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NURS 5315 Advanced Pathophysiology – (Exam 1) 50 Original Questions
with Answers and Rationales UPDATED!!!
Cellular Biology, Injury, Adaptation, and Neoplasia
1. A patient with chronic hypertension develops thickening
of the left ventricular wall due to increased workload. This
adaptive change is best described as:
A) Hyperplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Atrophy
D) Metaplasia
Answer: B) Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size, not
number, in response to increased workload. Cardiomyocytes
enlarge, causing left ventricular hypertrophy.
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2. Which cellular organelle is most sensitive to hypoxic
injury?
A) Golgi apparatus
B) Ribosome
C) Mitochondria
D) Lysosome
Answer: C) Mitochondria
Rationale: Mitochondria require oxygen for oxidative
phosphorylation; hypoxia impairs ATP production and can
lead to mitochondrial swelling and dysfunction.
3. Liquefactive necrosis is most commonly seen in which
tissue?
A) Heart
B) Brain
C) Kidney
D) Liver
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Answer: B) Brain
Rationale: Brain tissue is rich in hydrolytic enzymes and lacks
substantial connective tissue support, leading to liquefaction
during necrosis.
4. Caseous necrosis is characteristic of which condition?
A) Acute myocardial infarction
B) Tuberculosis
C) Pancreatitis
D) Cerebral infarction
Answer: B) Tuberculosis
Rationale: Caseous necrosis resembles cheese and is a
hallmark of granulomatous inflammation caused by
Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
5. A patient with chronic ischemia to the lower extremities
develops shrinkage of skeletal muscle fibers. This is an
example of:
A) Hypertrophy
3|Page
NURS 5315 Advanced Pathophysiology – (Exam 1) 50 Original Questions
with Answers and Rationales UPDATED!!!
Cellular Biology, Injury, Adaptation, and Neoplasia
1. A patient with chronic hypertension develops thickening
of the left ventricular wall due to increased workload. This
adaptive change is best described as:
A) Hyperplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Atrophy
D) Metaplasia
Answer: B) Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size, not
number, in response to increased workload. Cardiomyocytes
enlarge, causing left ventricular hypertrophy.
1|Page
, Page |2
2. Which cellular organelle is most sensitive to hypoxic
injury?
A) Golgi apparatus
B) Ribosome
C) Mitochondria
D) Lysosome
Answer: C) Mitochondria
Rationale: Mitochondria require oxygen for oxidative
phosphorylation; hypoxia impairs ATP production and can
lead to mitochondrial swelling and dysfunction.
3. Liquefactive necrosis is most commonly seen in which
tissue?
A) Heart
B) Brain
C) Kidney
D) Liver
2|Page
, Page |3
Answer: B) Brain
Rationale: Brain tissue is rich in hydrolytic enzymes and lacks
substantial connective tissue support, leading to liquefaction
during necrosis.
4. Caseous necrosis is characteristic of which condition?
A) Acute myocardial infarction
B) Tuberculosis
C) Pancreatitis
D) Cerebral infarction
Answer: B) Tuberculosis
Rationale: Caseous necrosis resembles cheese and is a
hallmark of granulomatous inflammation caused by
Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
5. A patient with chronic ischemia to the lower extremities
develops shrinkage of skeletal muscle fibers. This is an
example of:
A) Hypertrophy
3|Page
