PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 1
PRACTICE 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
A patient is found to have liver disease, resulting in the removal of a lobe of his liver.
Adaptation to the reduced size of the liver leads to ___________ of the remaining liver cells.
A. Metaplasia
B. Organ atrophy
C. Compensatory hyperplasia
D. Physiologic hyperplasia - ANS C
An older adult patient comes to the clinic complaining of not being able to do what he used to
be able to. You know that normal changes associated with aging include: (Select all that apply.)
A. Improved blood flow
B. Slowed metabolic rate
C. Decreased brain weight
D. Improved nerve fiber conduction
E. Less respiratory capacity - ANS B, C, E
A 20-year-old college student has presented to her campus medical clinic for a scheduled Pap
smear. The clinician who will interpret the smear will examine cell samples for evidence of:
A. Changes in cell shape, size, and organization
B. Presence of unexpected cell types
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,C. Ischemic changes in cell sample
D. Abnormally high numbers of cells - ANS A
The parents of a 4-year-old girl have sought care because their daughter has admitted to
chewing and swallowing imported toy figurines that have been determined to be made of lead.
Which of the following blood tests should the care team prioritize?
A. White blood cell levels with differential
B. Red blood cell levels and morphology
C. Urea and creatinine levels
D. Liver function panel - ANS B
Lead -> anemia, RBC lysis
You know it's not A because there is no infection involved. C is focused on kidney function while
D is focused on liver function. Both of these would be important in the case of lead poisoning
BUT the priority answer is B, because you need first to address the most life-threatening patient
needs. The little girl in this question can go into shock or suffer permanent organ damage if her
RBCs are low.
A patient with severe peripheral vascular disease has developed signs of dry gangrene on the
great toe of one foot. Which of the following pathophysiologic processes most likely
contributed to this diagnosis?
A. Inappropriate activation of apoptosis
B. Bacterial invasion
C. Impaired arterial blood supply
D. Metaplastic cellular changes - ANS B
Remember that it's not C because to have gangrene, you must have infection
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, Although stress exposure initiates integrated responses by multiple systems, the most
important changes are first activated by which system?
A. Pulmonary
B. Gastrointestinal
C. Neuroendocrine
D. Cardiovascular - ANS C
Which manifestation of stress reflects the non-specific fight or flight response?
A. Decreased pupillary light response
B. Increased GI motility
C. Decreased short-term memory
D. Increased cardiopulmonary rates - ANS D
This would fall under physiologic responses to stress!! Slide 25 in your lecture powerpoint
Stress-induced cortisol hormone secretion is associated with:
A. Increased growth hormone level
B. Regulation of the stress response
C. Increased thyroid-stimulating hormone
D. Depressed adrenal gland function - ANS B
You know it's not A because I mentioned in an earlier slide that growth hormone levels
decrease with stress. We didn't mention thyroid-stimulating hormone as one of the ones
associated with the stress repsonse so you can pretty much assume that's not right. And we
know adrenal function is not depressed because ACTH from the anterior pituitary stimulates
the adrenal glands to release cortisol.
Copyright ©2025 BRIGHTSTARS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
PRACTICE 2025 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
A patient is found to have liver disease, resulting in the removal of a lobe of his liver.
Adaptation to the reduced size of the liver leads to ___________ of the remaining liver cells.
A. Metaplasia
B. Organ atrophy
C. Compensatory hyperplasia
D. Physiologic hyperplasia - ANS C
An older adult patient comes to the clinic complaining of not being able to do what he used to
be able to. You know that normal changes associated with aging include: (Select all that apply.)
A. Improved blood flow
B. Slowed metabolic rate
C. Decreased brain weight
D. Improved nerve fiber conduction
E. Less respiratory capacity - ANS B, C, E
A 20-year-old college student has presented to her campus medical clinic for a scheduled Pap
smear. The clinician who will interpret the smear will examine cell samples for evidence of:
A. Changes in cell shape, size, and organization
B. Presence of unexpected cell types
Copyright ©2025 BRIGHTSTARS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,C. Ischemic changes in cell sample
D. Abnormally high numbers of cells - ANS A
The parents of a 4-year-old girl have sought care because their daughter has admitted to
chewing and swallowing imported toy figurines that have been determined to be made of lead.
Which of the following blood tests should the care team prioritize?
A. White blood cell levels with differential
B. Red blood cell levels and morphology
C. Urea and creatinine levels
D. Liver function panel - ANS B
Lead -> anemia, RBC lysis
You know it's not A because there is no infection involved. C is focused on kidney function while
D is focused on liver function. Both of these would be important in the case of lead poisoning
BUT the priority answer is B, because you need first to address the most life-threatening patient
needs. The little girl in this question can go into shock or suffer permanent organ damage if her
RBCs are low.
A patient with severe peripheral vascular disease has developed signs of dry gangrene on the
great toe of one foot. Which of the following pathophysiologic processes most likely
contributed to this diagnosis?
A. Inappropriate activation of apoptosis
B. Bacterial invasion
C. Impaired arterial blood supply
D. Metaplastic cellular changes - ANS B
Remember that it's not C because to have gangrene, you must have infection
Copyright ©2025 BRIGHTSTARS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, Although stress exposure initiates integrated responses by multiple systems, the most
important changes are first activated by which system?
A. Pulmonary
B. Gastrointestinal
C. Neuroendocrine
D. Cardiovascular - ANS C
Which manifestation of stress reflects the non-specific fight or flight response?
A. Decreased pupillary light response
B. Increased GI motility
C. Decreased short-term memory
D. Increased cardiopulmonary rates - ANS D
This would fall under physiologic responses to stress!! Slide 25 in your lecture powerpoint
Stress-induced cortisol hormone secretion is associated with:
A. Increased growth hormone level
B. Regulation of the stress response
C. Increased thyroid-stimulating hormone
D. Depressed adrenal gland function - ANS B
You know it's not A because I mentioned in an earlier slide that growth hormone levels
decrease with stress. We didn't mention thyroid-stimulating hormone as one of the ones
associated with the stress repsonse so you can pretty much assume that's not right. And we
know adrenal function is not depressed because ACTH from the anterior pituitary stimulates
the adrenal glands to release cortisol.
Copyright ©2025 BRIGHTSTARS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
