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NSG 3280 EXAM 2 (PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FOR NURSES I) GALEN COLLEGE
OF NURSING EXAM NEWEST UPDATED EXAM 2026 – 2027 SOLVED
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED 100% GRADED A+ (LATEST VERSION)
1. A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy; which
cellular adaptation is best described by an increase in cell size without an increase
in cell number?
A) Hyperplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Metaplasia
D) Dysplasia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size without an increase in cell number. In
hypertension, the heart works harder against high pressure, causing cardiac muscle
cells to enlarge.
2. A patient with long-standing GERD undergoes an esophageal biopsy; the
pathology report indicates columnar epithelium replacing the normal squamous
epithelium. What is this change termed?
A) Hypertrophy
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B) Metaplasia
C) Dysplasia
D) Atrophy
Answer: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another.
In Barrett's esophagus, acid-resistant columnar epithelium replaces squamous
epithelium due to chronic acid reflux.
3. A tissue biopsy from a chronically ischemic organ shows cells with intact plasma
membranes but markedly swollen mitochondria and autophagic vacuoles; which
conclusion is most defensible?
A) Irreversible injury has occurred because mitochondrial swelling is always terminal.
B) The injury is reversible if perfusion is restored before membrane integrity is lost.
C) The cells have undergone apoptosis rather than necrosis.
D) The findings indicate coagulative necrosis with karyolysis.
Answer: B
Rationale: Hydropic change with mitochondrial swelling reflects reversible injury driven
by ATP depletion; membrane integrity is the key threshold for irreversibility.
4. Which type of necrosis is most commonly associated with a myocardial
infarction?
A) Liquefactive necrosis
B) Caseous necrosis
C) Coagulative necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
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Answer: C
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis results from ischemia in solid organs like the heart;
cell architecture is preserved initially while proteins denature, which is characteristic of
myocardial infarction.
5. A patient with a chronic wound develops black, necrotic tissue that acts as a
barrier to healing; which type of necrosis is this most consistent with?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Ischemic tissue in chronic wounds typically undergoes coagulative necrosis,
appearing as firm, black eschar that must be debrided for healing to progress.
6. A patient with bacterial pneumonia develops an abscess with liquefied tissue;
which type of necrosis is most characteristic of this finding?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fibrinoid necrosis
Answer: B
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis is characterized by enzymatic digestion of dead cells,
producing a liquid viscous mass, commonly seen in bacterial infections and brain
infarcts.
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7. A patient with tuberculosis develops granulomas with a "cheese-like"
appearance; which type of necrosis is this?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
Answer: C
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is a distinctive form of coagulative necrosis seen in
tuberculosis, characterized by a cheese-like, friable appearance within granulomas.
8. A patient with acute pancreatitis develops fat necrosis; which mechanism
explains this finding?
A) Ischemic injury to adipose tissue
B) Release of lipases that digest fat cells
C) Bacterial infection of fat tissue
D) Autoimmune destruction of adipocytes
Answer: B
Rationale: Fat necrosis occurs when lipases are released from damaged pancreatic
tissue, causing enzymatic digestion of fat cells and the formation of chalky-white
deposits.
9. A patient with a pressure injury has non-blanchable redness over the sacrum;
which stage of pressure injury is this?
A) Stage 1
B) Stage 2
NSG 3280 EXAM 2 (PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FOR NURSES I) GALEN COLLEGE
OF NURSING EXAM NEWEST UPDATED EXAM 2026 – 2027 SOLVED
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED 100% GRADED A+ (LATEST VERSION)
1. A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy; which
cellular adaptation is best described by an increase in cell size without an increase
in cell number?
A) Hyperplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Metaplasia
D) Dysplasia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size without an increase in cell number. In
hypertension, the heart works harder against high pressure, causing cardiac muscle
cells to enlarge.
2. A patient with long-standing GERD undergoes an esophageal biopsy; the
pathology report indicates columnar epithelium replacing the normal squamous
epithelium. What is this change termed?
A) Hypertrophy
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B) Metaplasia
C) Dysplasia
D) Atrophy
Answer: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another.
In Barrett's esophagus, acid-resistant columnar epithelium replaces squamous
epithelium due to chronic acid reflux.
3. A tissue biopsy from a chronically ischemic organ shows cells with intact plasma
membranes but markedly swollen mitochondria and autophagic vacuoles; which
conclusion is most defensible?
A) Irreversible injury has occurred because mitochondrial swelling is always terminal.
B) The injury is reversible if perfusion is restored before membrane integrity is lost.
C) The cells have undergone apoptosis rather than necrosis.
D) The findings indicate coagulative necrosis with karyolysis.
Answer: B
Rationale: Hydropic change with mitochondrial swelling reflects reversible injury driven
by ATP depletion; membrane integrity is the key threshold for irreversibility.
4. Which type of necrosis is most commonly associated with a myocardial
infarction?
A) Liquefactive necrosis
B) Caseous necrosis
C) Coagulative necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
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Answer: C
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis results from ischemia in solid organs like the heart;
cell architecture is preserved initially while proteins denature, which is characteristic of
myocardial infarction.
5. A patient with a chronic wound develops black, necrotic tissue that acts as a
barrier to healing; which type of necrosis is this most consistent with?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Ischemic tissue in chronic wounds typically undergoes coagulative necrosis,
appearing as firm, black eschar that must be debrided for healing to progress.
6. A patient with bacterial pneumonia develops an abscess with liquefied tissue;
which type of necrosis is most characteristic of this finding?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fibrinoid necrosis
Answer: B
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis is characterized by enzymatic digestion of dead cells,
producing a liquid viscous mass, commonly seen in bacterial infections and brain
infarcts.
, Page 4 of 106
7. A patient with tuberculosis develops granulomas with a "cheese-like"
appearance; which type of necrosis is this?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
Answer: C
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is a distinctive form of coagulative necrosis seen in
tuberculosis, characterized by a cheese-like, friable appearance within granulomas.
8. A patient with acute pancreatitis develops fat necrosis; which mechanism
explains this finding?
A) Ischemic injury to adipose tissue
B) Release of lipases that digest fat cells
C) Bacterial infection of fat tissue
D) Autoimmune destruction of adipocytes
Answer: B
Rationale: Fat necrosis occurs when lipases are released from damaged pancreatic
tissue, causing enzymatic digestion of fat cells and the formation of chalky-white
deposits.
9. A patient with a pressure injury has non-blanchable redness over the sacrum;
which stage of pressure injury is this?
A) Stage 1
B) Stage 2
