📚 NURS 6202 Midterm Review: Pathophysiology & Core Concepts
Foundations of Cellular & Fluid Balance
Q1. Failure of the sodium-potassium (Na⁺/K⁺) pump primarily leads to:
A. Increased intracellular potassium
B. Cellular dehydration
C. Cellular swelling
D. Increased ATP production
Answer: C) Cellular swelling
Rationale: The Na⁺/K⁺ pump maintains low intracellular sodium. When it fails, sodium
accumulates inside the cell, drawing water in and causing swelling—the earliest sign of
reversible cell injury.
Q2. A patient presents with cellular swelling, fatty changes, and loss of microvilli. Which
type of cellular injury is most likely?
A. Irreversible injury
B. Reversible injury
C. Necrosis
D. Apoptosis
Answer: B) Reversible injury
Rationale: These features indicate reversible injury, where the cell can recover if the
offending stimulus is removed.
, Q3. Which type of necrosis is most commonly associated with myocardial infarction?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Coagulative necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Answer: C) Coagulative necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis occurs in ischemic injury to solid organs like the heart,
where cellular architecture is preserved initially.
Q4. A 35-year-old male weighs 70 kg. Approximately how much of this weight is
intracellular fluid (ICF)?
A. 28 L
B. 35 L
C. 42 L
D. 49 L
Answer: C) 42 L
Rationale: Total body water is about 60% of body weight (42 L), of which two-thirds (28
L) is ICF.
Foundations of Cellular & Fluid Balance
Q1. Failure of the sodium-potassium (Na⁺/K⁺) pump primarily leads to:
A. Increased intracellular potassium
B. Cellular dehydration
C. Cellular swelling
D. Increased ATP production
Answer: C) Cellular swelling
Rationale: The Na⁺/K⁺ pump maintains low intracellular sodium. When it fails, sodium
accumulates inside the cell, drawing water in and causing swelling—the earliest sign of
reversible cell injury.
Q2. A patient presents with cellular swelling, fatty changes, and loss of microvilli. Which
type of cellular injury is most likely?
A. Irreversible injury
B. Reversible injury
C. Necrosis
D. Apoptosis
Answer: B) Reversible injury
Rationale: These features indicate reversible injury, where the cell can recover if the
offending stimulus is removed.
, Q3. Which type of necrosis is most commonly associated with myocardial infarction?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Coagulative necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Answer: C) Coagulative necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis occurs in ischemic injury to solid organs like the heart,
where cellular architecture is preserved initially.
Q4. A 35-year-old male weighs 70 kg. Approximately how much of this weight is
intracellular fluid (ICF)?
A. 28 L
B. 35 L
C. 42 L
D. 49 L
Answer: C) 42 L
Rationale: Total body water is about 60% of body weight (42 L), of which two-thirds (28
L) is ICF.
