Pathophysiology Nursing 2026 Study Guide
Practice Questions Answer Explanations Cellular
Changes Disease Mechanisms Clinical
Manifestations Diagnostic Findings Review
SECTION 1: CELLULAR CHANGES & ADAPTATION (Questions 1–20)
Question 1. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation.
Which type of cellular change involves 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
reversible replacement of one mature cell type with another.
Question 2. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation.
Which type of cellular change involves a decrease in cell size?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, resulting in a reduction in tissue or
organ mass. It can occur due to disuse, denervation, loss of hormonal stimulation,
inadequate nutrition, or decreased blood supply.
,Question 3. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation.
Which type of cellular change involves the replacement of one mature cell type
with another?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type with
another, often in response to chronic irritation or inflammation. For example,
columnar epithelial cells in the bronchi may be replaced by stratified squamous
epithelial cells in smokers.
Question 4. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation.
Which type of cellular change involves disordered arrangement and growth of
cells?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia is the disordered arrangement and growth of cells, often a
precursor to malignancy. It is characterized by variations in cell size, shape, and
organization.
Question 5. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of cell death is programmed and involves controlled cellular self-
destruction?
A. Necrosis
B. Apoptosis
C. Autolysis
D. Coagulation
Rationale: Apoptosis is programmed cell death that occurs as a normal
physiological process to eliminate unwanted or damaged cells. Necrosis is
uncontrolled cell death due to injury, autolysis is self-digestion after death, and
coagulation is a type of necrosis.
,Question 6. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is characterized by coagulation of proteins and is commonly seen
in heart tissue after myocardial infarction?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is characterized by coagulation of proteins and is
commonly seen in heart tissue after myocardial infarction, where the tissue
becomes firm and pale. Liquefactive necrosis occurs in brain tissue, caseous
necrosis in tuberculosis, and fat necrosis in pancreatitis.
Question 7. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is characterized by enzymatic digestion of tissue and is
commonly seen in brain tissue after stroke?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis is characterized by enzymatic digestion of tissue,
resulting in a soft, liquefied mass. It is commonly seen in brain tissue after stroke
and in abscesses.
Question 8. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is characterized by a cheese-like appearance and is commonly
seen in tuberculosis?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is characterized by a cheese-like appearance and is
commonly seen in tuberculosis and fungal infections. It is a combination of
coagulative and liquefactive necrosis.
Question 9. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is commonly seen in pancreatitis?
, A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Fat necrosis occurs when lipases break down triglycerides into free
fatty acids, which then combine with calcium to form chalky white deposits. It is
commonly seen in pancreatitis and breast tissue trauma.
Question 10. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is commonly seen in gangrene?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Gangrenous necrosis
Rationale: Gangrenous necrosis is a type of coagulative necrosis that occurs in
ischemic tissue, often in the extremities or gastrointestinal tract. It can be dry or
wet gangrene, with wet gangrene involving bacterial infection.
Question 11. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
factor can cause hypoxic cell injury?
A. Adequate oxygen supply
B. Decreased blood flow (ischemia)
C. Normal metabolic function
D. Sufficient ATP production
Rationale: Hypoxic cell injury occurs when there is inadequate oxygen supply to
the cells, often due to decreased blood flow (ischemia). This leads to decreased
ATP production, failure of the sodium-potassium pump, and cellular swelling.
Question 12. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
factor can cause free radical injury?
A. Antioxidants
B. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)
C. Vitamin E
D. Glutathione
Practice Questions Answer Explanations Cellular
Changes Disease Mechanisms Clinical
Manifestations Diagnostic Findings Review
SECTION 1: CELLULAR CHANGES & ADAPTATION (Questions 1–20)
Question 1. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation.
Which type of cellular change involves 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
reversible replacement of one mature cell type with another.
Question 2. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation.
Which type of cellular change involves a decrease in cell size?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, resulting in a reduction in tissue or
organ mass. It can occur due to disuse, denervation, loss of hormonal stimulation,
inadequate nutrition, or decreased blood supply.
,Question 3. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation.
Which type of cellular change involves the replacement of one mature cell type
with another?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type with
another, often in response to chronic irritation or inflammation. For example,
columnar epithelial cells in the bronchi may be replaced by stratified squamous
epithelial cells in smokers.
Question 4. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular adaptation.
Which type of cellular change involves disordered arrangement and growth of
cells?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Dysplasia is the disordered arrangement and growth of cells, often a
precursor to malignancy. It is characterized by variations in cell size, shape, and
organization.
Question 5. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of cell death is programmed and involves controlled cellular self-
destruction?
A. Necrosis
B. Apoptosis
C. Autolysis
D. Coagulation
Rationale: Apoptosis is programmed cell death that occurs as a normal
physiological process to eliminate unwanted or damaged cells. Necrosis is
uncontrolled cell death due to injury, autolysis is self-digestion after death, and
coagulation is a type of necrosis.
,Question 6. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is characterized by coagulation of proteins and is commonly seen
in heart tissue after myocardial infarction?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is characterized by coagulation of proteins and is
commonly seen in heart tissue after myocardial infarction, where the tissue
becomes firm and pale. Liquefactive necrosis occurs in brain tissue, caseous
necrosis in tuberculosis, and fat necrosis in pancreatitis.
Question 7. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is characterized by enzymatic digestion of tissue and is
commonly seen in brain tissue after stroke?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis is characterized by enzymatic digestion of tissue,
resulting in a soft, liquefied mass. It is commonly seen in brain tissue after stroke
and in abscesses.
Question 8. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is characterized by a cheese-like appearance and is commonly
seen in tuberculosis?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is characterized by a cheese-like appearance and is
commonly seen in tuberculosis and fungal infections. It is a combination of
coagulative and liquefactive necrosis.
Question 9. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is commonly seen in pancreatitis?
, A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Fat necrosis occurs when lipases break down triglycerides into free
fatty acids, which then combine with calcium to form chalky white deposits. It is
commonly seen in pancreatitis and breast tissue trauma.
Question 10. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
type of necrosis is commonly seen in gangrene?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Gangrenous necrosis
Rationale: Gangrenous necrosis is a type of coagulative necrosis that occurs in
ischemic tissue, often in the extremities or gastrointestinal tract. It can be dry or
wet gangrene, with wet gangrene involving bacterial infection.
Question 11. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
factor can cause hypoxic cell injury?
A. Adequate oxygen supply
B. Decreased blood flow (ischemia)
C. Normal metabolic function
D. Sufficient ATP production
Rationale: Hypoxic cell injury occurs when there is inadequate oxygen supply to
the cells, often due to decreased blood flow (ischemia). This leads to decreased
ATP production, failure of the sodium-potassium pump, and cellular swelling.
Question 12. A nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology of cellular injury. Which
factor can cause free radical injury?
A. Antioxidants
B. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)
C. Vitamin E
D. Glutathione
