WGU PATHO D236 ACTUAL EXAM
BUNDLE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS COMPREHENSIVE PREP
PACKAGE GRADED A+
⩥ 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).
Complications:
- Heart failure
- Stroke
- Blood clots
,- Heart rhythm abnormalities
- Death
⩥ Mitral stenosis.
Answer: occurs when the mitral valve in the heart narrows, restricting
blood flow into the main pumping chamber (left ventricle)
⩥ What is the main cause of mitral stenosis?.
Answer: rheumatic fever (related to strep infections)
⩥ Mitral regurgitation.
Answer: in the left ventricle, papillary muscle rupture causes the mitral
valve to be unable to close. With each contraction of the left ventricle,
blood flows upward through the loose mitral valve into the left atrium.
This causes a mitral valve regurgitation murmur, also called mitral
insufficiency
⩥ As a consequence of mitral regurgitation, backup of blood and
hydrostatic pressure into the left atrium, pulmonary veins, and
pulmonary capillaries, causing ____.
Answer: Pulmonary edema
⩥ Heart vegetations.
,Answer: Abnormal growths (vegetations) that contain collections of
bacteria may form in the heart at the site of the infection and damage the
heart valves, which can cause them to leak.
⩥ True or false: Endocarditis is a life-threatening inflammation of the
inner lining of the heart's chambers and valves (endocardium).
Answer: True
⩥ Aortic stenosis.
Answer: restricts blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta and may
also affect the pressure in the left atrium
⩥ What type of valve defect leads to a diastolic murmur?.
Answer: stenosis of the mitral or tricuspid valves, or regurgitation of the
aortic or pulmonary valves
⩥ Which type of valve defect leads to a systolic murmur?.
Answer: mitral valve regurgitation, tricuspid valve regurgitation, and
ventricular septal defects
⩥ Describe the difference between a thrombus and embolus.
Answer: Thrombus: aggregation of platelets and red blood cells; found
in the location it formed
, Embolus: thrombus or other object that has traveled through the
bloodstream until becoming lodged in a blood vessel that is too small for
it to pass through, blocking blood flow
⩥ Describe 2 contributing factors to developing an aneurysm.
Answer: - an aneurysm is a weakening of an artery wall that results in
bulging or dilation of the artery
- aneurysms can be caused by arteriosclerosis, degenerative vascular
disease, and other causes
⩥ Endocarditis.
Answer: inflammation of the inner lining of the heart (endocardium)
- prosthetic valves and pacemakers are risk factors
⩥ Pericarditis.
Answer: inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart (pericardium)
- often d/t MI
- a condition called cardiac tamponade can result if high levels of fluid
accumulate and compress the heart
⩥ Malignant hypertension vs benign hypertension.
Answer: Malignant: high bp that has resulted in multiple complications
BUNDLE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS COMPREHENSIVE PREP
PACKAGE GRADED A+
⩥ 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).
Complications:
- Heart failure
- Stroke
- Blood clots
,- Heart rhythm abnormalities
- Death
⩥ Mitral stenosis.
Answer: occurs when the mitral valve in the heart narrows, restricting
blood flow into the main pumping chamber (left ventricle)
⩥ What is the main cause of mitral stenosis?.
Answer: rheumatic fever (related to strep infections)
⩥ Mitral regurgitation.
Answer: in the left ventricle, papillary muscle rupture causes the mitral
valve to be unable to close. With each contraction of the left ventricle,
blood flows upward through the loose mitral valve into the left atrium.
This causes a mitral valve regurgitation murmur, also called mitral
insufficiency
⩥ As a consequence of mitral regurgitation, backup of blood and
hydrostatic pressure into the left atrium, pulmonary veins, and
pulmonary capillaries, causing ____.
Answer: Pulmonary edema
⩥ Heart vegetations.
,Answer: Abnormal growths (vegetations) that contain collections of
bacteria may form in the heart at the site of the infection and damage the
heart valves, which can cause them to leak.
⩥ True or false: Endocarditis is a life-threatening inflammation of the
inner lining of the heart's chambers and valves (endocardium).
Answer: True
⩥ Aortic stenosis.
Answer: restricts blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta and may
also affect the pressure in the left atrium
⩥ What type of valve defect leads to a diastolic murmur?.
Answer: stenosis of the mitral or tricuspid valves, or regurgitation of the
aortic or pulmonary valves
⩥ Which type of valve defect leads to a systolic murmur?.
Answer: mitral valve regurgitation, tricuspid valve regurgitation, and
ventricular septal defects
⩥ Describe the difference between a thrombus and embolus.
Answer: Thrombus: aggregation of platelets and red blood cells; found
in the location it formed
, Embolus: thrombus or other object that has traveled through the
bloodstream until becoming lodged in a blood vessel that is too small for
it to pass through, blocking blood flow
⩥ Describe 2 contributing factors to developing an aneurysm.
Answer: - an aneurysm is a weakening of an artery wall that results in
bulging or dilation of the artery
- aneurysms can be caused by arteriosclerosis, degenerative vascular
disease, and other causes
⩥ Endocarditis.
Answer: inflammation of the inner lining of the heart (endocardium)
- prosthetic valves and pacemakers are risk factors
⩥ Pericarditis.
Answer: inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart (pericardium)
- often d/t MI
- a condition called cardiac tamponade can result if high levels of fluid
accumulate and compress the heart
⩥ Malignant hypertension vs benign hypertension.
Answer: Malignant: high bp that has resulted in multiple complications
