NUR 631 Advanced Physiology and
Pathophysiology Midterm and Final Exam
Prep 1 with 350 Exam Questions and Correct
ANSWER
*Chapter 1: Introduction to Pathophysiology*
Risk - ANSWER - Factor that when present increases the chance of disease
Not stressors, but conditions or situations that increase the likelihood of encountering a stressor
Prevalence - ANSWER - A measure of disease that allows us to determine a person's likelihood
of having a disease. Therefore, the number of prevalent cases is the total number of cases of
disease existing in a population. A prevalence rate is the total number of cases of a disease
existing in a population divided by the total population
Indicates how widespread the disease is
Incidence - ANSWER - A measure of disease that allows us to determine a person's probability
of being diagnosed with a disease during a given period of time. Therefore, incidence is the
number of newly diagnosed cases of a disease. An incidence rate is the number of new cases of a
disease divided by the number of persons at risk for the disease.
Conveys information about the risk of contracting the disease.
Ratio - ANSWER - The quantitative relation between two amounts showing the number of times
one value contains or is contained within the other.
Primary Prevention - ANSWER - Altering susceptibility or reducing exposure for susceptible
persons
*Both illness and disease are absent
example: vaccinations, healthy lifestyles
Secondary Prevention - ANSWER - Early detection, screening, and management of disease
,*Illness absent, disease present
example: screenings and testings
Tertiary Prevention - ANSWER - Rehabilitation, supportive care, reducing disability, and
restoring effective functioning
*Both illness and disease present
example: education
Epidemiology - ANSWER - study of the patterns of disease involving populations; examining
the occurrence, incidence, prevalence, transmission, and distribution of diseases in large groups
of populations/people
Endemic - ANSWER - A disease theat is native to a local region
Epidemic - ANSWER - When a disease is disseninated to many individals at the same time
(spread to many people at the same time)
Pandemic - ANSWER - Epidemics that affect large geographic regions, perhaps spreading
worldwide.
(spread to large geographic areas)
*Chapter 2: Homeostasis and Adaptive Responses to Stressors* - ANSWER -
Homeostasis - ANSWER - A state of being in which all systems are in balance around a articular
ideal "set-point"
Exhausation - ANSWER - Point where body can no longer return to homeostasis following a
prolonged exposure to noxious agents
,Allostatic Overload - ANSWER - "Cost" of body's organs and tissues for an excessive or
ineffectively regulated allostatic response; effect of "wear and tear" on the body
Adaptation - ANSWER - Adaptation: biopsychosocial process of change in response to new or
altered circumstances, internal or external in origin
Coping: behavioral adaptive response to a stressor using culturally based coping mechanisms
Adaptation and coping: terms used interchangeably
Arousal - ANSWER - Includes alterations in responsiveness to homeostatic pressures, sensory
stimuli and emotional reactivity, and to changes in motor activity
Function of Cortisol - ANSWER - Primary glucocorticoid
Affects protein metabolism
Promotes appetite and food-seeking behaviors
Has anti-inflammatory effects
Chemical mediator in the inflammation response of the body
Adrenal corticosteroid critical to maintenance of homeostasis
May synergize or antagonize effects of catecholamines
*Chapter 3: Cell Structure and Function* - ANSWER -
Endocrine Communication - ANSWER - Hormones traveling in the bloodstream
Long range signaling
Neurocrine Communication - ANSWER - Neurons firing information through synapses
Signals travel a very small distance between neuron and target cell
, Paracrine Communcation - ANSWER - Signaling through the extraceullar fluid between cells in
a tissue
Localized areas of communication
Autocrine Communcation - ANSWER - Localized signaling in which the secreting cell is also
the target cell
Feedback to self
Describe an Action Potential - ANSWER - Rapid, self-propagating electrical excitations of the
membrane
Mediated by voltage-gated ion channels that open (sodium flows into the cell) and close in
response to voltage changes across the membrane
Triggered by membrane depolarization
Propagated by sequential opening of voltage-gated sodium channels in adjacent sections of
membrane.
The action potential is regenerated in adjacent sections of membrane as more sodium channels
open. The initial segment repolarizes as sodium channels close and potassium ions move out.
Cardiac muscles: repolarization is prolonged from calcium influx
*Na+* initiates the action potential
*Only cells with voltage-gated channels have action potentials (not nerve cells)*
Describe a Resting Action Potential - ANSWER - Electrical charge when there is no net ion
movement across plasma membrane
Major determinant: Ratio of Internal-to-External [K+]
This is dominated by potassium (K+)
Pathophysiology Midterm and Final Exam
Prep 1 with 350 Exam Questions and Correct
ANSWER
*Chapter 1: Introduction to Pathophysiology*
Risk - ANSWER - Factor that when present increases the chance of disease
Not stressors, but conditions or situations that increase the likelihood of encountering a stressor
Prevalence - ANSWER - A measure of disease that allows us to determine a person's likelihood
of having a disease. Therefore, the number of prevalent cases is the total number of cases of
disease existing in a population. A prevalence rate is the total number of cases of a disease
existing in a population divided by the total population
Indicates how widespread the disease is
Incidence - ANSWER - A measure of disease that allows us to determine a person's probability
of being diagnosed with a disease during a given period of time. Therefore, incidence is the
number of newly diagnosed cases of a disease. An incidence rate is the number of new cases of a
disease divided by the number of persons at risk for the disease.
Conveys information about the risk of contracting the disease.
Ratio - ANSWER - The quantitative relation between two amounts showing the number of times
one value contains or is contained within the other.
Primary Prevention - ANSWER - Altering susceptibility or reducing exposure for susceptible
persons
*Both illness and disease are absent
example: vaccinations, healthy lifestyles
Secondary Prevention - ANSWER - Early detection, screening, and management of disease
,*Illness absent, disease present
example: screenings and testings
Tertiary Prevention - ANSWER - Rehabilitation, supportive care, reducing disability, and
restoring effective functioning
*Both illness and disease present
example: education
Epidemiology - ANSWER - study of the patterns of disease involving populations; examining
the occurrence, incidence, prevalence, transmission, and distribution of diseases in large groups
of populations/people
Endemic - ANSWER - A disease theat is native to a local region
Epidemic - ANSWER - When a disease is disseninated to many individals at the same time
(spread to many people at the same time)
Pandemic - ANSWER - Epidemics that affect large geographic regions, perhaps spreading
worldwide.
(spread to large geographic areas)
*Chapter 2: Homeostasis and Adaptive Responses to Stressors* - ANSWER -
Homeostasis - ANSWER - A state of being in which all systems are in balance around a articular
ideal "set-point"
Exhausation - ANSWER - Point where body can no longer return to homeostasis following a
prolonged exposure to noxious agents
,Allostatic Overload - ANSWER - "Cost" of body's organs and tissues for an excessive or
ineffectively regulated allostatic response; effect of "wear and tear" on the body
Adaptation - ANSWER - Adaptation: biopsychosocial process of change in response to new or
altered circumstances, internal or external in origin
Coping: behavioral adaptive response to a stressor using culturally based coping mechanisms
Adaptation and coping: terms used interchangeably
Arousal - ANSWER - Includes alterations in responsiveness to homeostatic pressures, sensory
stimuli and emotional reactivity, and to changes in motor activity
Function of Cortisol - ANSWER - Primary glucocorticoid
Affects protein metabolism
Promotes appetite and food-seeking behaviors
Has anti-inflammatory effects
Chemical mediator in the inflammation response of the body
Adrenal corticosteroid critical to maintenance of homeostasis
May synergize or antagonize effects of catecholamines
*Chapter 3: Cell Structure and Function* - ANSWER -
Endocrine Communication - ANSWER - Hormones traveling in the bloodstream
Long range signaling
Neurocrine Communication - ANSWER - Neurons firing information through synapses
Signals travel a very small distance between neuron and target cell
, Paracrine Communcation - ANSWER - Signaling through the extraceullar fluid between cells in
a tissue
Localized areas of communication
Autocrine Communcation - ANSWER - Localized signaling in which the secreting cell is also
the target cell
Feedback to self
Describe an Action Potential - ANSWER - Rapid, self-propagating electrical excitations of the
membrane
Mediated by voltage-gated ion channels that open (sodium flows into the cell) and close in
response to voltage changes across the membrane
Triggered by membrane depolarization
Propagated by sequential opening of voltage-gated sodium channels in adjacent sections of
membrane.
The action potential is regenerated in adjacent sections of membrane as more sodium channels
open. The initial segment repolarizes as sodium channels close and potassium ions move out.
Cardiac muscles: repolarization is prolonged from calcium influx
*Na+* initiates the action potential
*Only cells with voltage-gated channels have action potentials (not nerve cells)*
Describe a Resting Action Potential - ANSWER - Electrical charge when there is no net ion
movement across plasma membrane
Major determinant: Ratio of Internal-to-External [K+]
This is dominated by potassium (K+)
