Pathophysiology Exam 1 Practice Questions with
Correct Answers Graded A+
A patient is found to have liver disease, resulting in the removal of a lobe of his liver. Adaptation to the
reduced size of the liver leads to ___________ of the remaining liver cells.
A. Metaplasia
B. Organ atrophy
C. Compensatory hyperplasia
D. Physiologic hyperplasia - Answer C
An older adult patient comes to the clinic complaining of not being able to do what he used to be able
to. You know that normal changes associated with aging include: (Select all that apply.)
A. Improved blood flow
B. Slowed metabolic rate
C. Decreased brain weight
D. Improved nerve fiber conduction
E. Less respiratory capacity - Answer B, C, E
A 20-year-old college student has presented to her campus medical clinic for a scheduled Pap smear.
The clinician who will interpret the smear will examine cell samples for evidence of:
A. Changes in cell shape, size, and organization
B. Presence of unexpected cell types
C. Ischemic changes in cell sample
D. Abnormally high numbers of cells - Answer A
The parents of a 4-year-old girl have sought care because their daughter has admitted to chewing and
swallowing imported toy figurines that have been determined to be made of lead. Which of the
following blood tests should the care team prioritize?
,A. White blood cell levels with differential
B. Red blood cell levels and morphology
C. Urea and creatinine levels
D. Liver function panel - Answer B
Lead -> anemia, RBC lysis
You know it's not A because there is no infection involved. C is focused on kidney function while D is
focused on liver function. Both of these would be important in the case of lead poisoning BUT the
priority answer is B, because you need first to address the most life-threatening patient needs. The little
girl in this question can go into shock or suffer permanent organ damage if her RBCs are low.
A patient with severe peripheral vascular disease has developed signs of dry gangrene on the great toe
of one foot. Which of the following pathophysiologic processes most likely contributed to this diagnosis?
A. Inappropriate activation of apoptosis
B. Bacterial invasion
C. Impaired arterial blood supply
D. Metaplastic cellular changes - Answer B
Remember that it's not C because to have gangrene, you must have infection
Although stress exposure initiates integrated responses by multiple systems, the most important
changes are first activated by which system?
A. Pulmonary
B. Gastrointestinal
C. Neuroendocrine
D. Cardiovascular - Answer C
, Which manifestation of stress reflects the non-specific fight or flight response?
A. Decreased pupillary light response
B. Increased GI motility
C. Decreased short-term memory
D. Increased cardiopulmonary rates - Answer D
This would fall under physiologic responses to stress!! Slide 25 in your lecture powerpoint
Stress-induced cortisol hormone secretion is associated with:
A. Increased growth hormone level
B. Regulation of the stress response
C. Increased thyroid-stimulating hormone
D. Depressed adrenal gland function - Answer B
You know it's not A because I mentioned in an earlier slide that growth hormone levels decrease with
stress. We didn't mention thyroid-stimulating hormone as one of the ones associated with the stress
repsonse so you can pretty much assume that's not right. And we know adrenal function is not
depressed because ACTH from the anterior pituitary stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol.
Which of the following factors are known to contribute to an individual's ability to adapt to stress?
(Select all that apply.)
A. Ethnicity
B. Age
C. Socioeconomic status
D. Gender
E. Health status - Answer B, C, D, E
Correct Answers Graded A+
A patient is found to have liver disease, resulting in the removal of a lobe of his liver. Adaptation to the
reduced size of the liver leads to ___________ of the remaining liver cells.
A. Metaplasia
B. Organ atrophy
C. Compensatory hyperplasia
D. Physiologic hyperplasia - Answer C
An older adult patient comes to the clinic complaining of not being able to do what he used to be able
to. You know that normal changes associated with aging include: (Select all that apply.)
A. Improved blood flow
B. Slowed metabolic rate
C. Decreased brain weight
D. Improved nerve fiber conduction
E. Less respiratory capacity - Answer B, C, E
A 20-year-old college student has presented to her campus medical clinic for a scheduled Pap smear.
The clinician who will interpret the smear will examine cell samples for evidence of:
A. Changes in cell shape, size, and organization
B. Presence of unexpected cell types
C. Ischemic changes in cell sample
D. Abnormally high numbers of cells - Answer A
The parents of a 4-year-old girl have sought care because their daughter has admitted to chewing and
swallowing imported toy figurines that have been determined to be made of lead. Which of the
following blood tests should the care team prioritize?
,A. White blood cell levels with differential
B. Red blood cell levels and morphology
C. Urea and creatinine levels
D. Liver function panel - Answer B
Lead -> anemia, RBC lysis
You know it's not A because there is no infection involved. C is focused on kidney function while D is
focused on liver function. Both of these would be important in the case of lead poisoning BUT the
priority answer is B, because you need first to address the most life-threatening patient needs. The little
girl in this question can go into shock or suffer permanent organ damage if her RBCs are low.
A patient with severe peripheral vascular disease has developed signs of dry gangrene on the great toe
of one foot. Which of the following pathophysiologic processes most likely contributed to this diagnosis?
A. Inappropriate activation of apoptosis
B. Bacterial invasion
C. Impaired arterial blood supply
D. Metaplastic cellular changes - Answer B
Remember that it's not C because to have gangrene, you must have infection
Although stress exposure initiates integrated responses by multiple systems, the most important
changes are first activated by which system?
A. Pulmonary
B. Gastrointestinal
C. Neuroendocrine
D. Cardiovascular - Answer C
, Which manifestation of stress reflects the non-specific fight or flight response?
A. Decreased pupillary light response
B. Increased GI motility
C. Decreased short-term memory
D. Increased cardiopulmonary rates - Answer D
This would fall under physiologic responses to stress!! Slide 25 in your lecture powerpoint
Stress-induced cortisol hormone secretion is associated with:
A. Increased growth hormone level
B. Regulation of the stress response
C. Increased thyroid-stimulating hormone
D. Depressed adrenal gland function - Answer B
You know it's not A because I mentioned in an earlier slide that growth hormone levels decrease with
stress. We didn't mention thyroid-stimulating hormone as one of the ones associated with the stress
repsonse so you can pretty much assume that's not right. And we know adrenal function is not
depressed because ACTH from the anterior pituitary stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol.
Which of the following factors are known to contribute to an individual's ability to adapt to stress?
(Select all that apply.)
A. Ethnicity
B. Age
C. Socioeconomic status
D. Gender
E. Health status - Answer B, C, D, E
