D236 Pathophysiology EXAM 1
Western Governors University (WGU) 2026
COMPLETE 100 QUESTIONS CORRECTLY SOLVED WITH ADDITIONAL EXAM 1 ROAD MAP
GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Increased mobilization and delivery of free fatty acids to liver cells can result in fat accumulation.
Which of the following problems results in increased mobilization of free fatty acids?
a. anemia
b. hepatic toxins
c. starvation
d. hypoxia
C
Generalized hypoxia results in a switch to anaerobic metabolism in cells. Anaerobic metabolism
results in which of the following?
a. decreased lactic acid inside cells
b. decreased arterial pH
c. more effective ATP production
d. increased pH inside cells
B
There is a disease of the spleen, which results in an excessive destruction of RBCs. This increase in RBC
destruction can lead to which of the following?
a. hypoxia
b. hypobilirubinemia
c. an increase in platelets
d. all of the above
A
Your body has developed an increased demand for thyroid hormones. This will lead to ____________
of the thyroid gland.
a. atrophy
b. hypertrophy
c. dysplasia
d. metaplasia
,B
You palpate a gangrenous leg and note the presence of crepitus. Crepitus is associated with which of
the following?
a. wet gangrene
b. dry gangrene
c. gas gangrene
d. all of the above
C
Direct cell membrane destruction may result from which of the following?
a. complement activation
b. bacterial enzymes
c. free radicals
d. all of the above
D
Which of the following is true regarding apoptosis?
a. It occurrence may be physiological or pathological.
b. It does not stimulate the inflammatory process.
c. It results in phagocytosis of the apoptotic cell.
d. all of the above.
D
Insufficient blood flow to a part of the body is defined as:
a. hypoxia.
b. hypoxemia.
c. necrosis.
d. ischemia.
D
A cellular change, which is often precancerous, is called:
a. hyperplasia.
b. metaplasia.
c. dysplasia.
d. hypertrophy.
C
Which of the following changes is indicative of irreversible cell injury?
a. sodium influx into the cytoplasm
b. glycolysis (anaerobic metabolism)
c. detachment of ribosomes from rough endoplasmic reticulum
d. release of lysosomal enzymes
D
,Which of the following best describes reperfusion injury?
a. The increased blood pressure in the area of reperfusion causes rupture of small arterioles and
release of free radicals.
b. The return of blood flow to the area results in a burst of free radical production from neutrophils
that accumulated in the area.
c. Reperfusion injury results from restoration of the function of the sodium-potassium pump.
d. Reperfusion of the area results in apoptosis of the previously ischemic cells.
B
Which of the following best describes free radicals?
a. stable molecules not normally found in the body, but introduced exogenously during ischemia
b. unstable molecules that are normal products of oxidative metabolism and are removed by
endogenous antioxidants
c. stable molecules that have an affinity for iron in the cytoplasm of the cell
d. none of the above
B
The usual fate of apoptotic cells is which of the following?
a. metaplastic transformation
b. calcification
c. hypertrophy
d. phagocytosis
e. neoplastic transformation
D
Which of the following statements is true regarding the difference between cell necrosis and
apoptosis?
a. Apoptosis is a more rapid process.
b. Apoptosis is usually initiated by ischemia-induced cell injury.
c. Apoptosis is genetically controlled.
d. Apoptosis characteristically involves rupture of the cell membrane.
C
You are a nurse practitioner working in an outpatient clinic. Your patient's echocardiogram shows
moderate aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve). You know that the stenotic valve creates an
increased resistance against which the left ventricle contracts. The cellular adaptation most likely to
occur in the left ventricle is which of the following?
a. atrophy
b. hypertrophy
c. hyperplasia
d. metaplasia
B
, Select the condition that is an example of physiologic hyperplasia.
a. breast enlargement during puberty
b. endometrial hyperplasia from excessive estrogen stimulation
c. prostatic hyperplasia occurring as men age
d. none of the above are physiologic
A
Your patient has a long history of mitral stenosis (narrowing of the mitral valve). As the years go by,
the left atrium, which contracts against the increased resistance of the stenotic valve, begins to fail--
and output from the left ventricle begins to decline. If the left ventricle were to undergo adaptation,
what would it most likely be?
a. atrophy.
b. hypertrophy.
c. hyperplasia.
d. metaplasia.
A
Which of the following is not characteristic of cellular dysplasia?
a. variation in size and shape of cells
b. small, pale nuclei
c. disorderly arrangement of cells
d. preneoplastic change
B
If a normal individual began to take cortisol 100 mgs. every day as a medication, which of the
following would result?
a. hypertrophy of the adrenal gland
b. hyperplasia of the adrenal gland
c. atrophy of the adrenal gland
d. hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the adrenal gland
C
If a normal individual began to take thyroid hormone 100 mcgs. every day as a medication, which of
the following would result?
a. hypertrophy of the thyroid gland
b. hyperplasia of the thyroid gland
c. atrophy of the thyroid gland
d. hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the thyroid gland
B
Chronic alcoholism can result in the development of a fatty liver because it results in which of the
following?
a. increased production of free fatty acids
b. increased conversion of free fatty acids to triglycerides
Western Governors University (WGU) 2026
COMPLETE 100 QUESTIONS CORRECTLY SOLVED WITH ADDITIONAL EXAM 1 ROAD MAP
GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Increased mobilization and delivery of free fatty acids to liver cells can result in fat accumulation.
Which of the following problems results in increased mobilization of free fatty acids?
a. anemia
b. hepatic toxins
c. starvation
d. hypoxia
C
Generalized hypoxia results in a switch to anaerobic metabolism in cells. Anaerobic metabolism
results in which of the following?
a. decreased lactic acid inside cells
b. decreased arterial pH
c. more effective ATP production
d. increased pH inside cells
B
There is a disease of the spleen, which results in an excessive destruction of RBCs. This increase in RBC
destruction can lead to which of the following?
a. hypoxia
b. hypobilirubinemia
c. an increase in platelets
d. all of the above
A
Your body has developed an increased demand for thyroid hormones. This will lead to ____________
of the thyroid gland.
a. atrophy
b. hypertrophy
c. dysplasia
d. metaplasia
,B
You palpate a gangrenous leg and note the presence of crepitus. Crepitus is associated with which of
the following?
a. wet gangrene
b. dry gangrene
c. gas gangrene
d. all of the above
C
Direct cell membrane destruction may result from which of the following?
a. complement activation
b. bacterial enzymes
c. free radicals
d. all of the above
D
Which of the following is true regarding apoptosis?
a. It occurrence may be physiological or pathological.
b. It does not stimulate the inflammatory process.
c. It results in phagocytosis of the apoptotic cell.
d. all of the above.
D
Insufficient blood flow to a part of the body is defined as:
a. hypoxia.
b. hypoxemia.
c. necrosis.
d. ischemia.
D
A cellular change, which is often precancerous, is called:
a. hyperplasia.
b. metaplasia.
c. dysplasia.
d. hypertrophy.
C
Which of the following changes is indicative of irreversible cell injury?
a. sodium influx into the cytoplasm
b. glycolysis (anaerobic metabolism)
c. detachment of ribosomes from rough endoplasmic reticulum
d. release of lysosomal enzymes
D
,Which of the following best describes reperfusion injury?
a. The increased blood pressure in the area of reperfusion causes rupture of small arterioles and
release of free radicals.
b. The return of blood flow to the area results in a burst of free radical production from neutrophils
that accumulated in the area.
c. Reperfusion injury results from restoration of the function of the sodium-potassium pump.
d. Reperfusion of the area results in apoptosis of the previously ischemic cells.
B
Which of the following best describes free radicals?
a. stable molecules not normally found in the body, but introduced exogenously during ischemia
b. unstable molecules that are normal products of oxidative metabolism and are removed by
endogenous antioxidants
c. stable molecules that have an affinity for iron in the cytoplasm of the cell
d. none of the above
B
The usual fate of apoptotic cells is which of the following?
a. metaplastic transformation
b. calcification
c. hypertrophy
d. phagocytosis
e. neoplastic transformation
D
Which of the following statements is true regarding the difference between cell necrosis and
apoptosis?
a. Apoptosis is a more rapid process.
b. Apoptosis is usually initiated by ischemia-induced cell injury.
c. Apoptosis is genetically controlled.
d. Apoptosis characteristically involves rupture of the cell membrane.
C
You are a nurse practitioner working in an outpatient clinic. Your patient's echocardiogram shows
moderate aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve). You know that the stenotic valve creates an
increased resistance against which the left ventricle contracts. The cellular adaptation most likely to
occur in the left ventricle is which of the following?
a. atrophy
b. hypertrophy
c. hyperplasia
d. metaplasia
B
, Select the condition that is an example of physiologic hyperplasia.
a. breast enlargement during puberty
b. endometrial hyperplasia from excessive estrogen stimulation
c. prostatic hyperplasia occurring as men age
d. none of the above are physiologic
A
Your patient has a long history of mitral stenosis (narrowing of the mitral valve). As the years go by,
the left atrium, which contracts against the increased resistance of the stenotic valve, begins to fail--
and output from the left ventricle begins to decline. If the left ventricle were to undergo adaptation,
what would it most likely be?
a. atrophy.
b. hypertrophy.
c. hyperplasia.
d. metaplasia.
A
Which of the following is not characteristic of cellular dysplasia?
a. variation in size and shape of cells
b. small, pale nuclei
c. disorderly arrangement of cells
d. preneoplastic change
B
If a normal individual began to take cortisol 100 mgs. every day as a medication, which of the
following would result?
a. hypertrophy of the adrenal gland
b. hyperplasia of the adrenal gland
c. atrophy of the adrenal gland
d. hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the adrenal gland
C
If a normal individual began to take thyroid hormone 100 mcgs. every day as a medication, which of
the following would result?
a. hypertrophy of the thyroid gland
b. hyperplasia of the thyroid gland
c. atrophy of the thyroid gland
d. hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the thyroid gland
B
Chronic alcoholism can result in the development of a fatty liver because it results in which of the
following?
a. increased production of free fatty acids
b. increased conversion of free fatty acids to triglycerides
