D236 Pathophysiology Exam 1 Practice Questions 2026 |WGU
1. A patient with chronic hypertension exhibits thickening of the left ventricular
wall. Which cellular adaptation is this?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells, resulting in an increase in the
size of the organ, commonly seen in the heart due to increased workload from
hypertension.
2. Which process describes the replacement of one mature cell type by another,
often due to chronic irritation like smoking?
A. Dysplasia
B. Hyperplasia
C. Anaplasia
D. Metaplasia
Answer: D
Rationale: Metaplasia is a reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another less
mature cell type to better withstand an adverse environment.
,3. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical agents
B. Infectious agents
C. Free radicals
D. Hypoxia
Answer: D
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the single most common cause of
cellular injury.
4. Which type of necrosis is typically seen in the brain following ischemic injury?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Coagulative necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive hydrolytic enzymes and lipids.
5. A person has a karyotype showing 47, XXY. Which condition does this
represent?
A. Down Syndrome
B. Turner Syndrome
C. Edwards Syndrome
D. Klinefelter Syndrome
Answer: D
Rationale: Klinefelter Syndrome is characterized by at least two X chromosomes and one Y
chromosome (47, XXY).
, 6. Which electrolyte imbalance is most likely to cause a positive Chvostek sign?
A. Hyperkalemia
B. Hypocalcemia
C. Hyponatremia
D. Hypermagnesemia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypocalcemia increases neuromuscular excitability, leading to signs like
Chvostek’s (facial twitching) and Trousseau’s.
7. Which acid-base imbalance is caused by hyperventilation?
A. Respiratory Acidosis
B. Metabolic Alkalosis
C. Metabolic Acidosis
D. Respiratory Alkalosis
Answer: D
Rationale: Hyperventilation leads to excessive loss of CO2, which decreases the
concentration of carbonic acid, resulting in respiratory alkalosis.
8. A patient with diabetes presents with Kussmaul respirations. This is a
compensatory mechanism for which condition?
A. Respiratory Alkalosis
B. Metabolic Alkalosis
C. Respiratory Acidosis
D. Metabolic Acidosis
Answer: D
Rationale: Kussmaul respirations are deep, rapid breaths used to blow off CO2 to
compensate for metabolic acidosis (often DKA).
1. A patient with chronic hypertension exhibits thickening of the left ventricular
wall. Which cellular adaptation is this?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells, resulting in an increase in the
size of the organ, commonly seen in the heart due to increased workload from
hypertension.
2. Which process describes the replacement of one mature cell type by another,
often due to chronic irritation like smoking?
A. Dysplasia
B. Hyperplasia
C. Anaplasia
D. Metaplasia
Answer: D
Rationale: Metaplasia is a reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another less
mature cell type to better withstand an adverse environment.
,3. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical agents
B. Infectious agents
C. Free radicals
D. Hypoxia
Answer: D
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the single most common cause of
cellular injury.
4. Which type of necrosis is typically seen in the brain following ischemic injury?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Coagulative necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive hydrolytic enzymes and lipids.
5. A person has a karyotype showing 47, XXY. Which condition does this
represent?
A. Down Syndrome
B. Turner Syndrome
C. Edwards Syndrome
D. Klinefelter Syndrome
Answer: D
Rationale: Klinefelter Syndrome is characterized by at least two X chromosomes and one Y
chromosome (47, XXY).
, 6. Which electrolyte imbalance is most likely to cause a positive Chvostek sign?
A. Hyperkalemia
B. Hypocalcemia
C. Hyponatremia
D. Hypermagnesemia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypocalcemia increases neuromuscular excitability, leading to signs like
Chvostek’s (facial twitching) and Trousseau’s.
7. Which acid-base imbalance is caused by hyperventilation?
A. Respiratory Acidosis
B. Metabolic Alkalosis
C. Metabolic Acidosis
D. Respiratory Alkalosis
Answer: D
Rationale: Hyperventilation leads to excessive loss of CO2, which decreases the
concentration of carbonic acid, resulting in respiratory alkalosis.
8. A patient with diabetes presents with Kussmaul respirations. This is a
compensatory mechanism for which condition?
A. Respiratory Alkalosis
B. Metabolic Alkalosis
C. Respiratory Acidosis
D. Metabolic Acidosis
Answer: D
Rationale: Kussmaul respirations are deep, rapid breaths used to blow off CO2 to
compensate for metabolic acidosis (often DKA).
