C805 Pathophysiology WGU Study
Guide Exam and Actual Detailed
Answers 2025-2026 Updated.
Chronic Pancreatitis - Answer Most commonly associated with chronic alcohol ingestion.
Hallmark features are epigastric abdominal pain radiating to the back, steatorrhea, malnutrition,
and diabetes mellitus
Chronic asthma and Bronchiectasis - Answer What 2 conditions or symptoms could lead to a
diagnosis of COPD?
Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) - Answer A patient's lung x-ray shows lesions of calcified inflamed
granular tissue. Biopsy shows necrosis of lung tissue
Pulmonary tuberculosis - Answer Could lead to a diagnosis of COPD
Pulmonary tuberculosis & Respiratory mycoses - Answer Which 2 infections affect the lower
respiratory tract?
Lower tract infection - Answer Asthma/COPD/Pneumonia
Upper tract infection - Answer Laryngitis/Rhinitis/Pharyngitis
Respiratory distress - Answer A patient is taken to the ER after a near drowning
A sign/symptom the patient may experience within minutes of days
Skin blisters - Answer A patient presents at a clinic with a burn on the left arm. Classified as
2nd degree, and the skin appears red and swollen. It is reported as very painful. What is an
additional symptom of a patient with a 2nd degree burns?
Warm to touch - Answer A patient's records indicate a diagnosis of a staphylococcal skin
infection ("superbug") which caused a boil to develop in the patient's buttock region. Symptoms
include red, swollen skin with pus. What additional symptom can appear in the affected area?
,Benign tumor - Answer Type of tumor: Slow growth, rarely reoccur, remain localized,
abnormal cells
Contact dermatitis - Answer A patient was found to have small oozing vesicles on the skin of
both hands. Both hands were hot to the touch and swollen. The patient reported itching,
burning, and stinging of the skin on both hands. The patient works as a nurse and frequently
wear latex gloves.
Carpal tunnel syndrome - Answer A patient presents with burning, weakness, and tingling in
one hand. The patient is unable to demonstrate a string grip and is experiencing stronger
discomfort at night. The physician recommends treatment by medial nerve decompression.
Finger dislocation - Answer Sports injury - Hand
Chief complaint - Small 5th digit finger pain
General - Injury happened while playing football. No prior history to the site, and patient denies
any other injuries to hand.
Physical exam - Pale skin, severe pain at the joint, especially when in use; joint appears
deformed
Pain scale - 1-10 is severe 10
X-ray results - Torn soft tissue ligaments surrounding Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint injury
Treatment - Surgical reconstruction to realign bone and ligaments
Inguinal hernia - Answer Sharp abdominal pain , palpable lump is present in the groin area
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) - Answer High levels of LH, can cause irregular or no
menstrual cycle
Ovarian Cancer - Answer Urinary urgency, pelvic pain, abdominal pressure or fullness and
bloating.
Usually surgery to remove tumor.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - Answer Infection of the female sex organs, swollen tubes,
scar tissue, sudden pelvic pain, foul smelling vaginal, discharge, abnormal bleeding
, Prostrate cancer - Answer Adenocarcinoma in prostrate tissue. Usually has urinary
obstruction, retention and frequency. Treatment by cryoablation or orchidectomy.
Testicular cancer - Answer Lump in either testicle and a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum.
Treatment: orchidectomy or retroperitoneal node dissection.
Epididymitis - Answer Infammation of the tube at the back of the testicle that stores and
carries sperm, patient may waddle
Acute prostatitis - Answer A painful inflammation within the prostate that is usually
accompanied by evidence of recent or ongoing infection. It's hallmark is the acute onset of
lower urinary tract symptoms (dysuria, urinary, frequency, perineal discomfort) accomplished by
variable systematic signs of fever, chills, and malaise. May cause referred pain into the genitalia,
perineum, or lower back or suprapubic areas.
Hypothyroidism - Answer The clinical consequences of inadequate levels of thyroid hormone
in the body. Chronic or acute thyroid deficiency causes diminished basal metabolism,
intolerance of cold temperatures, fatigue, mental apathy, physical sluggishness, constipation,
muscle aches, dry skin and hair, and coarsening of features. Collectively, these symptoms are
called myxedema. In infancy, inadequate levels of thyroid hormone cause cretinism.
Hyperthyroidism - Answer A disease caused by excessive levels of thyroid hormones in the
body
Goiter - Answer Enlargement of the thyroid gland. An enlarged thyroid gland may be caused
by thyroiditis, benign thyroid nodules, malignancy, iodine deficiency, or any condition that
causes hyper-fuction or hypofunction.
Crushing syndrome - Answer Hypersecretion of cortisol from the adrenal cortex. Patient's
often display weight gain with central obesity, facial rounding and plethora, proximal muscle
weakness, and thinking of the skin. They also develop mellitus, dyslipidemia, metabolic bone
disease, and hypertension.
Thyroid cancer - Answer A patient's record indicates the following:
Reasons for encounter - 44 year old female presents with chief complaint of "lump felt in neck
and change in voice for past week"
History of present illness - patient relates dysphagia, lump, and voice change in past 6 days... no
Guide Exam and Actual Detailed
Answers 2025-2026 Updated.
Chronic Pancreatitis - Answer Most commonly associated with chronic alcohol ingestion.
Hallmark features are epigastric abdominal pain radiating to the back, steatorrhea, malnutrition,
and diabetes mellitus
Chronic asthma and Bronchiectasis - Answer What 2 conditions or symptoms could lead to a
diagnosis of COPD?
Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) - Answer A patient's lung x-ray shows lesions of calcified inflamed
granular tissue. Biopsy shows necrosis of lung tissue
Pulmonary tuberculosis - Answer Could lead to a diagnosis of COPD
Pulmonary tuberculosis & Respiratory mycoses - Answer Which 2 infections affect the lower
respiratory tract?
Lower tract infection - Answer Asthma/COPD/Pneumonia
Upper tract infection - Answer Laryngitis/Rhinitis/Pharyngitis
Respiratory distress - Answer A patient is taken to the ER after a near drowning
A sign/symptom the patient may experience within minutes of days
Skin blisters - Answer A patient presents at a clinic with a burn on the left arm. Classified as
2nd degree, and the skin appears red and swollen. It is reported as very painful. What is an
additional symptom of a patient with a 2nd degree burns?
Warm to touch - Answer A patient's records indicate a diagnosis of a staphylococcal skin
infection ("superbug") which caused a boil to develop in the patient's buttock region. Symptoms
include red, swollen skin with pus. What additional symptom can appear in the affected area?
,Benign tumor - Answer Type of tumor: Slow growth, rarely reoccur, remain localized,
abnormal cells
Contact dermatitis - Answer A patient was found to have small oozing vesicles on the skin of
both hands. Both hands were hot to the touch and swollen. The patient reported itching,
burning, and stinging of the skin on both hands. The patient works as a nurse and frequently
wear latex gloves.
Carpal tunnel syndrome - Answer A patient presents with burning, weakness, and tingling in
one hand. The patient is unable to demonstrate a string grip and is experiencing stronger
discomfort at night. The physician recommends treatment by medial nerve decompression.
Finger dislocation - Answer Sports injury - Hand
Chief complaint - Small 5th digit finger pain
General - Injury happened while playing football. No prior history to the site, and patient denies
any other injuries to hand.
Physical exam - Pale skin, severe pain at the joint, especially when in use; joint appears
deformed
Pain scale - 1-10 is severe 10
X-ray results - Torn soft tissue ligaments surrounding Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint injury
Treatment - Surgical reconstruction to realign bone and ligaments
Inguinal hernia - Answer Sharp abdominal pain , palpable lump is present in the groin area
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) - Answer High levels of LH, can cause irregular or no
menstrual cycle
Ovarian Cancer - Answer Urinary urgency, pelvic pain, abdominal pressure or fullness and
bloating.
Usually surgery to remove tumor.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - Answer Infection of the female sex organs, swollen tubes,
scar tissue, sudden pelvic pain, foul smelling vaginal, discharge, abnormal bleeding
, Prostrate cancer - Answer Adenocarcinoma in prostrate tissue. Usually has urinary
obstruction, retention and frequency. Treatment by cryoablation or orchidectomy.
Testicular cancer - Answer Lump in either testicle and a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum.
Treatment: orchidectomy or retroperitoneal node dissection.
Epididymitis - Answer Infammation of the tube at the back of the testicle that stores and
carries sperm, patient may waddle
Acute prostatitis - Answer A painful inflammation within the prostate that is usually
accompanied by evidence of recent or ongoing infection. It's hallmark is the acute onset of
lower urinary tract symptoms (dysuria, urinary, frequency, perineal discomfort) accomplished by
variable systematic signs of fever, chills, and malaise. May cause referred pain into the genitalia,
perineum, or lower back or suprapubic areas.
Hypothyroidism - Answer The clinical consequences of inadequate levels of thyroid hormone
in the body. Chronic or acute thyroid deficiency causes diminished basal metabolism,
intolerance of cold temperatures, fatigue, mental apathy, physical sluggishness, constipation,
muscle aches, dry skin and hair, and coarsening of features. Collectively, these symptoms are
called myxedema. In infancy, inadequate levels of thyroid hormone cause cretinism.
Hyperthyroidism - Answer A disease caused by excessive levels of thyroid hormones in the
body
Goiter - Answer Enlargement of the thyroid gland. An enlarged thyroid gland may be caused
by thyroiditis, benign thyroid nodules, malignancy, iodine deficiency, or any condition that
causes hyper-fuction or hypofunction.
Crushing syndrome - Answer Hypersecretion of cortisol from the adrenal cortex. Patient's
often display weight gain with central obesity, facial rounding and plethora, proximal muscle
weakness, and thinking of the skin. They also develop mellitus, dyslipidemia, metabolic bone
disease, and hypertension.
Thyroid cancer - Answer A patient's record indicates the following:
Reasons for encounter - 44 year old female presents with chief complaint of "lump felt in neck
and change in voice for past week"
History of present illness - patient relates dysphagia, lump, and voice change in past 6 days... no
