --SOLUTION--
Muffled heart tones, narrowed pulse pressure and low BP 84/60
Cardiac tamponade results in increased intracardiac pressure, progressive limitation of ventricular
diastolic filling and decrease SV and CO
Which of the following phenomena would be most likely to accompany increased myocardial oxygen
demand? --SOLUTION--Increased aortic pressure
Results in rise in afterload, wall tension, ultimately MVO2
Which of the following teaching points would be most appropriate for a group of older adults who are
concerned about their cardiac health? --SOLUTION--The plaque that builds up in your heart vessels
obstructs the normal flow of blood and can even break loose and lodge itself in a vessel
Stable plaque is associated with obstruction of blood flow, while unstable plaque may dislodge and
result in thrombus formation
Four patient (client)s were admitted to the emergency department with severe chest pain. All were
given preliminary treatment with aspirin, morphine, oxygen, and nitrates and were monitored by ECG.
Which patient (client) most likely experienced myocardial infarction? --SOLUTION--An 80-year-old
woman whose pain started at 6am shortly after awakening and was not relieved by nitrates or rest; the
ECG showed St- segment elevation with inverted T waves and abnormal Q waves; levels of cardiac
markers subsequently rose
The chest pain of MI does not respond to rest or nitrates
,Which of the following statements provides blood work results and rationale that would be most closely
associated with acute coronary syndrome? --SOLUTION--Elevated creatinine kinase and troponin, both
of which normally exist intracellularly rather than in circulation
Myocardial necrosis releases creatinine kinase and troponin that normally exist intracellularly
A number of clients have presented to the emergency department in the last 32 hours with complaints
that preliminarily indicative of MI, which of the following clients is least likely to have a STEMI? --
SOLUTION--A 71-year-old man who has most skin, fever and chest pain that is excruciating when he
moves but relieved when at rest
STEMI pain not normally relieved by rest, nor would fever be a common symptom
Following a STEMI, the nurse should be assessing the pt for which of the following complications? --
SOLUTION--Large amount of pink, frothy sputum and new onset of murmur
A 78-year-old man has been experiencing nocturnal chest pain over the last several months, and his
family physician diagnosed him with variant angina. Which of the following teaching points should the
physician include in his explanation of the man's new diagnosis? --SOLUTION--I'm going to start you on a
low-dose aspirin, and it will help greatly if you can lose weight and keep exercising.
An IV drug abuser walks into the ED telling the nurse that, "he is sick". He looks feverish with flushed,
moist skin; dehydrated with dry lips/mucous membranes; and fatigued. The assessment reveals a loud
murmur. An echo was ordered that shows large vegetation growing on his mitral valve. The patient
(client) is admitted to the ICU. The nurse will be assessing this patient (client) for which possible life-
threatening complications? --SOLUTION--Systemic emboli, especially to the brain
Systemic emboli develop and break off the mitral valve and travel into the vascular system
A 34-year-old man who is an IV drug user has presented to the ED with malaise, abdominal pain &
lethargy. The health care team wants to rule out endocarditis as a diagnosis. Staff of the department
would most realistically anticipate which of the following sets of diagnostics? --SOLUTION--Echo, blood cx
and temperature.
, Echo helps visualize the heart, while blood cx would confirm presence or absence of microorganisms in
the circulation, and temperature would gauge presence of infection.
A 66-year-old obese man with diagnoses of ischemic heart disease has been diagnosed with heart failure
that his care team has characterized as attributable to systolic dysfunction. Which of the following
assessment findings is inconsistent with his diagnosis? --SOLUTION--Ventricular dilation and wall tension
are significantly lower than normal.
A nurse will be providing care for a female patient (client) who has diagnosis of heart failure that has
been characterized as being primarily right sided. Which of the following statements best describes the
presentation that the nurse should anticipate? The client --SOLUTION--has pitting edema to the ankles
and feet bilaterally, decreased activity tolerance, and occasional right upper quadrant pain.
The nurse working in the ICU knows that chronic elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure will
result in the patient (client) displaying which of the following clinical manifestations? --SOLUTION--
Dyspnea and crackles in BL lung bases
Although it may preserve the resting cardiac output, the resulting chronic elevation of left ventricular
end-diastolic pressure is transmitted to the atria and the pulmonary circulation, causing pulmonary
congestion.
A 77-year-old patient (client) with a history of coronary artery disease and heart failure has arrived in
the ER with a rapid heart rate and feeling of "impending doom". Based on pathophysiologic principles,
the nurse knows the rapid heart rate could --SOLUTION--be a result of catecholamines released from
SNS that could increase the myocardial oxygen demand
A increase in sympathetic activity by stimulation of the B-adrenergic receptors of the heart leads to
tachycardia, vasoconstriction, and arrhythmia.
A nurse educator in a geriatric medicine unit of a hospital is teaching a group of new graduates specific
assessment criteria related to heart failure. Which of the following criteria should the nurses prioritize in
their practice? --SOLUTION--Measurement of urine output and mental status assessment
Bank with Verified Questions & Answers |
2026 Update
In which of the following patient (client) situations would a physician be most justified in preliminarily
ruling out pericarditis as a contributing pathology to the patient (client)'s health problems? --SOLUTION--
A 77-year-old with diminished S3 and S4 heart tones, irregular heart rate and history of a-fib
Following cardiac surgery, the nurse suspects the patient (client) may be developing a cardiac
tamponade. Which of the following clinical manifestations would support this diagnosis? --SOLUTION--
Muffled heart tones, narrowed pulse pressure and low BP 84/60
Cardiac tamponade results in increased intracardiac pressure, progressive limitation of ventricular
diastolic filling and decrease SV and CO
Which of the following phenomena would be most likely to accompany increased myocardial oxygen
demand? --SOLUTION--Increased aortic pressure
Results in rise in afterload, wall tension, ultimately MVO2
Which of the following teaching points would be most appropriate for a group of older adults who are
concerned about their cardiac health? --SOLUTION--The plaque that builds up in your heart vessels
obstructs the normal flow of blood and can even break loose and lodge itself in a vessel
Stable plaque is associated with obstruction of blood flow, while unstable plaque may dislodge and
result in thrombus formation
Four patient (client)s were admitted to the emergency department with severe chest pain. All were
given preliminary treatment with aspirin, morphine, oxygen, and nitrates and were monitored by ECG.
Which patient (client) most likely experienced myocardial infarction? --SOLUTION--An 80-year-old
woman whose pain started at 6am shortly after awakening and was not relieved by nitrates or rest; the
ECG showed St- segment elevation with inverted T waves and abnormal Q waves; levels of cardiac
markers subsequently rose
The chest pain of MI does not respond to rest or nitrates
,Which of the following statements provides blood work results and rationale that would be most closely
associated with acute coronary syndrome? --SOLUTION--Elevated creatinine kinase and troponin, both
of which normally exist intracellularly rather than in circulation
Myocardial necrosis releases creatinine kinase and troponin that normally exist intracellularly
A number of clients have presented to the emergency department in the last 32 hours with complaints
that preliminarily indicative of MI, which of the following clients is least likely to have a STEMI? --
SOLUTION--A 71-year-old man who has most skin, fever and chest pain that is excruciating when he
moves but relieved when at rest
STEMI pain not normally relieved by rest, nor would fever be a common symptom
Following a STEMI, the nurse should be assessing the pt for which of the following complications? --
SOLUTION--Large amount of pink, frothy sputum and new onset of murmur
A 78-year-old man has been experiencing nocturnal chest pain over the last several months, and his
family physician diagnosed him with variant angina. Which of the following teaching points should the
physician include in his explanation of the man's new diagnosis? --SOLUTION--I'm going to start you on a
low-dose aspirin, and it will help greatly if you can lose weight and keep exercising.
An IV drug abuser walks into the ED telling the nurse that, "he is sick". He looks feverish with flushed,
moist skin; dehydrated with dry lips/mucous membranes; and fatigued. The assessment reveals a loud
murmur. An echo was ordered that shows large vegetation growing on his mitral valve. The patient
(client) is admitted to the ICU. The nurse will be assessing this patient (client) for which possible life-
threatening complications? --SOLUTION--Systemic emboli, especially to the brain
Systemic emboli develop and break off the mitral valve and travel into the vascular system
A 34-year-old man who is an IV drug user has presented to the ED with malaise, abdominal pain &
lethargy. The health care team wants to rule out endocarditis as a diagnosis. Staff of the department
would most realistically anticipate which of the following sets of diagnostics? --SOLUTION--Echo, blood cx
and temperature.
, Echo helps visualize the heart, while blood cx would confirm presence or absence of microorganisms in
the circulation, and temperature would gauge presence of infection.
A 66-year-old obese man with diagnoses of ischemic heart disease has been diagnosed with heart failure
that his care team has characterized as attributable to systolic dysfunction. Which of the following
assessment findings is inconsistent with his diagnosis? --SOLUTION--Ventricular dilation and wall tension
are significantly lower than normal.
A nurse will be providing care for a female patient (client) who has diagnosis of heart failure that has
been characterized as being primarily right sided. Which of the following statements best describes the
presentation that the nurse should anticipate? The client --SOLUTION--has pitting edema to the ankles
and feet bilaterally, decreased activity tolerance, and occasional right upper quadrant pain.
The nurse working in the ICU knows that chronic elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure will
result in the patient (client) displaying which of the following clinical manifestations? --SOLUTION--
Dyspnea and crackles in BL lung bases
Although it may preserve the resting cardiac output, the resulting chronic elevation of left ventricular
end-diastolic pressure is transmitted to the atria and the pulmonary circulation, causing pulmonary
congestion.
A 77-year-old patient (client) with a history of coronary artery disease and heart failure has arrived in
the ER with a rapid heart rate and feeling of "impending doom". Based on pathophysiologic principles,
the nurse knows the rapid heart rate could --SOLUTION--be a result of catecholamines released from
SNS that could increase the myocardial oxygen demand
A increase in sympathetic activity by stimulation of the B-adrenergic receptors of the heart leads to
tachycardia, vasoconstriction, and arrhythmia.
A nurse educator in a geriatric medicine unit of a hospital is teaching a group of new graduates specific
assessment criteria related to heart failure. Which of the following criteria should the nurses prioritize in
their practice? --SOLUTION--Measurement of urine output and mental status assessment
