CARE OF THE OLDER ADULT EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | CARE OF THE OLDER ADULT EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE
& PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
Exacerbation - correct answer ✔✔Extreme symptoms; the actual disease getting worse
Crisis - correct answer ✔✔Life threatening situation; acute threat to self-identity
Acute - correct answer ✔✔Emergent but not fatal situation; active illness or complications that require
hospitalization for management
Arteriosclerosis - correct answer ✔✔Clogging/narrowing of the arteries
Modifiable - correct answer ✔✔Risk factors that can be changed
Pre-trajectory - correct answer ✔✔Before the illness course begins, the preventative phase, no signs or
symptoms present
Trajectory onset - correct answer ✔✔Signs and symptoms are present, includes diagnostic period
Stable - correct answer ✔✔Controlled illness course/symptoms
Unstable - correct answer ✔✔Illness course/symptoms not controlled by regimen but not requiring
desired hospitilization
Downward - correct answer ✔✔Progressive decline in physical/mental status characterized by increasing
disability/symptoms
Dying - correct answer ✔✔Immediate weeks, days, hours preceding death
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) - correct answer ✔✔Leading cause of death for older adults
Hypertension - correct answer ✔✔Most common chronic CVD; blood pressure above 140/90
Coronary heart disease (CHD) - correct answer ✔✔Includes CAD and IHD; condition that either
completely or partially obstructs the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart; highest among African
Americans and lowest among Asians, men>women (until menopause)
Acute myocardial infarction - correct answer ✔✔A gross necrosis of the myocardium. Caused by an
interruption of the blood supply to the heart muscle; heart attack
Unmodifiable risk factors for CVD - correct answer ✔✔Age, gender, heredity, and ethnicity
Modifiable risk factors for CVD - correct answer ✔✔Smoking, stress, obesity, diet,and physical inactivity
, Treatable risk factors for CVD - correct answer ✔✔Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia
Heart failure - correct answer ✔✔A general term used to describe the end result of the combination of
normal changes with aging and other cardiac disorders
Congestive heart failure - correct answer ✔✔End-stage and acute heart failure; common
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) - correct answer ✔✔Cluster of disorders, all of which are the result of
vascular insufficient and damage to the surrounding dependent tissue
Chronic venous insufficiency - correct answer ✔✔Most common PVD seen in older adults
Nociceptive pain - correct answer ✔✔Pain associated with injury to the skin, mucosa, muscle, or bone
and is usually the result of stimulation of pain receptors
Neuropathic pain - correct answer ✔✔Pain that involves a pathophysiological process of the peripheral
or central nervous system and presents as altered sensation and discomfort
Myth - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Pain is expected with aging
Fact - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Pain is not normal with aging, the presence of pain in the elderly
necessitates agressive assessment, diagnosis, and management similar to that of persons at any age
Myth - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Pain sensitivity and perception decrease with aging
Fact - correct answer ✔✔M or F: While an older adult may have developed excellent coping skills making
it more difficult for others to observe cues for pain, there is no evidence that there is a reduction in
actual pain
Myth - correct answer ✔✔Narcotic medications are inappropriate for patients with persistent
nonmalignant pain
Fact - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Opiod analgesics are often indicated in persistent nonmalignant pain
Fact - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Narcotics may be used safely in the elderly. Although elderly patients
may be more sensitive to narcotics, this does not justify withholding narcotics and failing to relieve pain
Changes in behavior - correct answer ✔✔Pain cues: restlessness and/or agitation or reduction in
movement, repetitive movements, physical tension, and unusually cautious movements/guarding
ADLs - correct answer ✔✔Pain cues: Sudden resistance to help from others, decreased appetite and
sleep
Vocalizations - correct answer ✔✔Pain cues: Groaning, moaning, or crying for unknown reasons,
increase or decrease in usual vocalizations
Physical changes - correct answer ✔✔Pain cues: Pleading expression, grimacing, pallor/flushing,
diaphoresis (sweating), and increased pulse, RR, or BP
ANSWERS | CARE OF THE OLDER ADULT EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE
& PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
Exacerbation - correct answer ✔✔Extreme symptoms; the actual disease getting worse
Crisis - correct answer ✔✔Life threatening situation; acute threat to self-identity
Acute - correct answer ✔✔Emergent but not fatal situation; active illness or complications that require
hospitalization for management
Arteriosclerosis - correct answer ✔✔Clogging/narrowing of the arteries
Modifiable - correct answer ✔✔Risk factors that can be changed
Pre-trajectory - correct answer ✔✔Before the illness course begins, the preventative phase, no signs or
symptoms present
Trajectory onset - correct answer ✔✔Signs and symptoms are present, includes diagnostic period
Stable - correct answer ✔✔Controlled illness course/symptoms
Unstable - correct answer ✔✔Illness course/symptoms not controlled by regimen but not requiring
desired hospitilization
Downward - correct answer ✔✔Progressive decline in physical/mental status characterized by increasing
disability/symptoms
Dying - correct answer ✔✔Immediate weeks, days, hours preceding death
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) - correct answer ✔✔Leading cause of death for older adults
Hypertension - correct answer ✔✔Most common chronic CVD; blood pressure above 140/90
Coronary heart disease (CHD) - correct answer ✔✔Includes CAD and IHD; condition that either
completely or partially obstructs the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart; highest among African
Americans and lowest among Asians, men>women (until menopause)
Acute myocardial infarction - correct answer ✔✔A gross necrosis of the myocardium. Caused by an
interruption of the blood supply to the heart muscle; heart attack
Unmodifiable risk factors for CVD - correct answer ✔✔Age, gender, heredity, and ethnicity
Modifiable risk factors for CVD - correct answer ✔✔Smoking, stress, obesity, diet,and physical inactivity
, Treatable risk factors for CVD - correct answer ✔✔Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia
Heart failure - correct answer ✔✔A general term used to describe the end result of the combination of
normal changes with aging and other cardiac disorders
Congestive heart failure - correct answer ✔✔End-stage and acute heart failure; common
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) - correct answer ✔✔Cluster of disorders, all of which are the result of
vascular insufficient and damage to the surrounding dependent tissue
Chronic venous insufficiency - correct answer ✔✔Most common PVD seen in older adults
Nociceptive pain - correct answer ✔✔Pain associated with injury to the skin, mucosa, muscle, or bone
and is usually the result of stimulation of pain receptors
Neuropathic pain - correct answer ✔✔Pain that involves a pathophysiological process of the peripheral
or central nervous system and presents as altered sensation and discomfort
Myth - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Pain is expected with aging
Fact - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Pain is not normal with aging, the presence of pain in the elderly
necessitates agressive assessment, diagnosis, and management similar to that of persons at any age
Myth - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Pain sensitivity and perception decrease with aging
Fact - correct answer ✔✔M or F: While an older adult may have developed excellent coping skills making
it more difficult for others to observe cues for pain, there is no evidence that there is a reduction in
actual pain
Myth - correct answer ✔✔Narcotic medications are inappropriate for patients with persistent
nonmalignant pain
Fact - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Opiod analgesics are often indicated in persistent nonmalignant pain
Fact - correct answer ✔✔M or F: Narcotics may be used safely in the elderly. Although elderly patients
may be more sensitive to narcotics, this does not justify withholding narcotics and failing to relieve pain
Changes in behavior - correct answer ✔✔Pain cues: restlessness and/or agitation or reduction in
movement, repetitive movements, physical tension, and unusually cautious movements/guarding
ADLs - correct answer ✔✔Pain cues: Sudden resistance to help from others, decreased appetite and
sleep
Vocalizations - correct answer ✔✔Pain cues: Groaning, moaning, or crying for unknown reasons,
increase or decrease in usual vocalizations
Physical changes - correct answer ✔✔Pain cues: Pleading expression, grimacing, pallor/flushing,
diaphoresis (sweating), and increased pulse, RR, or BP
