Page |1
WGU D115 – ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FOR THE APRN Cram Study Guide 2 | Latest
2026/2027 Update Questions with Detailed Rationales | A+ Graded
Question 1
Which of the following best describes the process of atrophy?
A. Increase in cell size due to increased workload
B. Decrease in cell size due to reduced workload or nutrients
C. Increase in cell number due to hormonal stimulation
D. Replacement of one cell type by another
E. Disorganized cell growth
Answer: B
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size and often number
due to disuse, denervation, ischemia, or nutrient deficiency. It
reduces metabolic demand.
Question 2
A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular
thickening. This adaptive change is best described as:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
E. Atrophy
, Page |2
Answer: B
Rationale: Chronic pressure overload causes an increase in
cardiac myocyte size (hypertrophy) to generate more force.
Hyperplasia refers to increased cell number, not size.
Question 3
Which type of necrosis is most commonly seen in the brain
after ischemic infarction?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
E. Fibrinoid necrosis
Answer: B
Rationale: Brain tissue undergoes liquefactive necrosis because
it is rich in enzymes and poor in structural proteins, leading to
cystic cavitation after infarction.
Question 4
A patient has fat necrosis from acute pancreatitis. What is the
underlying mechanism?
A. Lipase digestion of fat with calcium soap formation
B. Coagulative necrosis of pancreatic acinar cells
, Page |3
C. Caseous necrosis from tuberculosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis from infection
E. Fibrinoid necrosis from immune complexes
Answer: A
Rationale: In pancreatitis, lipase digests fat, and released fatty
acids bind calcium, forming chalky deposits (saponification),
characteristic of fat necrosis.
Question 5
Which of the following is the first event in acute inflammation?
A. Neutrophil migration
B. Vasodilation
C. Increased vascular permeability
D. Tissue repair
E. Scar formation
Answer: B
Rationale: Acute inflammation begins with transient
vasoconstriction followed by vasodilation, which increases
blood flow (redness and heat). Increased permeability follows.
Question 6
What is the primary function of C-reactive protein (CRP) in
inflammation?
, Page |4
A. Opsonization and complement activation
B. Vasodilation
C. Platelet aggregation
D. Neutrophil chemotaxis
E. Fibrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: CRP is an acute-phase protein that opsonizes
pathogens and activates complement, serving as a marker of
inflammation.
Question 7
Which cell type is the primary source of histamine in acute
inflammation?
A. Neutrophils
B. Macrophages
C. Mast cells and basophils
D. Lymphocytes
E. Plasma cells
Answer: C
Rationale: Mast cells and basophils release preformed
histamine from granules, causing vasodilation and increased
vascular permeability.
WGU D115 – ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FOR THE APRN Cram Study Guide 2 | Latest
2026/2027 Update Questions with Detailed Rationales | A+ Graded
Question 1
Which of the following best describes the process of atrophy?
A. Increase in cell size due to increased workload
B. Decrease in cell size due to reduced workload or nutrients
C. Increase in cell number due to hormonal stimulation
D. Replacement of one cell type by another
E. Disorganized cell growth
Answer: B
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size and often number
due to disuse, denervation, ischemia, or nutrient deficiency. It
reduces metabolic demand.
Question 2
A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular
thickening. This adaptive change is best described as:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
E. Atrophy
, Page |2
Answer: B
Rationale: Chronic pressure overload causes an increase in
cardiac myocyte size (hypertrophy) to generate more force.
Hyperplasia refers to increased cell number, not size.
Question 3
Which type of necrosis is most commonly seen in the brain
after ischemic infarction?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
E. Fibrinoid necrosis
Answer: B
Rationale: Brain tissue undergoes liquefactive necrosis because
it is rich in enzymes and poor in structural proteins, leading to
cystic cavitation after infarction.
Question 4
A patient has fat necrosis from acute pancreatitis. What is the
underlying mechanism?
A. Lipase digestion of fat with calcium soap formation
B. Coagulative necrosis of pancreatic acinar cells
, Page |3
C. Caseous necrosis from tuberculosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis from infection
E. Fibrinoid necrosis from immune complexes
Answer: A
Rationale: In pancreatitis, lipase digests fat, and released fatty
acids bind calcium, forming chalky deposits (saponification),
characteristic of fat necrosis.
Question 5
Which of the following is the first event in acute inflammation?
A. Neutrophil migration
B. Vasodilation
C. Increased vascular permeability
D. Tissue repair
E. Scar formation
Answer: B
Rationale: Acute inflammation begins with transient
vasoconstriction followed by vasodilation, which increases
blood flow (redness and heat). Increased permeability follows.
Question 6
What is the primary function of C-reactive protein (CRP) in
inflammation?
, Page |4
A. Opsonization and complement activation
B. Vasodilation
C. Platelet aggregation
D. Neutrophil chemotaxis
E. Fibrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: CRP is an acute-phase protein that opsonizes
pathogens and activates complement, serving as a marker of
inflammation.
Question 7
Which cell type is the primary source of histamine in acute
inflammation?
A. Neutrophils
B. Macrophages
C. Mast cells and basophils
D. Lymphocytes
E. Plasma cells
Answer: C
Rationale: Mast cells and basophils release preformed
histamine from granules, causing vasodilation and increased
vascular permeability.
