WGU D231 – Pathophysiology Exam
Questions With Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales|
2026/2027 Q&A | Instant Download
Pdf.
1. A patient develops edema due to congestive heart failure. Which
mechanism best explains the development of this edema?
A. Decreased capillary hydrostatic pressure
B. Increased plasma oncotic pressure
C. Increased capillary hydrostatic pressure
D. Decreased interstitial fluid volume
Rationale: In congestive heart failure, impaired cardiac pumping
increases venous pressure. The resulting increase in capillary hydrostatic
pressure pushes fluid from the vascular space into the interstitial tissues,
producing edema. Decreased plasma oncotic pressure can also cause
edema, but increased hydrostatic pressure is a major mechanism in
heart failure.
2. Which cellular adaptation occurs when a tissue increases the size
of individual cells in response to increased workload?
,A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of existing cells,
resulting in enlargement of the affected tissue or organ. It commonly
occurs in skeletal muscle with exercise and in cardiac muscle when the
heart experiences chronic pressure overload. Hyperplasia instead
involves an increase in cell number.
3. A patient with chronic gastroesophageal reflux develops
replacement of normal esophageal squamous epithelium with
columnar epithelium. Which cellular adaptation is occurring?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
Rationale: Metaplasia is a reversible change in which one mature cell
type is replaced by another mature cell type better able to tolerate
chronic stress. Chronic irritation from gastric acid can cause metaplastic
changes in the esophageal epithelium. Although potentially reversible,
persistent metaplasia can increase the risk of dysplasia and malignancy.
4. Which finding is most characteristic of reversible cellular injury?
,A. Nuclear fragmentation
B. Cellular membrane rupture
C. Cellular swelling
D. Complete loss of mitochondrial function
Rationale: Cellular swelling is a common early and potentially reversible
response to injury. Damage to ATP-dependent sodium-potassium pumps
causes sodium and water to accumulate within cells. Severe or
prolonged injury can progress to irreversible injury, membrane
disruption, and cell death.
5. A patient experiences tissue injury following prolonged ischemia.
Which intracellular event is most directly associated with
depletion of cellular ATP?
A. Increased oxidative phosphorylation
B. Increased sodium-potassium pump activity
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
D. Increased intracellular calcium removal
Rationale: ATP depletion impairs energy-dependent cellular processes,
particularly the sodium-potassium pump. Sodium accumulates
intracellularly, water follows sodium, and cellular swelling occurs.
Persistent ATP depletion can progress to mitochondrial damage,
membrane disruption, and irreversible cell injury.
6. Which type of necrosis is most commonly associated with
myocardial infarction?
, A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Coagulative necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is characteristic of ischemic injury in
most solid organs, including the heart, kidneys, and spleen. The general
tissue architecture remains preserved for a period of time despite cell
death. Liquefactive necrosis is more typical of brain infarctions and
abscesses.
7. Which type of necrosis is characteristic of a cerebral infarction?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Fibrinoid necrosis
Rationale: Brain tissue undergoes liquefactive necrosis after ischemic
injury because enzymatic digestion rapidly breaks down dead neural
tissue. The damaged area becomes soft and eventually liquefies. This
differs from most other solid organs, which typically develop coagulative
necrosis after ischemia.
8. Which process is best described as programmed, energy-
dependent cell death that generally does not cause significant
inflammation?
Questions With Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales|
2026/2027 Q&A | Instant Download
Pdf.
1. A patient develops edema due to congestive heart failure. Which
mechanism best explains the development of this edema?
A. Decreased capillary hydrostatic pressure
B. Increased plasma oncotic pressure
C. Increased capillary hydrostatic pressure
D. Decreased interstitial fluid volume
Rationale: In congestive heart failure, impaired cardiac pumping
increases venous pressure. The resulting increase in capillary hydrostatic
pressure pushes fluid from the vascular space into the interstitial tissues,
producing edema. Decreased plasma oncotic pressure can also cause
edema, but increased hydrostatic pressure is a major mechanism in
heart failure.
2. Which cellular adaptation occurs when a tissue increases the size
of individual cells in response to increased workload?
,A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of existing cells,
resulting in enlargement of the affected tissue or organ. It commonly
occurs in skeletal muscle with exercise and in cardiac muscle when the
heart experiences chronic pressure overload. Hyperplasia instead
involves an increase in cell number.
3. A patient with chronic gastroesophageal reflux develops
replacement of normal esophageal squamous epithelium with
columnar epithelium. Which cellular adaptation is occurring?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
Rationale: Metaplasia is a reversible change in which one mature cell
type is replaced by another mature cell type better able to tolerate
chronic stress. Chronic irritation from gastric acid can cause metaplastic
changes in the esophageal epithelium. Although potentially reversible,
persistent metaplasia can increase the risk of dysplasia and malignancy.
4. Which finding is most characteristic of reversible cellular injury?
,A. Nuclear fragmentation
B. Cellular membrane rupture
C. Cellular swelling
D. Complete loss of mitochondrial function
Rationale: Cellular swelling is a common early and potentially reversible
response to injury. Damage to ATP-dependent sodium-potassium pumps
causes sodium and water to accumulate within cells. Severe or
prolonged injury can progress to irreversible injury, membrane
disruption, and cell death.
5. A patient experiences tissue injury following prolonged ischemia.
Which intracellular event is most directly associated with
depletion of cellular ATP?
A. Increased oxidative phosphorylation
B. Increased sodium-potassium pump activity
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
D. Increased intracellular calcium removal
Rationale: ATP depletion impairs energy-dependent cellular processes,
particularly the sodium-potassium pump. Sodium accumulates
intracellularly, water follows sodium, and cellular swelling occurs.
Persistent ATP depletion can progress to mitochondrial damage,
membrane disruption, and irreversible cell injury.
6. Which type of necrosis is most commonly associated with
myocardial infarction?
, A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Coagulative necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is characteristic of ischemic injury in
most solid organs, including the heart, kidneys, and spleen. The general
tissue architecture remains preserved for a period of time despite cell
death. Liquefactive necrosis is more typical of brain infarctions and
abscesses.
7. Which type of necrosis is characteristic of a cerebral infarction?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Fibrinoid necrosis
Rationale: Brain tissue undergoes liquefactive necrosis after ischemic
injury because enzymatic digestion rapidly breaks down dead neural
tissue. The damaged area becomes soft and eventually liquefies. This
differs from most other solid organs, which typically develop coagulative
necrosis after ischemia.
8. Which process is best described as programmed, energy-
dependent cell death that generally does not cause significant
inflammation?
