1|Page
# NR 283: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
## COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE WORKBOOK
### 300+ QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES
### 2026/2027 EDITION | CHAMBERLAIN
UNIVERSITY ALIGNMENT
## MODULE 1: CELLULAR ADAPTATION, INJURY, AND DEATH
### Questions 1-35 | Exam 1 Blueprint Focus
**Question 1**
A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy. Which
cellular adaptation BEST explains this finding?
A) Atrophy
B) Hypertrophy
C) Hyperplasia
D) Metaplasia
**Answer: B**
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**Rationale:** Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size due to increased workload,
as seen in pressure overload from hypertension. Atrophy is decreased cell size;
hyperplasia is increased cell number; metaplasia is one cell type replacing another .
---
**Question 2**
A 55-year-old with chronic hepatitis develops cirrhosis. The liver shows
regenerative nodules and fibrosis. This is an example of:
A) Atrophy
B) Hypertrophy
C) Hyperplasia
D) Dysplasia
**Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Hyperplasia is an increase in cell number. In cirrhosis, hepatocytes
undergo hyperplasia (regenerative nodules) in response to injury. Dysplasia is
abnormal cell growth (precancerous) .
---
**Question 3**
A long-term smoker develops squamous cell metaplasia in the bronchi. What is
metaplasia?
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A) Decrease in cell size
B) Increase in cell size
C) Reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with another
D) Disorganized cell growth
**Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Metaplasia is a reversible change where one differentiated cell type
is replaced by another (e.g., ciliated columnar epithelium replaced by squamous
epithelium in smokers). It is an adaptive response but may predispose to cancer .
---
**Question 4**
A patient with a leg cast for 8 weeks develops muscle wasting. This cellular
adaptation is called:
A) Atrophy
B) Hypertrophy
C) Hyperplasia
D) Metaplasia
**Answer: A**
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**Rationale:** Atrophy is a decrease in cell size resulting in reduced tissue mass.
It occurs due to disuse (immobilization), denervation, loss of blood supply,
inadequate nutrition, or aging. Muscle wasting in a cast is disuse atrophy .
---
**Question 5**
Which type of necrosis is most commonly seen in the kidney and heart following
ischemic injury?
A) Liquefactive necrosis
B) Coagulative necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
**Answer: B**
**Rationale:** Coagulative necrosis (preservation of tissue architecture) occurs in
solid organs (heart, kidney, liver) following ischemia. Liquefactive necrosis occurs
in brain; caseous necrosis in TB; fat necrosis in pancreatitis .
---
**Question 6**
Liquefactive necrosis is characteristic of which condition?
# NR 283: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
## COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE WORKBOOK
### 300+ QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES
### 2026/2027 EDITION | CHAMBERLAIN
UNIVERSITY ALIGNMENT
## MODULE 1: CELLULAR ADAPTATION, INJURY, AND DEATH
### Questions 1-35 | Exam 1 Blueprint Focus
**Question 1**
A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy. Which
cellular adaptation BEST explains this finding?
A) Atrophy
B) Hypertrophy
C) Hyperplasia
D) Metaplasia
**Answer: B**
,2|Page
**Rationale:** Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size due to increased workload,
as seen in pressure overload from hypertension. Atrophy is decreased cell size;
hyperplasia is increased cell number; metaplasia is one cell type replacing another .
---
**Question 2**
A 55-year-old with chronic hepatitis develops cirrhosis. The liver shows
regenerative nodules and fibrosis. This is an example of:
A) Atrophy
B) Hypertrophy
C) Hyperplasia
D) Dysplasia
**Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Hyperplasia is an increase in cell number. In cirrhosis, hepatocytes
undergo hyperplasia (regenerative nodules) in response to injury. Dysplasia is
abnormal cell growth (precancerous) .
---
**Question 3**
A long-term smoker develops squamous cell metaplasia in the bronchi. What is
metaplasia?
,3|Page
A) Decrease in cell size
B) Increase in cell size
C) Reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with another
D) Disorganized cell growth
**Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Metaplasia is a reversible change where one differentiated cell type
is replaced by another (e.g., ciliated columnar epithelium replaced by squamous
epithelium in smokers). It is an adaptive response but may predispose to cancer .
---
**Question 4**
A patient with a leg cast for 8 weeks develops muscle wasting. This cellular
adaptation is called:
A) Atrophy
B) Hypertrophy
C) Hyperplasia
D) Metaplasia
**Answer: A**
, 4|Page
**Rationale:** Atrophy is a decrease in cell size resulting in reduced tissue mass.
It occurs due to disuse (immobilization), denervation, loss of blood supply,
inadequate nutrition, or aging. Muscle wasting in a cast is disuse atrophy .
---
**Question 5**
Which type of necrosis is most commonly seen in the kidney and heart following
ischemic injury?
A) Liquefactive necrosis
B) Coagulative necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
**Answer: B**
**Rationale:** Coagulative necrosis (preservation of tissue architecture) occurs in
solid organs (heart, kidney, liver) following ischemia. Liquefactive necrosis occurs
in brain; caseous necrosis in TB; fat necrosis in pancreatitis .
---
**Question 6**
Liquefactive necrosis is characteristic of which condition?
