NURS 6202 FINAL EXAM AND PRACTICE EXAM (CAPELLA UNIVERSITY)
NEWEST 2026/ 2027 TEST BANK| NURS6202 ADVANCED
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL EXAM PREP WITH COMPLETE 550 REAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS/ ALREADY GRADED A+
1. A patient with prolonged hypoxemia develops cellular swelling, impaired
membrane transport, and accumulation of intracellular sodium and water.
Which pathophysiologic mechanism most directly explains these early
reversible cellular changes?
A. Activation of lysosomal enzymes causing complete cellular digestion
B. Increased ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium ATPase caused by inadequate ATP
availability
D. Irreversible mitochondrial membrane rupture with extensive calcium
deposition
Answer: C
2. A patient experiences prolonged ischemia to a tissue, and laboratory
findings demonstrate severe ATP depletion, mitochondrial dysfunction, and
disruption of plasma membranes. Which finding most strongly indicates
that the cellular injury has progressed from reversible to irreversible
damage?
A. Persistent inability to restore mitochondrial function despite removal of
the original insult
B. Mild cellular swelling that resolves after oxygen is restored
C. Temporary reduction in protein synthesis caused by ribosomal
detachment
D. Increased intracellular glycogen storage during the initial stress response
Answer: A
3. A patient develops myocardial infarction after prolonged coronary artery
occlusion. Which type of cellular death is most characteristic of the
ischemic myocardial tissue during the early infarction process?
A. Apoptosis
pg. 1
, B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis
Answer: B
4. A patient with a localized bacterial infection develops tissue destruction
accompanied by accumulation of neutrophils and enzymatic digestion of
dead cells, producing a fluid-filled cavity. Which type of necrosis best
explains this pathologic process?
A. Caseous necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis
Answer: D
5. A patient has a chronic condition that causes persistent tissue irritation and
repeated cellular injury. Over time, the affected cells increase in size but do
not increase substantially in number. Which cellular adaptation is
occurring?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
6. A patient has chronic irritation of the respiratory epithelium from cigarette
smoke, resulting in replacement of normal ciliated columnar cells with
stratified squamous epithelium. Which adaptive process is demonstrated?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
Answer: C
pg. 2
, 7. A patient with long-standing hypertension develops thickening of the left
ventricular myocardium because cardiac muscle cells enlarge in response to
increased workload. Which cellular adaptation best describes this change?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Hypertrophy
Answer: D
8. An older adult experiences prolonged immobilization after a stroke and
develops decreased skeletal muscle mass in the affected extremity. Which
cellular adaptation best explains this finding?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B
9. A patient develops acute inflammation after a tissue injury. Which vascular
change occurs early in the inflammatory response and contributes directly
to increased delivery of inflammatory mediators to the injured area?
A. Vasodilation of arterioles
B. Immediate systemic vasoconstriction
C. Decreased capillary permeability
D. Reduced local blood flow
Answer: A
10. A patient with acute bacterial infection develops redness, warmth, swelling,
and pain around the affected tissue. Which mediator is most strongly
associated with increased vascular permeability and early inflammatory
changes?
A. Erythropoietin
B. Insulin
C. Histamine
pg. 3
, D. Aldosterone
Answer: C
11. A patient with bacterial pneumonia has a markedly elevated neutrophil
count. Which function of neutrophils is most important during the early
phase of acute inflammation?
A. Production of antibodies
B. Phagocytosis and destruction of invading microorganisms
C. Formation of long-term immunologic memory
D. Secretion of erythropoietin
Answer: B
12. A patient develops a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by
macrophage accumulation, lymphocyte activity, and progressive tissue
destruction. Which feature best distinguishes chronic from acute
inflammation?
A. Exclusive involvement of neutrophils
B. Absence of tissue repair mechanisms
C. Immediate onset after tissue injury
D. Simultaneous inflammation, tissue injury, and attempts at repair
Answer: D
13. A patient develops generalized edema after severe liver disease. Laboratory
findings show markedly reduced plasma albumin. Which mechanism most
directly contributes to the edema?
A. Increased plasma oncotic pressure
B. Decreased plasma colloid osmotic pressure
C. Increased intracellular oncotic pressure
D. Decreased capillary hydrostatic pressure
Answer: B
14. A patient with congestive heart failure develops bilateral lower-extremity
edema because venous pressure is chronically elevated. Which Starling
force is primarily responsible for movement of fluid into the interstitial
space?
pg. 4
NEWEST 2026/ 2027 TEST BANK| NURS6202 ADVANCED
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL EXAM PREP WITH COMPLETE 550 REAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS/ ALREADY GRADED A+
1. A patient with prolonged hypoxemia develops cellular swelling, impaired
membrane transport, and accumulation of intracellular sodium and water.
Which pathophysiologic mechanism most directly explains these early
reversible cellular changes?
A. Activation of lysosomal enzymes causing complete cellular digestion
B. Increased ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium ATPase caused by inadequate ATP
availability
D. Irreversible mitochondrial membrane rupture with extensive calcium
deposition
Answer: C
2. A patient experiences prolonged ischemia to a tissue, and laboratory
findings demonstrate severe ATP depletion, mitochondrial dysfunction, and
disruption of plasma membranes. Which finding most strongly indicates
that the cellular injury has progressed from reversible to irreversible
damage?
A. Persistent inability to restore mitochondrial function despite removal of
the original insult
B. Mild cellular swelling that resolves after oxygen is restored
C. Temporary reduction in protein synthesis caused by ribosomal
detachment
D. Increased intracellular glycogen storage during the initial stress response
Answer: A
3. A patient develops myocardial infarction after prolonged coronary artery
occlusion. Which type of cellular death is most characteristic of the
ischemic myocardial tissue during the early infarction process?
A. Apoptosis
pg. 1
, B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis
Answer: B
4. A patient with a localized bacterial infection develops tissue destruction
accompanied by accumulation of neutrophils and enzymatic digestion of
dead cells, producing a fluid-filled cavity. Which type of necrosis best
explains this pathologic process?
A. Caseous necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis
Answer: D
5. A patient has a chronic condition that causes persistent tissue irritation and
repeated cellular injury. Over time, the affected cells increase in size but do
not increase substantially in number. Which cellular adaptation is
occurring?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
6. A patient has chronic irritation of the respiratory epithelium from cigarette
smoke, resulting in replacement of normal ciliated columnar cells with
stratified squamous epithelium. Which adaptive process is demonstrated?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
Answer: C
pg. 2
, 7. A patient with long-standing hypertension develops thickening of the left
ventricular myocardium because cardiac muscle cells enlarge in response to
increased workload. Which cellular adaptation best describes this change?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Hypertrophy
Answer: D
8. An older adult experiences prolonged immobilization after a stroke and
develops decreased skeletal muscle mass in the affected extremity. Which
cellular adaptation best explains this finding?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B
9. A patient develops acute inflammation after a tissue injury. Which vascular
change occurs early in the inflammatory response and contributes directly
to increased delivery of inflammatory mediators to the injured area?
A. Vasodilation of arterioles
B. Immediate systemic vasoconstriction
C. Decreased capillary permeability
D. Reduced local blood flow
Answer: A
10. A patient with acute bacterial infection develops redness, warmth, swelling,
and pain around the affected tissue. Which mediator is most strongly
associated with increased vascular permeability and early inflammatory
changes?
A. Erythropoietin
B. Insulin
C. Histamine
pg. 3
, D. Aldosterone
Answer: C
11. A patient with bacterial pneumonia has a markedly elevated neutrophil
count. Which function of neutrophils is most important during the early
phase of acute inflammation?
A. Production of antibodies
B. Phagocytosis and destruction of invading microorganisms
C. Formation of long-term immunologic memory
D. Secretion of erythropoietin
Answer: B
12. A patient develops a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by
macrophage accumulation, lymphocyte activity, and progressive tissue
destruction. Which feature best distinguishes chronic from acute
inflammation?
A. Exclusive involvement of neutrophils
B. Absence of tissue repair mechanisms
C. Immediate onset after tissue injury
D. Simultaneous inflammation, tissue injury, and attempts at repair
Answer: D
13. A patient develops generalized edema after severe liver disease. Laboratory
findings show markedly reduced plasma albumin. Which mechanism most
directly contributes to the edema?
A. Increased plasma oncotic pressure
B. Decreased plasma colloid osmotic pressure
C. Increased intracellular oncotic pressure
D. Decreased capillary hydrostatic pressure
Answer: B
14. A patient with congestive heart failure develops bilateral lower-extremity
edema because venous pressure is chronically elevated. Which Starling
force is primarily responsible for movement of fluid into the interstitial
space?
pg. 4
