NURS 231 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FINAL EXAM
2026 COMPREHENSIVE MULTIPLE CHOICE
QUESTIONS VERIFIED REVISED ANSWERS
◉ Acute Pyelonephritis. Answer: Diagnosing by clinical symptoms
alone can be difficult; can be similar to cystitis
Diagnosis established by:
-Urine culture
-Urinalysis (WBC casts indicates pyelonephritis, but may not always be
present)
-Signs/Symptoms
-Complicated pyelonephritis requires blood cultures and urinary tract
imaging
◉ Renal Calculi (Renal Stones). Answer: Goals of Treatment:
Manage acute pain
Promote passage of stone
Reduce size of stone
Prevent new stone formation
,◉ Chronic Renal Failure. Answer: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a
progressive loss of renal function associated with systemic disease such
as hypertension, diabetes mellitus (most significant risk factor), systemic
lupus erythematosus or intrinsic kidney disease
CKD stage is determined by estimates of GFR and albuminuria
◉ Who is a candidate for dialysis?. Answer: End-stage renal disease
(ESRD) is the final stage of CKD with the number one cause being
diabetes mellitus combined with hypertension. At this point, the patient
is completely dependent on dialysis to survive.
CKD is classified into five stages and is based on the patient's GFR
rather than symptoms.
Patients will need dialysis when the following symptoms are present:
--Metabolic acidosis.
--Hyperkalemia: Hyperkalemia in the presence of EKG changes (peaked
T-waves) is an indication for dialysis. --Hyperkalemia by itself is not an
indication for dialysis.
--Drug toxicity: Drug toxicity due to the following drugs is an indication
for dialysis and include salicylates, Lithium, Isopropanol, Methanol and
Ethylene glycol).
--Fluid volume overload that is not responsive to diuretics.
--Uremic symptoms due to nitrogenous wastes in the blood stream.
, ◉ Stage I CKD. Answer: There is kidney damage with normal or
elevated GFR
90-120
◉ Stage II CKD. Answer: There is kidney damage with mild decrease in
GFR
60-89
◉ Stage III CKD. Answer: There is a moderate decrease in GFR
30-59
◉ Stage IV CKD. Answer: There is a severe decrease in GFR
15-29
◉ Stage V CKD. Answer: Kidney failure- End-stage renal disease
<15 (dialysis) Once Stage IV is reached, progression to Stage V is
inevitable as well as dialysis or kidney transplant
◉ Complications of Decreased GFR. Answer: Anemia
Hypertension
Decreased calcium absorption
Hyperlipidemia
Heart failure
2026 COMPREHENSIVE MULTIPLE CHOICE
QUESTIONS VERIFIED REVISED ANSWERS
◉ Acute Pyelonephritis. Answer: Diagnosing by clinical symptoms
alone can be difficult; can be similar to cystitis
Diagnosis established by:
-Urine culture
-Urinalysis (WBC casts indicates pyelonephritis, but may not always be
present)
-Signs/Symptoms
-Complicated pyelonephritis requires blood cultures and urinary tract
imaging
◉ Renal Calculi (Renal Stones). Answer: Goals of Treatment:
Manage acute pain
Promote passage of stone
Reduce size of stone
Prevent new stone formation
,◉ Chronic Renal Failure. Answer: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a
progressive loss of renal function associated with systemic disease such
as hypertension, diabetes mellitus (most significant risk factor), systemic
lupus erythematosus or intrinsic kidney disease
CKD stage is determined by estimates of GFR and albuminuria
◉ Who is a candidate for dialysis?. Answer: End-stage renal disease
(ESRD) is the final stage of CKD with the number one cause being
diabetes mellitus combined with hypertension. At this point, the patient
is completely dependent on dialysis to survive.
CKD is classified into five stages and is based on the patient's GFR
rather than symptoms.
Patients will need dialysis when the following symptoms are present:
--Metabolic acidosis.
--Hyperkalemia: Hyperkalemia in the presence of EKG changes (peaked
T-waves) is an indication for dialysis. --Hyperkalemia by itself is not an
indication for dialysis.
--Drug toxicity: Drug toxicity due to the following drugs is an indication
for dialysis and include salicylates, Lithium, Isopropanol, Methanol and
Ethylene glycol).
--Fluid volume overload that is not responsive to diuretics.
--Uremic symptoms due to nitrogenous wastes in the blood stream.
, ◉ Stage I CKD. Answer: There is kidney damage with normal or
elevated GFR
90-120
◉ Stage II CKD. Answer: There is kidney damage with mild decrease in
GFR
60-89
◉ Stage III CKD. Answer: There is a moderate decrease in GFR
30-59
◉ Stage IV CKD. Answer: There is a severe decrease in GFR
15-29
◉ Stage V CKD. Answer: Kidney failure- End-stage renal disease
<15 (dialysis) Once Stage IV is reached, progression to Stage V is
inevitable as well as dialysis or kidney transplant
◉ Complications of Decreased GFR. Answer: Anemia
Hypertension
Decreased calcium absorption
Hyperlipidemia
Heart failure
