WCU PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (MIDTERM) EXAM 2025 UPDATED ACTUAL EXAM WITH
CORRECT SOLUTIONS.
A 3-year old boy who exhibits prolonged bleeding after minor trauma and a prolonged aPTT, bu a
normal platelet count, is likely to be diagnosed with - (ANSWER)Hemophilia
A 5-year-old patient's parents report loss of appetite and fatigue in their child. The parents also state
that the child refuses to walk as a result of pain. The child's most likely diagnosis is - (ANSWER)ALL
(acute lymphoid leukemia)
A cause of thrombocytopenia includes - (ANSWER)chemotherapy
A commonly ingested substance associated with prolongation of the bleeding time is - (ANSWER)aspirin
A diagnostic laboratory finding in myeloma is - (ANSWER)Bence Jones proteins in the urine
A disease that is native to a particular region is called - (ANSWER)endemic
A low mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) are
characteristic of which type of anemia? - (ANSWER)iron deficiency
A major risk factor for the development of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) disease is -
(ANSWER)Immunosuppression
A middle-aged patient has a follow up visit for a recorded blood pressure of 162/96 mm Hg taken 3
weeks ago. The patient has no significant past medical history and takes no medications, but smokes 1
1/2 packs of cigarettes per day, drinks alcohol regularly, and exercises infrequently. The patient is about
40 lbs. overweight and admits to a high-fat, high-calorie diet. At the office visit today, the patient's blood
pressure is 150/92 mm Hg. What is the least appropriate intervention for this patient at this time? -
(ANSWER)Begin antihypertensive drug therapy
A newborn has melena, bleeding from the umbilicus, and hematuria. The newborn most likely
experiencing - (ANSWER)Vitamin K deficiency bleeding
,WCU PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (MIDTERM) EXAM 2025 UPDATED ACTUAL EXAM WITH
CORRECT SOLUTIONS.
A patient diagnosed with chronic compensated heart failure reports that, "My feet swell if I eat salt but I
don't understand why" The nurse's best response is - (ANSWER)"Salt holds water in your blood and
makes more pressure against your blood vessels, so fluid leaks out into your tissues and makes them
swell."
A patient has a history of falls, syncope, dizziness, and blurred vision. The patient's symptomology is
most likely related to - (ANSWER)Hypotension
A patient has a positive Chvostek sign. The nurse interprets this as a sign of - (ANSWER)increased
neuromuscular excitability (hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia)
A patient has been exposed to meningococcal meningitis, but is not yet demonstrating signs of this
disease. This stage of illness is called the _____ stage. - (ANSWER)latent
A patient has been hospitalized several times in 6 months with severe ECV depletion and hypokalemia
resulting from chronic laxative abuse. Which blood gas results should be relayed to the physician? -
(ANSWER)pH in high part of normal range, PaO2 normal, PaCO2 high, bicarbonate high
A patient is diagnosed with cardiogenic shock. The patient is hyperventilating and is therefore at risk for
the respiratory complication of respiratory acidosis - (ANSWER)False, respiratory alkalosis
A patient is diagnosed with heart failure with normal ejection fraction. This patient is most likely
characterized by a(n) - (ANSWER)an elderly woman without a previous history of MI
A patient presenting with fever, hypotension, and lactic acidosis is most likely to be experiencing what
type of shock? - (ANSWER)Septic
A patient presents to the physician's office with pinpoint hemorrhages on the skin. The patient is most
likely between the ages of _____ years. - (ANSWER)4 and 7
A patient with cold and edematous extremities, low cardiac output, and profound hypotension is likely
to be experiencing a progressive stage of ______ shock. - (ANSWER)Septic
, WCU PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (MIDTERM) EXAM 2025 UPDATED ACTUAL EXAM WITH
CORRECT SOLUTIONS.
A patient with heart failure who reports intermittent shortness of breath during the night is
experiencing - (ANSWER)paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
A patient with significant aortic stenosis is likely to experience - (ANSWER)syncope
A patient, who is 8 months pregnant, has developed eclampsia and is receiving intravenous magnesium
sulfate to prevent seizures. To determine if her infusion rate is too high, you should regularly -
(ANSWER)check the patellar reflex; if it becomes weak or absent, her infusion rate probably is too high
and she is at risk for respiratory depression or cardiac arrest.
A person who overuses magnesium-aluminum antacids for a long period of time is likely to develop -
(ANSWER)hypophosphatemia
A serious complication of deep vein thrombosis is - (ANSWER)pulmonary embolus
A type of shock that includes brain trauma that results in depression of the vasomotor center is
cardiogenic - (ANSWER)False, neurogenic shock
Administration of a vasodilator to a patient in shock would be expected to - (ANSWER)decrease left
ventricular afterload
After being diagnosed with hypertension, a patient returns to the clinic 6 weeks later. The patient
reports "moderate" adherence to the recommended lifestyle changes and has experienced a decreased
from 165/96 to 148/90 mm Hg in blood pressure. What is the most appropriate intervention for this
patient at this time? - (ANSWER)Continue lifestyle modifications only
After evaluation, a child's asthma is characterized as "extrinsic". This means that the asthma is -
(ANSWER)associated with specific allergic triggers
CORRECT SOLUTIONS.
A 3-year old boy who exhibits prolonged bleeding after minor trauma and a prolonged aPTT, bu a
normal platelet count, is likely to be diagnosed with - (ANSWER)Hemophilia
A 5-year-old patient's parents report loss of appetite and fatigue in their child. The parents also state
that the child refuses to walk as a result of pain. The child's most likely diagnosis is - (ANSWER)ALL
(acute lymphoid leukemia)
A cause of thrombocytopenia includes - (ANSWER)chemotherapy
A commonly ingested substance associated with prolongation of the bleeding time is - (ANSWER)aspirin
A diagnostic laboratory finding in myeloma is - (ANSWER)Bence Jones proteins in the urine
A disease that is native to a particular region is called - (ANSWER)endemic
A low mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) are
characteristic of which type of anemia? - (ANSWER)iron deficiency
A major risk factor for the development of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) disease is -
(ANSWER)Immunosuppression
A middle-aged patient has a follow up visit for a recorded blood pressure of 162/96 mm Hg taken 3
weeks ago. The patient has no significant past medical history and takes no medications, but smokes 1
1/2 packs of cigarettes per day, drinks alcohol regularly, and exercises infrequently. The patient is about
40 lbs. overweight and admits to a high-fat, high-calorie diet. At the office visit today, the patient's blood
pressure is 150/92 mm Hg. What is the least appropriate intervention for this patient at this time? -
(ANSWER)Begin antihypertensive drug therapy
A newborn has melena, bleeding from the umbilicus, and hematuria. The newborn most likely
experiencing - (ANSWER)Vitamin K deficiency bleeding
,WCU PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (MIDTERM) EXAM 2025 UPDATED ACTUAL EXAM WITH
CORRECT SOLUTIONS.
A patient diagnosed with chronic compensated heart failure reports that, "My feet swell if I eat salt but I
don't understand why" The nurse's best response is - (ANSWER)"Salt holds water in your blood and
makes more pressure against your blood vessels, so fluid leaks out into your tissues and makes them
swell."
A patient has a history of falls, syncope, dizziness, and blurred vision. The patient's symptomology is
most likely related to - (ANSWER)Hypotension
A patient has a positive Chvostek sign. The nurse interprets this as a sign of - (ANSWER)increased
neuromuscular excitability (hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia)
A patient has been exposed to meningococcal meningitis, but is not yet demonstrating signs of this
disease. This stage of illness is called the _____ stage. - (ANSWER)latent
A patient has been hospitalized several times in 6 months with severe ECV depletion and hypokalemia
resulting from chronic laxative abuse. Which blood gas results should be relayed to the physician? -
(ANSWER)pH in high part of normal range, PaO2 normal, PaCO2 high, bicarbonate high
A patient is diagnosed with cardiogenic shock. The patient is hyperventilating and is therefore at risk for
the respiratory complication of respiratory acidosis - (ANSWER)False, respiratory alkalosis
A patient is diagnosed with heart failure with normal ejection fraction. This patient is most likely
characterized by a(n) - (ANSWER)an elderly woman without a previous history of MI
A patient presenting with fever, hypotension, and lactic acidosis is most likely to be experiencing what
type of shock? - (ANSWER)Septic
A patient presents to the physician's office with pinpoint hemorrhages on the skin. The patient is most
likely between the ages of _____ years. - (ANSWER)4 and 7
A patient with cold and edematous extremities, low cardiac output, and profound hypotension is likely
to be experiencing a progressive stage of ______ shock. - (ANSWER)Septic
, WCU PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (MIDTERM) EXAM 2025 UPDATED ACTUAL EXAM WITH
CORRECT SOLUTIONS.
A patient with heart failure who reports intermittent shortness of breath during the night is
experiencing - (ANSWER)paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
A patient with significant aortic stenosis is likely to experience - (ANSWER)syncope
A patient, who is 8 months pregnant, has developed eclampsia and is receiving intravenous magnesium
sulfate to prevent seizures. To determine if her infusion rate is too high, you should regularly -
(ANSWER)check the patellar reflex; if it becomes weak or absent, her infusion rate probably is too high
and she is at risk for respiratory depression or cardiac arrest.
A person who overuses magnesium-aluminum antacids for a long period of time is likely to develop -
(ANSWER)hypophosphatemia
A serious complication of deep vein thrombosis is - (ANSWER)pulmonary embolus
A type of shock that includes brain trauma that results in depression of the vasomotor center is
cardiogenic - (ANSWER)False, neurogenic shock
Administration of a vasodilator to a patient in shock would be expected to - (ANSWER)decrease left
ventricular afterload
After being diagnosed with hypertension, a patient returns to the clinic 6 weeks later. The patient
reports "moderate" adherence to the recommended lifestyle changes and has experienced a decreased
from 165/96 to 148/90 mm Hg in blood pressure. What is the most appropriate intervention for this
patient at this time? - (ANSWER)Continue lifestyle modifications only
After evaluation, a child's asthma is characterized as "extrinsic". This means that the asthma is -
(ANSWER)associated with specific allergic triggers
