UTA NURS 5315 TEST ACTUAL TEST 2026 | ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY | ALL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED ANSWERS | JUST RELEASED
Question 1
A 70-year-old patient who has been bedridden for three weeks following a hip fracture is found
to have decreased muscle mass in the lower extremities. Which cellular adaptation is most likely
occurring?
A) Hypertrophy
B) Hyperplasia
C) Atrophy
D) Dysplasia
E) Metaplasia
Correct Answer: C) Atrophy
Rationale: Atrophy is characterized by a decrease in cell size. Pathological atrophy, such as
that seen in this patient, is often caused by "disuse" or decreased workload. While the cells
decrease in size, they typically remain functional.
Question 2
Which of the following serves as a classic example of physiologic atrophy during early
childhood?
A) Shrinkage of skeletal muscle after a stroke
B) Regression of the thymus gland
C) Decrease in brain size due to aging
D) Thinning of the endometrial lining after menopause
E) Shrinkage of the heart during chronic malnutrition
Correct Answer: B) Regression of the thymus gland
Rationale: Physiologic atrophy is a normal developmental process. The thymus gland
naturally decreases in size during early childhood, which is considered a physiologic rather
than a pathological process.
Question 3
A 45-year-old male with long-standing untreated hypertension presents for an echocardiogram.
The results show significant cardiomegaly (enlarged heart). This is an example of which
pathological adaptation?
A) Physiologic hypertrophy
B) Pathologic hypertrophy
C) Pathologic hyperplasia
D) Pathologic dysplasia
E) Physiologic atrophy
Correct Answer: B) Pathologic hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size resulting from increased workload.
, 2
Pathologic hypertrophy occurs in the heart as a response to the increased pressure it must
pump against in conditions like hypertension (HTN).
Question 4
A patient undergoes a partial hepatectomy (liver removal). Within weeks, the liver has
regenerated to its original size. Which cellular mechanism is responsible for this?
A) Physiologic hypertrophy
B) Physiologic hyperplasia
C) Pathologic hyperplasia
D) Metaplasia
E) Dysplasia
Correct Answer: B) Physiologic hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells due to increased cellular
division. Liver regeneration is a prime example of compensatory physiologic hyperplasia.
Question 5
A woman’s pathology report from a Pap smear indicates "atypical hyperplasia" of the cervical
cells due to an HPV infection. How should the nurse practitioner classify this finding?
A) Metaplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Dysplasia
D) Atrophy
E) Oncosis
Correct Answer: C) Dysplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia is also known as atypical hyperplasia. It refers to a disorderly
proliferation where cells change in size, shape, and organization. In the cervix, this is a
pathologic response to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
Question 6
A long-term smoker has bronchial biopsy results showing that the normal ciliated columnar
epithelial cells have been replaced by stratified squamous epithelial cells. This reversible process
is known as:
A) Dysplasia
B) Metaplasia
C) Hyperplasia
D) Neoplasia
E) Atrophy
Correct Answer: B) Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another. It
occurs through the reprogramming of stem cells to better withstand environmental
stressors, such as cigarette smoke.
, 3
Question 7
During a hypoxic injury, what is the primary pathophysiological event that leads to eventual cell
death?
A) Increase in mitochondrial function
B) Increase in ATP production
C) Decrease in mitochondrial function and decreased ATP production
D) Enhanced aerobic metabolism
E) Immediate rupture of the cell membrane
Correct Answer: C) Decrease in mitochondrial function and decreased ATP production
Rationale: Hypoxia (inadequate oxygenation) impairs the mitochondria's ability to produce
ATP. This shifts the cell to anaerobic metabolism, leading to lactic acid buildup, failure of
ion pumps, and eventual cell death.
Question 8
Which of the following clinical manifestations is NOT typically associated with systemic
hypoxia?
A) Cyanosis
B) Cognitive impairment
C) Lethargy
D) Hyper-reflexia
E) Reduced consciousness
Correct Answer: D) Hyper-reflexia
Rationale: Hypoxia causes central nervous system depression. Manifestations include
cyanosis, cognitive impairment, and lethargy. Hyper-reflexia is typically associated with
electrolyte imbalances or upper motor neuron lesions, not hypoxia directly.
Question 9
How do Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and free radicals cause damage to human cells?
A) By increasing the production of intracellular antioxidants
B) Through lipid peroxidation, damaging proteins, and fragmenting DNA
C) By enhancing mitochondrial ATP production
D) By preventing anaerobic metabolism
E) By stabilizing the cell membrane
Correct Answer: B) Through lipid peroxidation, damaging proteins, and fragmenting DNA
Rationale: Free radicals are unstable molecules that "steal" electrons. They overwhelm the
mitochondria and exhaust antioxidants, leading to lipid peroxidation (membrane damage),
protein destruction, and DNA fragmentation.
Question 10
Free radical damage has been implicated in the development of which of the following chronic
diseases?
AND CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED ANSWERS | JUST RELEASED
Question 1
A 70-year-old patient who has been bedridden for three weeks following a hip fracture is found
to have decreased muscle mass in the lower extremities. Which cellular adaptation is most likely
occurring?
A) Hypertrophy
B) Hyperplasia
C) Atrophy
D) Dysplasia
E) Metaplasia
Correct Answer: C) Atrophy
Rationale: Atrophy is characterized by a decrease in cell size. Pathological atrophy, such as
that seen in this patient, is often caused by "disuse" or decreased workload. While the cells
decrease in size, they typically remain functional.
Question 2
Which of the following serves as a classic example of physiologic atrophy during early
childhood?
A) Shrinkage of skeletal muscle after a stroke
B) Regression of the thymus gland
C) Decrease in brain size due to aging
D) Thinning of the endometrial lining after menopause
E) Shrinkage of the heart during chronic malnutrition
Correct Answer: B) Regression of the thymus gland
Rationale: Physiologic atrophy is a normal developmental process. The thymus gland
naturally decreases in size during early childhood, which is considered a physiologic rather
than a pathological process.
Question 3
A 45-year-old male with long-standing untreated hypertension presents for an echocardiogram.
The results show significant cardiomegaly (enlarged heart). This is an example of which
pathological adaptation?
A) Physiologic hypertrophy
B) Pathologic hypertrophy
C) Pathologic hyperplasia
D) Pathologic dysplasia
E) Physiologic atrophy
Correct Answer: B) Pathologic hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size resulting from increased workload.
, 2
Pathologic hypertrophy occurs in the heart as a response to the increased pressure it must
pump against in conditions like hypertension (HTN).
Question 4
A patient undergoes a partial hepatectomy (liver removal). Within weeks, the liver has
regenerated to its original size. Which cellular mechanism is responsible for this?
A) Physiologic hypertrophy
B) Physiologic hyperplasia
C) Pathologic hyperplasia
D) Metaplasia
E) Dysplasia
Correct Answer: B) Physiologic hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells due to increased cellular
division. Liver regeneration is a prime example of compensatory physiologic hyperplasia.
Question 5
A woman’s pathology report from a Pap smear indicates "atypical hyperplasia" of the cervical
cells due to an HPV infection. How should the nurse practitioner classify this finding?
A) Metaplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Dysplasia
D) Atrophy
E) Oncosis
Correct Answer: C) Dysplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia is also known as atypical hyperplasia. It refers to a disorderly
proliferation where cells change in size, shape, and organization. In the cervix, this is a
pathologic response to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
Question 6
A long-term smoker has bronchial biopsy results showing that the normal ciliated columnar
epithelial cells have been replaced by stratified squamous epithelial cells. This reversible process
is known as:
A) Dysplasia
B) Metaplasia
C) Hyperplasia
D) Neoplasia
E) Atrophy
Correct Answer: B) Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another. It
occurs through the reprogramming of stem cells to better withstand environmental
stressors, such as cigarette smoke.
, 3
Question 7
During a hypoxic injury, what is the primary pathophysiological event that leads to eventual cell
death?
A) Increase in mitochondrial function
B) Increase in ATP production
C) Decrease in mitochondrial function and decreased ATP production
D) Enhanced aerobic metabolism
E) Immediate rupture of the cell membrane
Correct Answer: C) Decrease in mitochondrial function and decreased ATP production
Rationale: Hypoxia (inadequate oxygenation) impairs the mitochondria's ability to produce
ATP. This shifts the cell to anaerobic metabolism, leading to lactic acid buildup, failure of
ion pumps, and eventual cell death.
Question 8
Which of the following clinical manifestations is NOT typically associated with systemic
hypoxia?
A) Cyanosis
B) Cognitive impairment
C) Lethargy
D) Hyper-reflexia
E) Reduced consciousness
Correct Answer: D) Hyper-reflexia
Rationale: Hypoxia causes central nervous system depression. Manifestations include
cyanosis, cognitive impairment, and lethargy. Hyper-reflexia is typically associated with
electrolyte imbalances or upper motor neuron lesions, not hypoxia directly.
Question 9
How do Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and free radicals cause damage to human cells?
A) By increasing the production of intracellular antioxidants
B) Through lipid peroxidation, damaging proteins, and fragmenting DNA
C) By enhancing mitochondrial ATP production
D) By preventing anaerobic metabolism
E) By stabilizing the cell membrane
Correct Answer: B) Through lipid peroxidation, damaging proteins, and fragmenting DNA
Rationale: Free radicals are unstable molecules that "steal" electrons. They overwhelm the
mitochondria and exhaust antioxidants, leading to lipid peroxidation (membrane damage),
protein destruction, and DNA fragmentation.
Question 10
Free radical damage has been implicated in the development of which of the following chronic
diseases?
