WCU PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL PAPER 2025/2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Which term is used to describe an excess of red blood cells?
a. Anemia
b. Polycythemia
c. Pancytopenia
d. Granulocytopenia - ✔✔b. Polycythemia
- Polycythemia is an excess of red blood cells.
- Anemia is a deficiency of red blood cells.
- Pancytopenia is a decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
- Granulocytopenia is a decrease in platelets
✔✔It is true that acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) is
a. Incurable
b. More curable in adults
c. Primarily diagnosed in children
d. Generally seen in adults older than 70 years - ✔✔c. Primarily diagnosed in children
ALL is primarily a disorder occurring in children. ALL is highly curable in children, less
so in adults. Peak incidence is between ages 3-7 years of age. A second rise occurs in
middle age
✔✔An enlarged thyroid gland produces a colloid goiter when
a. Lack of iodine prevents formation of thyroid-stimulating hormone without stopping T4
and T3 production
b. Lack of iodine prevents T4 and T3 but without stopping thyroglobulin formation
c. Excessive iodine suppresses thyroid-stimulating hormone, T4, and T3 formation
d. Dietary iodine is insufficient and replaced with iodized salt - ✔✔b. Lack of iodine
prevents T4 and T3 but without stopping thyroglobulin formation
✔✔Which is a modifiable risk factor for prevention of atherosclerosis?
a. Smoking
b. Genetics
c. Gender
d. Age - ✔✔a. Smoking
✔✔What physiologic abnormality is characteristic of emphysema?
a. Collapse of the proximal airways
b. Trapping of air in the distal air sacs
c. Widespread occurrence of bronchial plugs
d. Extensive inflammation of the lower airways - ✔✔b. Trapping of air in the distal air
sacs
,✔✔Which condition constitutes an emergency situation?
a. Phimosis
b. Hydrocele
c. Epididymitis
d. Testicular torsion - ✔✔d. Testicular torsion
✔✔Which term is used to describe the histologic characterization of tumor cells?
a. Staging
b. Grading
c. Cachexia
d. Angiogenesis - ✔✔b. Grading
✔✔Which is a risk factor associated with hypertension? (Select all that apply.)
a. Age
b. Caucasian race
c. African-American race
d. High potassium intake
e. History of tobacco smoking - ✔✔a. Age
c. African-American race
e. History of tobacco smoking
Normal aging produces a rising systolic pressure over the course of a lifetime, whereas
diastolic pressure increases for approximately 50 years, levels off during the sixth
decade, and remains stable or declines later on.
African Americans are predisposed to hypertension. Also, tobacco use has been shown
to increase the risk of hypertension.
Being Caucasian is not a known risk factor for hypertension.
Diets high in fat and sodium, and low in potassium have been found to increase the risk
of developing hypertension.
✔✔Which component of the blood is responsible for protecting the body by
phagocytosis of micro-organisms and other debris?
a. Platelets
b. Leukocytes
c. Erythrocytes
d. Plasma proteins - ✔✔b. Leukocytes
Leukocytes protect the body by phagocytosis of micro-organisms and other debris.
They also participate in antibody formation.
Platelets are essential in clot formation.
Erythrocytes are responsible for transporting oxygen.
Plasma proteins contribute to blood viscosity and blood pressure.
✔✔A diagnosis of cryptorchidism indicates that the client has
a. An undersized penis
,b. An undescended testis
c. A misplaced urethral meatus opening
d. Foreskin that is not in its normal position - ✔✔b. An undescended testis
✔✔Risk factors for the development of high blood pressure are which of the following?
(Select all that apply.)
a. Age
b. Race
c. Diet
d. Weight
e. Chronic illness - ✔✔a. Age
b. Race
c. Diet
d. Weight
The older a person is, the less elastic the blood vessels are, which results in higher
systemic vascular resistance.
High blood pressure occurs two to three times more frequently in the African American
population than in the Caucasian population.
Diets high in fat and sodium have been associated with hypertension.
An association with elevated body mass index and high blood pressure has been noted;
however, the exact mechanism is unclear.
Chronic illness will not necessarily result in hypertension.
✔✔The pathologic changes that occur in the development of coronary atherosclerotic
lesions include cell damage resulting from which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
a. A decrease in smooth muscle cells
b. A chronic calcium buildup
c. The effects of oxidized lipids
d. An inflammatory response
e. The formation of plaques - ✔✔c. The effects of oxidized lipids
d. An inflammatory response
e. The formation of plaques
✔✔Clinical manifestations of extracellular fluid volume deficit include which of the
following? (Select all that apply.)
a. Decreased postural blood pressure
b. Flat neck veins
c. Weight loss
d. Dizziness
e. Vomiting.
f. Oliguria - ✔✔a. Decreased postural blood pressure
b. Flat neck veins
c. Weight loss
d. Dizziness
, f. Oliguria
✔✔Which cellular change is seen with chronic bronchitis?
a. Increased eosinophils
b. Decreased CD8 T lymphocytes
c. Decreased interleukin-8 levels
d. Atrophy of bronchial glands - ✔✔a. Increased eosinophils
✔✔A patient exposed to herpes simplex virus has been exhibiting symptoms that
suggest an inflammation of the brain. This type of infection is referred to as
a. Brain abscess
b. Encephalitis
c. Bacteremia
d. Meningitis - ✔✔b. Encephalitis
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain and is most commonly caused by viral
infection.
Brain abscesses act like space-occupying lesions and are often caused by pus-forming
bacteria.
Bacteremia is bacteria in the blood.
Meningitis is an infection of the cerebrospinal fluid and can be either bacterial or viral.
✔✔Clinical manifestations of hypocalcemia include which of the following? (Select all
that apply.)
a. Positive Trousseau sign
b. Positive Chvostek sign
c. Hyperactive reflexes.
d. Muscle twitching
e. Constipation
f. Paresthesias - ✔✔a. Positive Trousseau sign
b. Positive Chvostek sign
c. Hyperactive reflexes.
d. Muscle twitching
f. Paresthesias
✔✔What are the early signs of Parkinson disease? (Select all that apply.)
a. Drooling
b. Small writing
c. Monotone speech
d. Minimal blinking
e. Loss of facial expression - ✔✔d. Minimal blinking
e. Loss of facial expression
The early signs of Parkinson disease include infrequent eye blinking and loss of facial
expression. As the disease progresses, additional functional changes occur; these
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Which term is used to describe an excess of red blood cells?
a. Anemia
b. Polycythemia
c. Pancytopenia
d. Granulocytopenia - ✔✔b. Polycythemia
- Polycythemia is an excess of red blood cells.
- Anemia is a deficiency of red blood cells.
- Pancytopenia is a decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
- Granulocytopenia is a decrease in platelets
✔✔It is true that acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) is
a. Incurable
b. More curable in adults
c. Primarily diagnosed in children
d. Generally seen in adults older than 70 years - ✔✔c. Primarily diagnosed in children
ALL is primarily a disorder occurring in children. ALL is highly curable in children, less
so in adults. Peak incidence is between ages 3-7 years of age. A second rise occurs in
middle age
✔✔An enlarged thyroid gland produces a colloid goiter when
a. Lack of iodine prevents formation of thyroid-stimulating hormone without stopping T4
and T3 production
b. Lack of iodine prevents T4 and T3 but without stopping thyroglobulin formation
c. Excessive iodine suppresses thyroid-stimulating hormone, T4, and T3 formation
d. Dietary iodine is insufficient and replaced with iodized salt - ✔✔b. Lack of iodine
prevents T4 and T3 but without stopping thyroglobulin formation
✔✔Which is a modifiable risk factor for prevention of atherosclerosis?
a. Smoking
b. Genetics
c. Gender
d. Age - ✔✔a. Smoking
✔✔What physiologic abnormality is characteristic of emphysema?
a. Collapse of the proximal airways
b. Trapping of air in the distal air sacs
c. Widespread occurrence of bronchial plugs
d. Extensive inflammation of the lower airways - ✔✔b. Trapping of air in the distal air
sacs
,✔✔Which condition constitutes an emergency situation?
a. Phimosis
b. Hydrocele
c. Epididymitis
d. Testicular torsion - ✔✔d. Testicular torsion
✔✔Which term is used to describe the histologic characterization of tumor cells?
a. Staging
b. Grading
c. Cachexia
d. Angiogenesis - ✔✔b. Grading
✔✔Which is a risk factor associated with hypertension? (Select all that apply.)
a. Age
b. Caucasian race
c. African-American race
d. High potassium intake
e. History of tobacco smoking - ✔✔a. Age
c. African-American race
e. History of tobacco smoking
Normal aging produces a rising systolic pressure over the course of a lifetime, whereas
diastolic pressure increases for approximately 50 years, levels off during the sixth
decade, and remains stable or declines later on.
African Americans are predisposed to hypertension. Also, tobacco use has been shown
to increase the risk of hypertension.
Being Caucasian is not a known risk factor for hypertension.
Diets high in fat and sodium, and low in potassium have been found to increase the risk
of developing hypertension.
✔✔Which component of the blood is responsible for protecting the body by
phagocytosis of micro-organisms and other debris?
a. Platelets
b. Leukocytes
c. Erythrocytes
d. Plasma proteins - ✔✔b. Leukocytes
Leukocytes protect the body by phagocytosis of micro-organisms and other debris.
They also participate in antibody formation.
Platelets are essential in clot formation.
Erythrocytes are responsible for transporting oxygen.
Plasma proteins contribute to blood viscosity and blood pressure.
✔✔A diagnosis of cryptorchidism indicates that the client has
a. An undersized penis
,b. An undescended testis
c. A misplaced urethral meatus opening
d. Foreskin that is not in its normal position - ✔✔b. An undescended testis
✔✔Risk factors for the development of high blood pressure are which of the following?
(Select all that apply.)
a. Age
b. Race
c. Diet
d. Weight
e. Chronic illness - ✔✔a. Age
b. Race
c. Diet
d. Weight
The older a person is, the less elastic the blood vessels are, which results in higher
systemic vascular resistance.
High blood pressure occurs two to three times more frequently in the African American
population than in the Caucasian population.
Diets high in fat and sodium have been associated with hypertension.
An association with elevated body mass index and high blood pressure has been noted;
however, the exact mechanism is unclear.
Chronic illness will not necessarily result in hypertension.
✔✔The pathologic changes that occur in the development of coronary atherosclerotic
lesions include cell damage resulting from which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
a. A decrease in smooth muscle cells
b. A chronic calcium buildup
c. The effects of oxidized lipids
d. An inflammatory response
e. The formation of plaques - ✔✔c. The effects of oxidized lipids
d. An inflammatory response
e. The formation of plaques
✔✔Clinical manifestations of extracellular fluid volume deficit include which of the
following? (Select all that apply.)
a. Decreased postural blood pressure
b. Flat neck veins
c. Weight loss
d. Dizziness
e. Vomiting.
f. Oliguria - ✔✔a. Decreased postural blood pressure
b. Flat neck veins
c. Weight loss
d. Dizziness
, f. Oliguria
✔✔Which cellular change is seen with chronic bronchitis?
a. Increased eosinophils
b. Decreased CD8 T lymphocytes
c. Decreased interleukin-8 levels
d. Atrophy of bronchial glands - ✔✔a. Increased eosinophils
✔✔A patient exposed to herpes simplex virus has been exhibiting symptoms that
suggest an inflammation of the brain. This type of infection is referred to as
a. Brain abscess
b. Encephalitis
c. Bacteremia
d. Meningitis - ✔✔b. Encephalitis
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain and is most commonly caused by viral
infection.
Brain abscesses act like space-occupying lesions and are often caused by pus-forming
bacteria.
Bacteremia is bacteria in the blood.
Meningitis is an infection of the cerebrospinal fluid and can be either bacterial or viral.
✔✔Clinical manifestations of hypocalcemia include which of the following? (Select all
that apply.)
a. Positive Trousseau sign
b. Positive Chvostek sign
c. Hyperactive reflexes.
d. Muscle twitching
e. Constipation
f. Paresthesias - ✔✔a. Positive Trousseau sign
b. Positive Chvostek sign
c. Hyperactive reflexes.
d. Muscle twitching
f. Paresthesias
✔✔What are the early signs of Parkinson disease? (Select all that apply.)
a. Drooling
b. Small writing
c. Monotone speech
d. Minimal blinking
e. Loss of facial expression - ✔✔d. Minimal blinking
e. Loss of facial expression
The early signs of Parkinson disease include infrequent eye blinking and loss of facial
expression. As the disease progresses, additional functional changes occur; these
