NUR 2063 Pathophysiology Final Exam 2026
| Practice Questions & Verified Answers with
Rationales | A+ Study Guide | Just Released
This Year PDF | Updated This Year
NUR 2063 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL EXAM 2026
OVERVIEW
• This comprehensive practice exam contains verified questions with detailed
rationales designed to help you master all pathophysiology concepts tested on the
NUR 2063 final examination.
• Study effectively by working through questions systematically, reviewing
rationales for incorrect answers, and focusing on areas where you identify
knowledge gaps.
QUESTION 1
A 45-year-old patient presents with persistent hypertension. The
pathophysiologist notes the patient has developed compensatory left
ventricular hypertrophy. Which cellular adaptation process is occurring in the
myocardium?
A) Atrophy
B) Metaplasia
C) Hypertrophy
D) Dysplasia
E) Anaplasia
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: C) Hypertrophy
The myocardium undergoes hypertrophy in response to increased workload from
chronic hypertension. This is a reversible cellular adaptation where individual cells
,increase in size to meet increased functional demands. The enlarged muscle fibers
maintain normal architecture and function initially, though prolonged hypertrophy
can eventually lead to heart failure if the stimulus is not removed.
QUESTION 2
Which of the following best describes hyperplasia as a cellular adaptation?
A) Decrease in cell size
B) Increase in number of cells
C) Change in cell type
D) Loss of cellular differentiation
E) Cellular death
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: B) Increase in number of cells
Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue, usually in
response to increased functional demand. The classic example is the increase in
mammary gland cells during pregnancy. Each individual cell remains normal, but
there are more of them, resulting in organ enlargement.
QUESTION 3
A patient undergoes chronic irritation of the respiratory tract due to smoking.
Over time, the ciliated columnar epithelium of the bronchi is replaced by
stratified squamous epithelium. What is this cellular adaptation called?
A) Hypertrophy
,B) Hyperplasia
C) Metaplasia
D) Anaplasia
E) Aplasia
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: C) Metaplasia
Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with
another differentiated cell type. In smokers, chronic irritation causes the normal
ciliated columnar epithelium (which is better suited for airway clearance) to be
replaced by stratified squamous epithelium (which is more resistant to irritation).
While this adaptation protects against further irritation, it compromises normal
airway clearance functions.
QUESTION 4
Which type of cellular injury occurs when ATP production is inadequate to
maintain cellular function?
A) Lethal injury
B) Reversible injury
C) Oxidative injury
D) Radiation injury
E) Chemical injury
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: B) Reversible injury
Reversible cellular injury occurs when the stimulus is removed before the cell is
irreversibly damaged, and cellular function can be restored. Reversible injury is
characterized by cellular swelling (due to failure of ATP-dependent Na+/K+ ATPase),
loss of glycogen, and presence of dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum. If the
, injurious stimulus persists or is severe, reversible injury progresses to irreversible
(lethal) injury.
QUESTION 5
A 52-year-old male suffers a myocardial infarction. During the acute phase,
which organelle is primarily affected by ischemic injury?
A) Golgi apparatus
B) Ribosomes
C) Mitochondria
D) Lysosomes
E) Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: C) Mitochondria
Mitochondria are the primary targets of ischemic injury because they are
responsible for generating ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. When oxygen is
depleted during myocardial infarction, mitochondria cannot produce adequate ATP.
This leads to failure of ATP-dependent pumps, cellular edema, loss of membrane
potential, and ultimately cell death. Early after ischemia, mitochondria may show
swelling and crystalline inclusions.
QUESTION 6
What is the hallmark morphologic finding of apoptosis?
A) Cellular swelling and rupture
| Practice Questions & Verified Answers with
Rationales | A+ Study Guide | Just Released
This Year PDF | Updated This Year
NUR 2063 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL EXAM 2026
OVERVIEW
• This comprehensive practice exam contains verified questions with detailed
rationales designed to help you master all pathophysiology concepts tested on the
NUR 2063 final examination.
• Study effectively by working through questions systematically, reviewing
rationales for incorrect answers, and focusing on areas where you identify
knowledge gaps.
QUESTION 1
A 45-year-old patient presents with persistent hypertension. The
pathophysiologist notes the patient has developed compensatory left
ventricular hypertrophy. Which cellular adaptation process is occurring in the
myocardium?
A) Atrophy
B) Metaplasia
C) Hypertrophy
D) Dysplasia
E) Anaplasia
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: C) Hypertrophy
The myocardium undergoes hypertrophy in response to increased workload from
chronic hypertension. This is a reversible cellular adaptation where individual cells
,increase in size to meet increased functional demands. The enlarged muscle fibers
maintain normal architecture and function initially, though prolonged hypertrophy
can eventually lead to heart failure if the stimulus is not removed.
QUESTION 2
Which of the following best describes hyperplasia as a cellular adaptation?
A) Decrease in cell size
B) Increase in number of cells
C) Change in cell type
D) Loss of cellular differentiation
E) Cellular death
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: B) Increase in number of cells
Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue, usually in
response to increased functional demand. The classic example is the increase in
mammary gland cells during pregnancy. Each individual cell remains normal, but
there are more of them, resulting in organ enlargement.
QUESTION 3
A patient undergoes chronic irritation of the respiratory tract due to smoking.
Over time, the ciliated columnar epithelium of the bronchi is replaced by
stratified squamous epithelium. What is this cellular adaptation called?
A) Hypertrophy
,B) Hyperplasia
C) Metaplasia
D) Anaplasia
E) Aplasia
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: C) Metaplasia
Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with
another differentiated cell type. In smokers, chronic irritation causes the normal
ciliated columnar epithelium (which is better suited for airway clearance) to be
replaced by stratified squamous epithelium (which is more resistant to irritation).
While this adaptation protects against further irritation, it compromises normal
airway clearance functions.
QUESTION 4
Which type of cellular injury occurs when ATP production is inadequate to
maintain cellular function?
A) Lethal injury
B) Reversible injury
C) Oxidative injury
D) Radiation injury
E) Chemical injury
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: B) Reversible injury
Reversible cellular injury occurs when the stimulus is removed before the cell is
irreversibly damaged, and cellular function can be restored. Reversible injury is
characterized by cellular swelling (due to failure of ATP-dependent Na+/K+ ATPase),
loss of glycogen, and presence of dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum. If the
, injurious stimulus persists or is severe, reversible injury progresses to irreversible
(lethal) injury.
QUESTION 5
A 52-year-old male suffers a myocardial infarction. During the acute phase,
which organelle is primarily affected by ischemic injury?
A) Golgi apparatus
B) Ribosomes
C) Mitochondria
D) Lysosomes
E) Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
✓ CORRECT ANSWER: C) Mitochondria
Mitochondria are the primary targets of ischemic injury because they are
responsible for generating ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. When oxygen is
depleted during myocardial infarction, mitochondria cannot produce adequate ATP.
This leads to failure of ATP-dependent pumps, cellular edema, loss of membrane
potential, and ultimately cell death. Early after ischemia, mitochondria may show
swelling and crystalline inclusions.
QUESTION 6
What is the hallmark morphologic finding of apoptosis?
A) Cellular swelling and rupture
