WGU D115 Advanced Pathophysiology OA
Exam 2025 Questions and Verified Answers
GRADED A+
Which skin infection is caused by a virus? - Answer- Herpes simplex is a result of the herpes
virus.
Scabies is characterized by burrows and papules.
True
False - Answer- Scabies is caused by the mite, sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the skin
and lays its eggs. The burrows are produced from the actual burrowing of the mite, while the
papules result where the mite settles to lay its eggs. Scabies infestation is intensely pruritic, often
resulting in excoriation due to scratching at night when the mites are most active.
What is a complication of rhabdomyolysis? - Answer- Dark urine is one of the classic findings
of rhabdomyolysis, along with muscle weakness and pain.
Which clinical manifestation may Paget disease exhibit? - Answer- Cranial nerve dysfunction
with impaired motor function may occur due to complications from pagetic involvement of the
skull.
Which statement is true regarding bone growth?
Bone growth occurs at the diaphysis.
Bone growth occurs through a process of cellular aggregation.
Cartilage cells multiply and enlarge at the epiphyseal side.
Cartilage cells multiply and enlarge at the metaphyseal side. - Answer- Cartilage cells multiply
and enlarge at the epiphyseal side, resulting in bone growth.
Which statement is true regarding juvenile idiopathic arthritis?
,Serologic tests often detect this disorder.
Joint pain is less severe than in the adult type.
Subluxation and ankylosis of the cervical spine do not occur with disease progression.
The large joints are predominantly affected. - Answer- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis primarily
affects the large joints; the small joints are unaffected.
Which comorbidity may Paget disease exhibit as? - Answer- Paget disease may exhibit as
Osgood-Schlatter disease initially. However, most cases of Osgood-Schlatter are not caused by
Paget disease.
Which condition causes chronic, inflammatory, recurring, scarring of the pilosebaceous follicular
ducts? - Answer- Hidradenitis suppurativa causes chronic, inflammatory, recurring, scarring of
the pilosebaceous follicular ducts.
Which pathogen is found on mucous membranes, on the skin, in the gastrointestinal tract, and in
the vagina? - Answer- Candida albicans is a yeast pathogen found commonly in the mouth, on
the skin, in the GI tract, and in the vagina.
Which form of dermatitis is common in infancy and childhood? - Answer- Atopic dermatitis is
the most common rash in infancy and childhood. It is a red, pruritic rash occurring commonly
where the skin flexes, such as the antecubital and popliteal spaces.
What is the appropriate term for a fungal infection of the scalp?
Candidiasis - Answer- Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp.
A newborn child has a solitary purplish lesion on the head that looks like a spongy mass.
Which diagnosis is supported by this type of lesion? - Answer- A cavernous hemangioma is a
benign purple vascular tumor consisting of a collection of blood vessels that form a lesion.
Unilateral tonsillar enlargement during acute tonsillitis is suggestive of a tonsillar abscess. -
Answer- tonsillar abscess.
,If the patient does NOT have trouble swallowing, is drooling, or has a muffled voice, then it
could be an enlarged tonsil rather than an abscess.
Because of the risk of airway obstruction, it is imperative that tonsillar abscess is ruled out
during the assessment.
Which symptoms exhibited by the patient are consistent with Alzheimer disease? - Answer- The
patient is experiencing memory loss, impaired judgment, personality changes, and a reduced
ability to care for herself.
Describe why it is important to ask about a family history of Alzheimer disease. - Answer-
Known genetic mutations increase the risk of Alzheimer disease. Specific mutations lead to
early-onset Alzheimer disease, whereas other mutations are associated with late-onset. The
patient does not have relatives with the condition.
The size of the brain increases in Alzheimer disease. - Answer- Cell death in Alzheimer disease
LEADS to a reduced size of the brain, with wider sulci and enlarged ventricles.
Is brain cell loss in Alzheimer disease confined to a specific area of the brain - Answer- No.
Brain cell loss in Alzheimer disease is widespread throughout the brain, typically beginning in
the hippocampus and frontal lobes but progressing widely.
Alzheimer disease is characterized by a marked decrease in acetylcholine - Answer- Correct!
Acetylcholine is essential in memory and learning.
Name the location of amyloid plaques (intracellular or extracellular) and describe what they
contain - Answer- Amyloid plaques are extracellular and contain beta-amyloid, which comes
from a normal membrane protein called amyloid precursor protein.
Describe what neurofibrillary tangles are, where they are located, and why they are important -
Answer- Neurofibrillary tangles are intracellular. They are tangled strands of abnormal tau
protein that interfere with normal intracellular transport of nutrients and promote neural cell
death.
, List the brain functions that typically are lost first in Alzheimer disease. - Answer- The brain
functions that are typically lost first in Alzheimer disease are learning and memory and thinking
and planning.
List the risk factors for a stroke. - Answer- General risk factors for stroke include hypertension,
cigarette smoking, diabetes, insulin resistance, polycythemia and thrombocytopenia, presence of
lipoprotein-a, impaired cardiac function, hyperhomocysteinemia, atrial fibrillation, and
Chlamydia pneumoniae.
A seven-year-old boy began to wake up with headaches every morning. As time progressed, he
also felt nauseated each morning. Most mornings the headache and nausea would go away once
he was up and active, WHY DO WE NEED A HEAD CT - Answer- Headaches in children are
unusual and require investigation.
Headaches and nausea in the morning may indicate increased intracranial pressure. The pressure
increases while the head is in a dependent or flat position due to a reduction in venous drainage.
Intracranial pressure may decrease once the head is no longer in a dependent or flat position as
venous drainage is improved and the contents of the cranium are reduced.
The FNP is likely worried that an increase in intracranial pressure could indicate the presence of
a brain tumor.
A 47-year-old, overweight woman has gradually increasing dyspnea, mild chest discomfort upon
exertion, fatigue, and weight gain. She has no children and is not pregnant. Further history
reveals a family history of diabetes.
Describe and justify other assessment questions, beyond questions about chest discomfort, that
you should ask the patient. - Answer- With the woman's overweight condition and family
history of diabetes, she may have type 2 diabetes mellitus.
You should ask her about polyuria, polydipsia, changes in vision, itching skin rash or ulcers,
vaginal discharge, recent history of frequent urinary tract infections, paresthesias, and
intermittent claudication.
These questions address manifestations of hyperglycemia and of complications of long-term
diabetes, which may be present by the time type 2 diabetes is diagnosed.
Describe what you expect these values to be if the patient has type 2 diabetes. - Answer- Both
blood glucose (a current level) and HbA1c (average of the last three months) should be elevated;
indeed, they were elevated, and the patient was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Exam 2025 Questions and Verified Answers
GRADED A+
Which skin infection is caused by a virus? - Answer- Herpes simplex is a result of the herpes
virus.
Scabies is characterized by burrows and papules.
True
False - Answer- Scabies is caused by the mite, sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the skin
and lays its eggs. The burrows are produced from the actual burrowing of the mite, while the
papules result where the mite settles to lay its eggs. Scabies infestation is intensely pruritic, often
resulting in excoriation due to scratching at night when the mites are most active.
What is a complication of rhabdomyolysis? - Answer- Dark urine is one of the classic findings
of rhabdomyolysis, along with muscle weakness and pain.
Which clinical manifestation may Paget disease exhibit? - Answer- Cranial nerve dysfunction
with impaired motor function may occur due to complications from pagetic involvement of the
skull.
Which statement is true regarding bone growth?
Bone growth occurs at the diaphysis.
Bone growth occurs through a process of cellular aggregation.
Cartilage cells multiply and enlarge at the epiphyseal side.
Cartilage cells multiply and enlarge at the metaphyseal side. - Answer- Cartilage cells multiply
and enlarge at the epiphyseal side, resulting in bone growth.
Which statement is true regarding juvenile idiopathic arthritis?
,Serologic tests often detect this disorder.
Joint pain is less severe than in the adult type.
Subluxation and ankylosis of the cervical spine do not occur with disease progression.
The large joints are predominantly affected. - Answer- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis primarily
affects the large joints; the small joints are unaffected.
Which comorbidity may Paget disease exhibit as? - Answer- Paget disease may exhibit as
Osgood-Schlatter disease initially. However, most cases of Osgood-Schlatter are not caused by
Paget disease.
Which condition causes chronic, inflammatory, recurring, scarring of the pilosebaceous follicular
ducts? - Answer- Hidradenitis suppurativa causes chronic, inflammatory, recurring, scarring of
the pilosebaceous follicular ducts.
Which pathogen is found on mucous membranes, on the skin, in the gastrointestinal tract, and in
the vagina? - Answer- Candida albicans is a yeast pathogen found commonly in the mouth, on
the skin, in the GI tract, and in the vagina.
Which form of dermatitis is common in infancy and childhood? - Answer- Atopic dermatitis is
the most common rash in infancy and childhood. It is a red, pruritic rash occurring commonly
where the skin flexes, such as the antecubital and popliteal spaces.
What is the appropriate term for a fungal infection of the scalp?
Candidiasis - Answer- Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp.
A newborn child has a solitary purplish lesion on the head that looks like a spongy mass.
Which diagnosis is supported by this type of lesion? - Answer- A cavernous hemangioma is a
benign purple vascular tumor consisting of a collection of blood vessels that form a lesion.
Unilateral tonsillar enlargement during acute tonsillitis is suggestive of a tonsillar abscess. -
Answer- tonsillar abscess.
,If the patient does NOT have trouble swallowing, is drooling, or has a muffled voice, then it
could be an enlarged tonsil rather than an abscess.
Because of the risk of airway obstruction, it is imperative that tonsillar abscess is ruled out
during the assessment.
Which symptoms exhibited by the patient are consistent with Alzheimer disease? - Answer- The
patient is experiencing memory loss, impaired judgment, personality changes, and a reduced
ability to care for herself.
Describe why it is important to ask about a family history of Alzheimer disease. - Answer-
Known genetic mutations increase the risk of Alzheimer disease. Specific mutations lead to
early-onset Alzheimer disease, whereas other mutations are associated with late-onset. The
patient does not have relatives with the condition.
The size of the brain increases in Alzheimer disease. - Answer- Cell death in Alzheimer disease
LEADS to a reduced size of the brain, with wider sulci and enlarged ventricles.
Is brain cell loss in Alzheimer disease confined to a specific area of the brain - Answer- No.
Brain cell loss in Alzheimer disease is widespread throughout the brain, typically beginning in
the hippocampus and frontal lobes but progressing widely.
Alzheimer disease is characterized by a marked decrease in acetylcholine - Answer- Correct!
Acetylcholine is essential in memory and learning.
Name the location of amyloid plaques (intracellular or extracellular) and describe what they
contain - Answer- Amyloid plaques are extracellular and contain beta-amyloid, which comes
from a normal membrane protein called amyloid precursor protein.
Describe what neurofibrillary tangles are, where they are located, and why they are important -
Answer- Neurofibrillary tangles are intracellular. They are tangled strands of abnormal tau
protein that interfere with normal intracellular transport of nutrients and promote neural cell
death.
, List the brain functions that typically are lost first in Alzheimer disease. - Answer- The brain
functions that are typically lost first in Alzheimer disease are learning and memory and thinking
and planning.
List the risk factors for a stroke. - Answer- General risk factors for stroke include hypertension,
cigarette smoking, diabetes, insulin resistance, polycythemia and thrombocytopenia, presence of
lipoprotein-a, impaired cardiac function, hyperhomocysteinemia, atrial fibrillation, and
Chlamydia pneumoniae.
A seven-year-old boy began to wake up with headaches every morning. As time progressed, he
also felt nauseated each morning. Most mornings the headache and nausea would go away once
he was up and active, WHY DO WE NEED A HEAD CT - Answer- Headaches in children are
unusual and require investigation.
Headaches and nausea in the morning may indicate increased intracranial pressure. The pressure
increases while the head is in a dependent or flat position due to a reduction in venous drainage.
Intracranial pressure may decrease once the head is no longer in a dependent or flat position as
venous drainage is improved and the contents of the cranium are reduced.
The FNP is likely worried that an increase in intracranial pressure could indicate the presence of
a brain tumor.
A 47-year-old, overweight woman has gradually increasing dyspnea, mild chest discomfort upon
exertion, fatigue, and weight gain. She has no children and is not pregnant. Further history
reveals a family history of diabetes.
Describe and justify other assessment questions, beyond questions about chest discomfort, that
you should ask the patient. - Answer- With the woman's overweight condition and family
history of diabetes, she may have type 2 diabetes mellitus.
You should ask her about polyuria, polydipsia, changes in vision, itching skin rash or ulcers,
vaginal discharge, recent history of frequent urinary tract infections, paresthesias, and
intermittent claudication.
These questions address manifestations of hyperglycemia and of complications of long-term
diabetes, which may be present by the time type 2 diabetes is diagnosed.
Describe what you expect these values to be if the patient has type 2 diabetes. - Answer- Both
blood glucose (a current level) and HbA1c (average of the last three months) should be elevated;
indeed, they were elevated, and the patient was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
