2026 Nursing Pathophysiology Practice
Questions: Answer Explanations, Disease
Processes, Signs Symptoms, Etiology,
Clinical Manifestations, Nursing
Application Exam Prep
SECTION 1: CELLULAR ADAPTATION, INJURY & DEATH (Questions
1–15)
1. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes an increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ,
often in response to hormonal stimulation or chronic irritation. Hypertrophy is an
increase in cell size, atrophy is a decrease in cell size, and metaplasia is the
replacement of one cell type with another.
2. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which mechanism
is most commonly associated with reversible cell injury?
A. Cellular swelling
B. Apoptosis
C. Necrosis
D. Calcification
Rationale: Cellular swelling is the most common and earliest manifestation of
reversible cell injury, caused by failure of ion pumps and accumulation of water
and sodium within the cell.
,3. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell death. Which type of necrosis
is most commonly associated with ischemia in the heart, kidney, and spleen?
A. Fat necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis occurs primarily in the heart, kidney, and spleen
due to ischemia. The tissue becomes firm and the basic cellular outline persists for
several days.
4. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell death. Which type of necrosis
is most commonly associated with brain infarction?
A. Fat necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain after infarction, where the
dead tissue becomes soft and liquefied due to enzymatic digestion.
5. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell death. Which type of necrosis
is most commonly associated with tuberculosis?
A. Fat necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is characteristic of tuberculosis, where the necrotic
tissue has a cheese-like (caseous) appearance and is enclosed by granulomatous
inflammation.
6. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell death. Which type of necrosis
is most commonly associated with acute pancreatitis?
A. Fat necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
,Rationale: Fat necrosis occurs in acute pancreatitis due to the release of pancreatic
enzymes that break down fat cells into fatty acids, which then combine with
calcium to form chalky white deposits.
7. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes a decrease in the size of cells in a tissue or organ?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in the size of cells in a tissue or organ, often due
to decreased workload, decreased blood supply, or hormonal changes.
8. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes the replacement of one differentiated cell type with another?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type
with another, often in response to chronic irritation or inflammation.
9. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes disordered cell growth with variation in size, shape, and organization?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Anaplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia is characterized by disordered cell growth with variation in
size, shape, and organization. It is often a precursor to malignancy.
10. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes the loss of cellular differentiation and organization, characteristic of
malignant cells?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
, C. Dysplasia
D. Anaplasia
Rationale: Anaplasia is the loss of cellular differentiation and organization, which
is a hallmark of malignant cells.
11. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell injury. Which mechanism is
most commonly associated with irreversible cell injury?
A. Cellular swelling
B. Membrane damage and mitochondrial dysfunction
C. Fatty change
D. Hydropic degeneration
Rationale: Irreversible cell injury is characterized by severe membrane damage,
mitochondrial dysfunction, and the inability to restore cellular function, leading to
cell death.
12. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell injury. Which factor is most
commonly associated with hypoxia-induced cell injury?
A. ATP depletion
B. Increased protein synthesis
C. Enhanced DNA repair
D. Increased antioxidant activity
Rationale: Hypoxia leads to ATP depletion, which causes failure of ion pumps,
cellular swelling, and ultimately cell death.
13. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell injury. Which mechanism is
most commonly associated with free radical-induced cell injury?
A. ATP depletion
B. Lipid peroxidation
C. Increased protein synthesis
D. Enhanced DNA repair
Rationale: Free radicals cause cell injury through lipid peroxidation of cell
membranes, protein damage, and DNA damage.
14. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of apoptosis. Which mechanism is
most commonly associated with programmed cell death?
Questions: Answer Explanations, Disease
Processes, Signs Symptoms, Etiology,
Clinical Manifestations, Nursing
Application Exam Prep
SECTION 1: CELLULAR ADAPTATION, INJURY & DEATH (Questions
1–15)
1. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes an increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ,
often in response to hormonal stimulation or chronic irritation. Hypertrophy is an
increase in cell size, atrophy is a decrease in cell size, and metaplasia is the
replacement of one cell type with another.
2. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which mechanism
is most commonly associated with reversible cell injury?
A. Cellular swelling
B. Apoptosis
C. Necrosis
D. Calcification
Rationale: Cellular swelling is the most common and earliest manifestation of
reversible cell injury, caused by failure of ion pumps and accumulation of water
and sodium within the cell.
,3. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell death. Which type of necrosis
is most commonly associated with ischemia in the heart, kidney, and spleen?
A. Fat necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis occurs primarily in the heart, kidney, and spleen
due to ischemia. The tissue becomes firm and the basic cellular outline persists for
several days.
4. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell death. Which type of necrosis
is most commonly associated with brain infarction?
A. Fat necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain after infarction, where the
dead tissue becomes soft and liquefied due to enzymatic digestion.
5. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell death. Which type of necrosis
is most commonly associated with tuberculosis?
A. Fat necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is characteristic of tuberculosis, where the necrotic
tissue has a cheese-like (caseous) appearance and is enclosed by granulomatous
inflammation.
6. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell death. Which type of necrosis
is most commonly associated with acute pancreatitis?
A. Fat necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
,Rationale: Fat necrosis occurs in acute pancreatitis due to the release of pancreatic
enzymes that break down fat cells into fatty acids, which then combine with
calcium to form chalky white deposits.
7. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes a decrease in the size of cells in a tissue or organ?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in the size of cells in a tissue or organ, often due
to decreased workload, decreased blood supply, or hormonal changes.
8. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes the replacement of one differentiated cell type with another?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type
with another, often in response to chronic irritation or inflammation.
9. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes disordered cell growth with variation in size, shape, and organization?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Anaplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia is characterized by disordered cell growth with variation in
size, shape, and organization. It is often a precursor to malignancy.
10. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation. Which term
describes the loss of cellular differentiation and organization, characteristic of
malignant cells?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
, C. Dysplasia
D. Anaplasia
Rationale: Anaplasia is the loss of cellular differentiation and organization, which
is a hallmark of malignant cells.
11. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell injury. Which mechanism is
most commonly associated with irreversible cell injury?
A. Cellular swelling
B. Membrane damage and mitochondrial dysfunction
C. Fatty change
D. Hydropic degeneration
Rationale: Irreversible cell injury is characterized by severe membrane damage,
mitochondrial dysfunction, and the inability to restore cellular function, leading to
cell death.
12. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell injury. Which factor is most
commonly associated with hypoxia-induced cell injury?
A. ATP depletion
B. Increased protein synthesis
C. Enhanced DNA repair
D. Increased antioxidant activity
Rationale: Hypoxia leads to ATP depletion, which causes failure of ion pumps,
cellular swelling, and ultimately cell death.
13. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cell injury. Which mechanism is
most commonly associated with free radical-induced cell injury?
A. ATP depletion
B. Lipid peroxidation
C. Increased protein synthesis
D. Enhanced DNA repair
Rationale: Free radicals cause cell injury through lipid peroxidation of cell
membranes, protein damage, and DNA damage.
14. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of apoptosis. Which mechanism is
most commonly associated with programmed cell death?
