PATHOPHYSIOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
◉ A nurse who provides care on a geriatric subacute medicine unit has
noted that a large number of clients receive beta-adrenergic blocking
medications (beta-blockers). Which statement best conveys an aspect of
the use of beta-blockers? Answer: They can be used to treat
supraventricular dysrhythmias and decrease automaticity by depressing
phase 4 of the action potential.
◉ When advising a morbidly obese client about the benefits of weight
reduction, which statement would be most accurate to share? Answer:
"A 10-pound loss of weight can produce a decrease in blood pressure."
◉ A nurse is taking a manual measure of a client's blood pressure. The
nurse knows that which factors related to blood flow underlies the ability
to hear blood pressure by auscultation (listening)? Answer: Pressure
pulsation that exceeds the velocity of blood flow is audible and
coincides with systolic BP.
◉ Which client should the nurse be assessing for long QT syndrome?
Answer: 32-year-old male admitted for cocaine overdose with long
history of illicit drug abuse
, ◉ In which situation would blood most likely be rapidly relocated from
central circulation to the lower extremities? Answer: A client is helped
out of bed and stands up.
◉ A pathologist is examining histological (tissue) samples from a client
with an autoimmune disease. Which characteristic of muscle samples
would signal the pathologist that the samples are cardiac rather than
skeletal muscle? Answer: The muscle cells are arranged as an
interconnecting lattice-work.
◉ Analysis has shown that a client's right atrial pressure is 30 mm Hg.
What is the mostlikely conclusion that the client's care team will draw
from this piece of data? Answer: The pressure is excessive given that the
right atrium should be at atmospheric pressure.
◉ Which client on the nurse's team will be given priority for cardiac
monitoring based on medical history? Answer: Adolescent client
resuscitated following drowning in a swimming pool that required CPR
at the scene
◉ In which client situations would a physician be most justified in
preliminarily ruling out pericarditis as a contributing pathology to the
client's health problems? Answer: A 77-year-old with diminished S3 and
S4 heart tones, irregular heart rate, and a history of atrial fibrillation
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
◉ A nurse who provides care on a geriatric subacute medicine unit has
noted that a large number of clients receive beta-adrenergic blocking
medications (beta-blockers). Which statement best conveys an aspect of
the use of beta-blockers? Answer: They can be used to treat
supraventricular dysrhythmias and decrease automaticity by depressing
phase 4 of the action potential.
◉ When advising a morbidly obese client about the benefits of weight
reduction, which statement would be most accurate to share? Answer:
"A 10-pound loss of weight can produce a decrease in blood pressure."
◉ A nurse is taking a manual measure of a client's blood pressure. The
nurse knows that which factors related to blood flow underlies the ability
to hear blood pressure by auscultation (listening)? Answer: Pressure
pulsation that exceeds the velocity of blood flow is audible and
coincides with systolic BP.
◉ Which client should the nurse be assessing for long QT syndrome?
Answer: 32-year-old male admitted for cocaine overdose with long
history of illicit drug abuse
, ◉ In which situation would blood most likely be rapidly relocated from
central circulation to the lower extremities? Answer: A client is helped
out of bed and stands up.
◉ A pathologist is examining histological (tissue) samples from a client
with an autoimmune disease. Which characteristic of muscle samples
would signal the pathologist that the samples are cardiac rather than
skeletal muscle? Answer: The muscle cells are arranged as an
interconnecting lattice-work.
◉ Analysis has shown that a client's right atrial pressure is 30 mm Hg.
What is the mostlikely conclusion that the client's care team will draw
from this piece of data? Answer: The pressure is excessive given that the
right atrium should be at atmospheric pressure.
◉ Which client on the nurse's team will be given priority for cardiac
monitoring based on medical history? Answer: Adolescent client
resuscitated following drowning in a swimming pool that required CPR
at the scene
◉ In which client situations would a physician be most justified in
preliminarily ruling out pericarditis as a contributing pathology to the
client's health problems? Answer: A 77-year-old with diminished S3 and
S4 heart tones, irregular heart rate, and a history of atrial fibrillation
