NU 176 Exam 3 (Physiological & Systemic Alterations) Practice
Questions & Answers (Verified Update)
This comprehensive study guide covers the core domains tested
on NU 176 Exam 3: Physiological & Systemic Alterations at
Galen College of Nursing. It includes original practice questions
with detailed rationales, organized by the primary exam focus
areas: Cardiovascular Changes, Osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid
Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Pressure Ulcers, Basal Cell Carcinoma,
and Other Age-Related Physiological Alterations (Respiratory,
Renal, Neurological, and Integumentary).
Exam Overview:
Parameter Details
Exam Multiple-choice, select-all-that-apply, and NGN-style case study
Format questions
Content Chronic conditions, cardiovascular changes, OA vs. RA, osteoporos
Areas skin conditions
Differentiation of normal aging vs. pathology, chronic disease
2026 Focus
management, pressure injury staging, skin cancer identification
,Section 1: Cardiovascular Changes
Q1. Which of the following best describes the normal age-
related change in the cardiovascular system?
A) Decreased cardiac output and increased blood pressure
B) Increased cardiac output and decreased blood pressure
C) Decreased peripheral vascular resistance
D) Increased maximum heart rate
Answer: A
Rationale: Aging causes arterial stiffening and decreased vessel
elasticity, which increases peripheral vascular resistance. These
changes decrease cardiac output and raise blood pressure.
Maximum heart rate also decreases with age.
Q2. A nurse is teaching a group of older adults about age-
related changes in the cardiovascular system. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A) Increased elasticity of blood vessels
B) Decreased peripheral vascular resistance
C) Decreased cardiac output and increased blood pressure
D) Increased maximum heart rate
Answer: C
Rationale: Normal age-related cardiovascular changes include
decreased cardiac output, increased blood pressure (due to
,decreased vessel elasticity), and increased peripheral vascular
resistance. These changes occur due to stiffening of the arteries
and decreased efficiency of the heart muscle.
Q3. What are some factors that affect cardiac output?
A) Heart rate, arrhythmias, blood volume, contractility of
muscle
B) Only heart rate
C) Only blood pressure
D) Only medications
Answer: A
Rationale: Factors affecting cardiac output include heart rate,
arrhythmias, blood volume, contractility of muscle, heart attack,
medications, and cardiac disease.
Q4. The amount of blood remaining in a ventricle at the end of
diastole, if increased, can cause increased cardiac output. This is
called:
A) Afterload
B) Preload
C) Contractility
D) Heart rate
Answer: B
Rationale: Preload is the amount of blood remaining in a
, ventricle at the end of diastole. Increased preload can occur in
hypervolemia, regurgitation of cardiac valves, and heart failure.
Q5. The amount of pressure the ventricle must overcome to
eject blood into circulation is called:
A) Preload
B) Contractility
C) Afterload
D) Heart rate
Answer: C
Rationale: Afterload is the pressure the ventricle must
overcome to eject blood. It is increased in hypertension and
vasoconstriction, leading to increased cardiac workload.
Q6. A nurse is assessing an older adult for decreased cardiac
output. Which sign would the nurse expect to find?
A) Increased blood pressure
B) Warm, dry skin
C) Decreased level of consciousness
D) Increased urinary output
Answer: C
Rationale: Signs of decreased cardiac output include decreased
level of consciousness, chest pain, crackles, cold/clammy skin,
decreased urinary output, and weak peripheral pulses.
Questions & Answers (Verified Update)
This comprehensive study guide covers the core domains tested
on NU 176 Exam 3: Physiological & Systemic Alterations at
Galen College of Nursing. It includes original practice questions
with detailed rationales, organized by the primary exam focus
areas: Cardiovascular Changes, Osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid
Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Pressure Ulcers, Basal Cell Carcinoma,
and Other Age-Related Physiological Alterations (Respiratory,
Renal, Neurological, and Integumentary).
Exam Overview:
Parameter Details
Exam Multiple-choice, select-all-that-apply, and NGN-style case study
Format questions
Content Chronic conditions, cardiovascular changes, OA vs. RA, osteoporos
Areas skin conditions
Differentiation of normal aging vs. pathology, chronic disease
2026 Focus
management, pressure injury staging, skin cancer identification
,Section 1: Cardiovascular Changes
Q1. Which of the following best describes the normal age-
related change in the cardiovascular system?
A) Decreased cardiac output and increased blood pressure
B) Increased cardiac output and decreased blood pressure
C) Decreased peripheral vascular resistance
D) Increased maximum heart rate
Answer: A
Rationale: Aging causes arterial stiffening and decreased vessel
elasticity, which increases peripheral vascular resistance. These
changes decrease cardiac output and raise blood pressure.
Maximum heart rate also decreases with age.
Q2. A nurse is teaching a group of older adults about age-
related changes in the cardiovascular system. Which of the
following is a normal age-related change?
A) Increased elasticity of blood vessels
B) Decreased peripheral vascular resistance
C) Decreased cardiac output and increased blood pressure
D) Increased maximum heart rate
Answer: C
Rationale: Normal age-related cardiovascular changes include
decreased cardiac output, increased blood pressure (due to
,decreased vessel elasticity), and increased peripheral vascular
resistance. These changes occur due to stiffening of the arteries
and decreased efficiency of the heart muscle.
Q3. What are some factors that affect cardiac output?
A) Heart rate, arrhythmias, blood volume, contractility of
muscle
B) Only heart rate
C) Only blood pressure
D) Only medications
Answer: A
Rationale: Factors affecting cardiac output include heart rate,
arrhythmias, blood volume, contractility of muscle, heart attack,
medications, and cardiac disease.
Q4. The amount of blood remaining in a ventricle at the end of
diastole, if increased, can cause increased cardiac output. This is
called:
A) Afterload
B) Preload
C) Contractility
D) Heart rate
Answer: B
Rationale: Preload is the amount of blood remaining in a
, ventricle at the end of diastole. Increased preload can occur in
hypervolemia, regurgitation of cardiac valves, and heart failure.
Q5. The amount of pressure the ventricle must overcome to
eject blood into circulation is called:
A) Preload
B) Contractility
C) Afterload
D) Heart rate
Answer: C
Rationale: Afterload is the pressure the ventricle must
overcome to eject blood. It is increased in hypertension and
vasoconstriction, leading to increased cardiac workload.
Q6. A nurse is assessing an older adult for decreased cardiac
output. Which sign would the nurse expect to find?
A) Increased blood pressure
B) Warm, dry skin
C) Decreased level of consciousness
D) Increased urinary output
Answer: C
Rationale: Signs of decreased cardiac output include decreased
level of consciousness, chest pain, crackles, cold/clammy skin,
decreased urinary output, and weak peripheral pulses.
