Galen College NSG 3280 Exam 1 (pdf) | 2026/2027 | Pathophysiology
Q&A | Pathophysiology
1. A nurse is caring for a patient whose disease process has an unknown
cause. Which term should the nurse use to document this etiology?
A) Iatrogenic
B) Idiopathic
C) Nosocomial
D) Pathogenic
Correct Answer: Idiopathic
Rationale: Idiopathic refers to a disease with an unknown cause. Iatrogenic
means caused by medical treatment, nosocomial refers to infections
acquired in a healthcare setting, and pathogenic refers to disease caused by
a microorganism.
2. A patient presents with clinical manifestations of a disease. The nurse
understands that these manifestations are best described as:
A) The cause of the disease
B) The subjective and objective evidence of the disease
C) The factors that increase susceptibility to the disease
D) The microscopic changes in the tissue
Correct Answer: The subjective and objective evidence of the disease
Rationale: Clinical manifestations are the signs (objective) and symptoms
(subjective) that indicate the presence of a disease. The cause is the
etiology, risk factors increase susceptibility, and pathogenesis refers to the
microscopic changes.
,3. The nurse is caring for a patient with a disease that developed as a result
of a healthcare intervention. How should the nurse classify this condition?
A) Idiopathic
B) Iatrogenic
C) Congenital
D) Degenerative
Correct Answer: Iatrogenic
Rationale: An iatrogenic condition is caused by medical treatment or a
healthcare intervention. Idiopathic means unknown cause, congenital means
present at birth, and degenerative involves progressive deterioration of
tissues.
4. A patient has a disease that is characterized by periods of exacerbation
and remission. The nurse understands that this pattern is most consistent
with which type of disease?
A) Acute
B) Chronic
C) Subacute
D) Latent
Correct Answer: Chronic
Rationale: Chronic diseases often have periods of exacerbation (worsening)
and remission (improvement). Acute diseases have a sudden onset and short
duration, subacute falls between acute and chronic, and latent diseases have
a period of inactivity.
,5. The nurse is educating a patient about risk factors for disease. Which of
the following is a modifiable risk factor?
A) Age
B) Gender
C) Smoking
D) Genetics
Correct Answer: Smoking
Rationale: Modifiable risk factors are those that can be changed or
controlled, such as smoking, diet, and exercise. Age, gender, and genetics
are non-modifiable risk factors.
6. A patient's cells are adapting to a decreased workload. The nurse
anticipates that this cellular adaptation is best described as:
A) Hypertrophy
B) Hyperplasia
C) Atrophy
D) Metaplasia
Correct Answer: Atrophy
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size and/or number due to decreased
workload, disuse, or loss of innervation. Hypertrophy is an increase in cell
size, hyperplasia is an increase in cell number, and metaplasia is the
replacement of one cell type with another.
7. A patient with hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy. The
nurse explains that this cellular adaptation is a result of:
, A) Decreased workload
B) Increased workload
C) Hormonal stimulation
D) Chronic inflammation
Correct Answer: Increased workload
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size in response to increased
workload or demand. In hypertension, the left ventricle works harder to
pump blood against increased vascular resistance, leading to hypertrophy.
8. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by an increase in the number of
cells in a tissue or organ?
A) Hypertrophy
B) Hyperplasia
C) Atrophy
D) Metaplasia
Correct Answer: Hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells. Hypertrophy is
an increase in cell size. Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, and metaplasia is
the replacement of one cell type with another.
9. A nurse is assessing a patient who has developed a callus on their hand
from repetitive friction. The nurse recognizes this as an example of which
cellular adaptation?
A) Atrophy
B) Hypertrophy
Q&A | Pathophysiology
1. A nurse is caring for a patient whose disease process has an unknown
cause. Which term should the nurse use to document this etiology?
A) Iatrogenic
B) Idiopathic
C) Nosocomial
D) Pathogenic
Correct Answer: Idiopathic
Rationale: Idiopathic refers to a disease with an unknown cause. Iatrogenic
means caused by medical treatment, nosocomial refers to infections
acquired in a healthcare setting, and pathogenic refers to disease caused by
a microorganism.
2. A patient presents with clinical manifestations of a disease. The nurse
understands that these manifestations are best described as:
A) The cause of the disease
B) The subjective and objective evidence of the disease
C) The factors that increase susceptibility to the disease
D) The microscopic changes in the tissue
Correct Answer: The subjective and objective evidence of the disease
Rationale: Clinical manifestations are the signs (objective) and symptoms
(subjective) that indicate the presence of a disease. The cause is the
etiology, risk factors increase susceptibility, and pathogenesis refers to the
microscopic changes.
,3. The nurse is caring for a patient with a disease that developed as a result
of a healthcare intervention. How should the nurse classify this condition?
A) Idiopathic
B) Iatrogenic
C) Congenital
D) Degenerative
Correct Answer: Iatrogenic
Rationale: An iatrogenic condition is caused by medical treatment or a
healthcare intervention. Idiopathic means unknown cause, congenital means
present at birth, and degenerative involves progressive deterioration of
tissues.
4. A patient has a disease that is characterized by periods of exacerbation
and remission. The nurse understands that this pattern is most consistent
with which type of disease?
A) Acute
B) Chronic
C) Subacute
D) Latent
Correct Answer: Chronic
Rationale: Chronic diseases often have periods of exacerbation (worsening)
and remission (improvement). Acute diseases have a sudden onset and short
duration, subacute falls between acute and chronic, and latent diseases have
a period of inactivity.
,5. The nurse is educating a patient about risk factors for disease. Which of
the following is a modifiable risk factor?
A) Age
B) Gender
C) Smoking
D) Genetics
Correct Answer: Smoking
Rationale: Modifiable risk factors are those that can be changed or
controlled, such as smoking, diet, and exercise. Age, gender, and genetics
are non-modifiable risk factors.
6. A patient's cells are adapting to a decreased workload. The nurse
anticipates that this cellular adaptation is best described as:
A) Hypertrophy
B) Hyperplasia
C) Atrophy
D) Metaplasia
Correct Answer: Atrophy
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size and/or number due to decreased
workload, disuse, or loss of innervation. Hypertrophy is an increase in cell
size, hyperplasia is an increase in cell number, and metaplasia is the
replacement of one cell type with another.
7. A patient with hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy. The
nurse explains that this cellular adaptation is a result of:
, A) Decreased workload
B) Increased workload
C) Hormonal stimulation
D) Chronic inflammation
Correct Answer: Increased workload
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size in response to increased
workload or demand. In hypertension, the left ventricle works harder to
pump blood against increased vascular resistance, leading to hypertrophy.
8. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by an increase in the number of
cells in a tissue or organ?
A) Hypertrophy
B) Hyperplasia
C) Atrophy
D) Metaplasia
Correct Answer: Hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells. Hypertrophy is
an increase in cell size. Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, and metaplasia is
the replacement of one cell type with another.
9. A nurse is assessing a patient who has developed a callus on their hand
from repetitive friction. The nurse recognizes this as an example of which
cellular adaptation?
A) Atrophy
B) Hypertrophy
