WGU D236 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY ACTUAL
EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ Tay-Sachs Disease
Answer: A human genetic disease caused by a recessive allele for a
dysfunctional enzyme leads to the accumulation of certain lipids in
the brain.
Seizures, blindness, and degeneration of motor and mental
performance usually become manifest a few months after birth,
followed by death within a few years.
◉ Down syndrome
Answer: A condition of mild to severe intellectual disability and
associated physical disorders caused by an extra copy of
chromosome 21
◉ Diabetes Insipidus
Answer: Antidiuretic hormone is not secreted adequately, or the
kidney is resistant to its effect. The *serum sodium is often elevated*
due to excess free water losses.
,In diabetes insipidus, your blood glucose levels are normal, but your
kidneys can't properly concentrate urine.
◉ Cardiac Valve Disease Process
Answer: In heart valve disease, one or more of the valves in your
heart doesn't work properly. Regurgitation (or leakage of the valve).
When the valve(s) do not close completely, it causes blood to flow
backward through the valve. This reduces forward blood flow and
can lead to volume overload in the heart.
Stenosis (or narrowing of the valve). When the valve(s) opening
becomes narrowed, it limits the flow of blood out of the ventricles or
atria. The heart is forced to pump blood with increased force to
move blood through the narrowed or stiff (stenotic) valve(s).
◉ Cardiac Valve Complications
Answer: Heart valve disease can cause many complications,
including:
* Heart failure.
* Stroke.
* Blood clots.
* Heart rhythm abnormalities.
* Death.
,◉ Respiratory Illness from bats
Answer: *Viral hemorrhagic fevers* are spread by contact with
infected animals or insects. The viruses that cause viral hemorrhagic
fevers live in a variety of animal and insect hosts.
Most commonly, the hosts include mosquitoes, ticks, rodents, or
bats. Some viral hemorrhagic fevers can also be spread from person
to person.
◉ Anemia
Answer: Different types of anemia include:
Anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency
Anemia due to folate (folic acid) deficiency
Anemia due to iron deficiency
Anemia of chronic disease
Hemolytic anemia
Idiopathic aplastic anemia
Megaloblastic anemia
Pernicious anemia
Sickle cell anemia
Thalassemia
, ◉ Acid Base Balance - lung and kidney compensation
Answer: The kidneys have two main ways to maintain acid-base
balance - their cells reabsorb bicarbonate HCO3− from the urine
back to the blood and they secrete hydrogen H+ ions into the urine.
By adjusting the amounts reabsorbed and secreted, they balance the
bloodstream's pH.
◉ Pyelonephritis
Answer: Inflammation of the renal pelvis and the kidney
◉ Prostate cancer
Answer: Cancer of the prostate gland usually occurs in men middle-
aged and older.
◉ Artery response during blood loss.
Does cell shrink or swell ?
Answer: *Vasoconstriction*
◉ Marfan Syndrome - Autosomal dominant trait
EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ Tay-Sachs Disease
Answer: A human genetic disease caused by a recessive allele for a
dysfunctional enzyme leads to the accumulation of certain lipids in
the brain.
Seizures, blindness, and degeneration of motor and mental
performance usually become manifest a few months after birth,
followed by death within a few years.
◉ Down syndrome
Answer: A condition of mild to severe intellectual disability and
associated physical disorders caused by an extra copy of
chromosome 21
◉ Diabetes Insipidus
Answer: Antidiuretic hormone is not secreted adequately, or the
kidney is resistant to its effect. The *serum sodium is often elevated*
due to excess free water losses.
,In diabetes insipidus, your blood glucose levels are normal, but your
kidneys can't properly concentrate urine.
◉ Cardiac Valve Disease Process
Answer: In heart valve disease, one or more of the valves in your
heart doesn't work properly. Regurgitation (or leakage of the valve).
When the valve(s) do not close completely, it causes blood to flow
backward through the valve. This reduces forward blood flow and
can lead to volume overload in the heart.
Stenosis (or narrowing of the valve). When the valve(s) opening
becomes narrowed, it limits the flow of blood out of the ventricles or
atria. The heart is forced to pump blood with increased force to
move blood through the narrowed or stiff (stenotic) valve(s).
◉ Cardiac Valve Complications
Answer: Heart valve disease can cause many complications,
including:
* Heart failure.
* Stroke.
* Blood clots.
* Heart rhythm abnormalities.
* Death.
,◉ Respiratory Illness from bats
Answer: *Viral hemorrhagic fevers* are spread by contact with
infected animals or insects. The viruses that cause viral hemorrhagic
fevers live in a variety of animal and insect hosts.
Most commonly, the hosts include mosquitoes, ticks, rodents, or
bats. Some viral hemorrhagic fevers can also be spread from person
to person.
◉ Anemia
Answer: Different types of anemia include:
Anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency
Anemia due to folate (folic acid) deficiency
Anemia due to iron deficiency
Anemia of chronic disease
Hemolytic anemia
Idiopathic aplastic anemia
Megaloblastic anemia
Pernicious anemia
Sickle cell anemia
Thalassemia
, ◉ Acid Base Balance - lung and kidney compensation
Answer: The kidneys have two main ways to maintain acid-base
balance - their cells reabsorb bicarbonate HCO3− from the urine
back to the blood and they secrete hydrogen H+ ions into the urine.
By adjusting the amounts reabsorbed and secreted, they balance the
bloodstream's pH.
◉ Pyelonephritis
Answer: Inflammation of the renal pelvis and the kidney
◉ Prostate cancer
Answer: Cancer of the prostate gland usually occurs in men middle-
aged and older.
◉ Artery response during blood loss.
Does cell shrink or swell ?
Answer: *Vasoconstriction*
◉ Marfan Syndrome - Autosomal dominant trait
