,NURS 231 Pathophysiology Module 1-10
& Final Exam: Portage Learning – 400+
Practice Questions with Verified Answers
& Detailed Rationales | 2026/2027
Update | Graded A+ | Instant Download
MODULE 1: CELLULAR ADAPTATION, INJURY, AND DEATH (Questions 1-40)
Question 1: True/False: A bodybuilder's muscles will display hyperplasia.
Correct Answer: False
Rationale: Bodybuilders' muscles enlarge through hypertrophy (increase in cell size),
not hyperplasia (increase in cell number). Skeletal muscle cells are permanent cells that
cannot undergo mitosis, so they increase in size rather than number in response to
increased workload.
Question 2: True/False: Barrett esophagus is an example of dysplasia.
Correct Answer: False
Rationale: Barrett esophagus is an example of metaplasia, not dysplasia. It involves the
replacement of normal squamous epithelium of the esophagus with columnar
epithelium in response to chronic acid reflux. Metaplasia is a reversible adaptive change;
dysplasia is disordered cellular growth.
Question 3: True/False: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of an organ or tissue
caused by an increase in the number of cells.
Correct Answer: False
,Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells, not the number of cells.
Hyperplasia is the increase in the number of cells. Hypertrophy occurs in cells that
cannot divide (permanent cells like cardiac myocytes), while hyperplasia occurs in cells
capable of mitosis .
Question 4: True/False: Hypertrophy can occur under normal and pathological
conditions.
Correct Answer: True
Rationale: Hypertrophy can be physiologic (e.g., skeletal muscle enlargement from
exercise, uterine smooth muscle hypertrophy during pregnancy) or pathologic (e.g., left
ventricular hypertrophy from chronic hypertension) .
Question 5: Match the following: Incidence, Prevalence, Morbidity, Mortality
Correct Answers:
• Mortality → Deals with the cause of death in a population
• Incidence → Number of new cases in a population at risk during a specified time
• Prevalence → Number of people with the disease in a population in a given time
• Morbidity → The effect of an illness on one's life
Rationale: These are fundamental epidemiological terms. Incidence measures new
cases, prevalence measures existing cases, morbidity measures illness impact, and
mortality measures death .
Question 6: A patient has a fever and rash. What are these examples of?
A) Signs
B) Symptoms
C) Both A & B
Correct Answer: A) Signs
, Rationale: Signs are objective manifestations that can be observed or measured (fever,
rash). Symptoms are subjective complaints reported by the patient (pain, nausea,
dizziness). Fever and rash are objective findings .
Question 7: Which of the following is true of a test's sensitivity?
A) It is how likely the same result will occur if repeated
B) If negative, it can safely be assumed that the person does not have a disease
C) It is considered a true-negative result
D) It can only be calculated from people without the disease
Correct Answer: B) If negative, it can safely be assumed that the person does not have
a disease
Rationale: Sensitivity is the proportion of people with a disease who test positive. A
highly sensitive test has few false negatives, so a negative result effectively rules out the
disease .
Question 8: Which of the following is the effect of an illness on one's life?
A) Incidence
B) Morbidity
C) Prevalence
D) Mortality
Correct Answer: B) Morbidity
Rationale: Morbidity is the effect of an illness on one's life. Incidence is the number of
new cases. Prevalence is the number of people with the disease. Mortality is the cause of
death .
Question 9: High blood pressure is an example of which of the following?
A) Pathology
B) Pathophysiology
& Final Exam: Portage Learning – 400+
Practice Questions with Verified Answers
& Detailed Rationales | 2026/2027
Update | Graded A+ | Instant Download
MODULE 1: CELLULAR ADAPTATION, INJURY, AND DEATH (Questions 1-40)
Question 1: True/False: A bodybuilder's muscles will display hyperplasia.
Correct Answer: False
Rationale: Bodybuilders' muscles enlarge through hypertrophy (increase in cell size),
not hyperplasia (increase in cell number). Skeletal muscle cells are permanent cells that
cannot undergo mitosis, so they increase in size rather than number in response to
increased workload.
Question 2: True/False: Barrett esophagus is an example of dysplasia.
Correct Answer: False
Rationale: Barrett esophagus is an example of metaplasia, not dysplasia. It involves the
replacement of normal squamous epithelium of the esophagus with columnar
epithelium in response to chronic acid reflux. Metaplasia is a reversible adaptive change;
dysplasia is disordered cellular growth.
Question 3: True/False: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of an organ or tissue
caused by an increase in the number of cells.
Correct Answer: False
,Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells, not the number of cells.
Hyperplasia is the increase in the number of cells. Hypertrophy occurs in cells that
cannot divide (permanent cells like cardiac myocytes), while hyperplasia occurs in cells
capable of mitosis .
Question 4: True/False: Hypertrophy can occur under normal and pathological
conditions.
Correct Answer: True
Rationale: Hypertrophy can be physiologic (e.g., skeletal muscle enlargement from
exercise, uterine smooth muscle hypertrophy during pregnancy) or pathologic (e.g., left
ventricular hypertrophy from chronic hypertension) .
Question 5: Match the following: Incidence, Prevalence, Morbidity, Mortality
Correct Answers:
• Mortality → Deals with the cause of death in a population
• Incidence → Number of new cases in a population at risk during a specified time
• Prevalence → Number of people with the disease in a population in a given time
• Morbidity → The effect of an illness on one's life
Rationale: These are fundamental epidemiological terms. Incidence measures new
cases, prevalence measures existing cases, morbidity measures illness impact, and
mortality measures death .
Question 6: A patient has a fever and rash. What are these examples of?
A) Signs
B) Symptoms
C) Both A & B
Correct Answer: A) Signs
, Rationale: Signs are objective manifestations that can be observed or measured (fever,
rash). Symptoms are subjective complaints reported by the patient (pain, nausea,
dizziness). Fever and rash are objective findings .
Question 7: Which of the following is true of a test's sensitivity?
A) It is how likely the same result will occur if repeated
B) If negative, it can safely be assumed that the person does not have a disease
C) It is considered a true-negative result
D) It can only be calculated from people without the disease
Correct Answer: B) If negative, it can safely be assumed that the person does not have
a disease
Rationale: Sensitivity is the proportion of people with a disease who test positive. A
highly sensitive test has few false negatives, so a negative result effectively rules out the
disease .
Question 8: Which of the following is the effect of an illness on one's life?
A) Incidence
B) Morbidity
C) Prevalence
D) Mortality
Correct Answer: B) Morbidity
Rationale: Morbidity is the effect of an illness on one's life. Incidence is the number of
new cases. Prevalence is the number of people with the disease. Mortality is the cause of
death .
Question 9: High blood pressure is an example of which of the following?
A) Pathology
B) Pathophysiology
