Pathophysiology Practice Problems
Adaptation - CORRECT ANSWERS-reversible, structural, or functional response both
to normal or physiologic conditions and to adverse or pathologic conditions
What are causes of cellular/tissue adaptation? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Exercise,
growth, invasion of microorganisms, bone breaks
Atrophy - CORRECT ANSWERS-decrease in cell size
Caused by disuse, decreased endocrine stimulation, decreased blood supply to an
organ (atherosclerosis)
Hypertrophy - CORRECT ANSWERS-increase in cell size and intracellular protein
Caused by exercise, increased workload (enlarged heart due to hypertension),
pregnancy (hormonal hypertrophy), compensatory hypertrophy (if missing kidney, other
will compensate)
Hyperplasia - CORRECT ANSWERS-increase in cell number
Activation of genes controlling proliferation
Cells must be capable of mitotic division (ex epidermis)
Seen most often when you have to replace entire organ (like liver that regenerates or a
callus) (endometriosis-pathological hyperplasia)
Metaplasia - CORRECT ANSWERS-reversible replacement of one mature cell type by
another less mature cell type or a change in the phenotype
Dysplasia - CORRECT ANSWERS-deranged cell growth
Aka atypical hyperplasia
Abnormal size, shape, or appearance
Injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-may be reversible (sublethal) or irreversible (lethal) and
is classified broadly as chemical, hypoxic (lack of sufficient oxygen), free radical,
intentional, unintentional, immunologic, infection, and inflammatory
Types of cellular injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-Hypoxia
Chemical abrasion
Infection
Immunologic & inflammatory response
Nutritional imbalances (anorexia, obesity)
Physical agents (rug burn)
,Hypoxic injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-Ischemia (decrease oxygenation)
Anoxia (lack of oxygen)
Cellular responses: Decrease in ATP, causing failure of sodium-potassium pump and
sodium-calcium exchange (Na outside, K inside normally)
Reperfusion injury (due to free radicals)
Free radicals and reactive oxygen species - CORRECT ANSWERS-Can cause cellular
injury
Electrically uncharged atom or group of atoms having an unpaired electron that
damage:
Lipid peroxidation, Alteration of proteins, Alteration of DNA, Mitochondria
Chemical injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-Carbon tetrachloride
Lead (prevalent in mid south from water and lead paint)
Carbon monoxide
Ethanol
Mercury (from fish)
Social or street drugs
Prescription/OTC drugs
Lead poisoning - CORRECT ANSWERS-Old walls, toys, cribs, bicycles
Sweet taste
Decrease toxic effects through diet (well-balanced)
Typically picked out in children because they are anemic
Nausea, weight loss
Can cause kidney disease
Nervous (convulsions, delirium, paralysis)
Hematopoietic (anemia due to lysis of RBCs)
Kidney (renal lesions->glosuria, phosphauria)
GI (N, loss of appetite, wgt. loss, abd. cramps)
Injury due to alcohol use - CORRECT ANSWERS-Affects nutrition (compromises GI
tract)
Acute alcoholism - CORRECT ANSWERS-Affects CNS, liver, & GI (reversible)
Chronic alcoholism - CORRECT ANSWERS-Affects all organs esp. liver & stomach
Shortens life span
Fetal alcohol syndrome - CORRECT ANSWERS-Small head, Epicanthal folds, Flat
midface, Smooth philtrum, Low nasal bridge, Small eye opening, Short nose, Thin upper
lip, Underdeveloped jaw, Slow to learn
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) - CORRECT ANSWERS-Can cause severe liver damage
Overdoses may not live
Causes cellular death, tremors, high ammonia levels, convulsions
,Intentional and Unintentional Injuries types - CORRECT ANSWERS-blunt force
sharp force
asphyxial
infectious
Blunt force injuries - CORRECT ANSWERS-Application of mechanical energy to the
body resulting in the tearing, shearing, or crushing of tissues
contusion
hematoma
abrasion
laceration
fractures
Hematoma - CORRECT ANSWERS-collection of fluid underneath tissue (caused by
hard hit to the head)
Blunt force injury
Contusion - CORRECT ANSWERS-bleeding into tissue or skin (bruise-ecchymosis)
blunt force injury
Abrasion - CORRECT ANSWERS-blunt force injury
Laceration - CORRECT ANSWERS-cut due to sharp object, jagged or smooth edges
blunt force injury
Fractures - CORRECT ANSWERS-blunt force injury
Incised wounds - CORRECT ANSWERS-longer than deep (glass)
sharp force injury
Stab wounds - CORRECT ANSWERS-deeper than long (knife)
sharp force injury
Puncture wound - CORRECT ANSWERS-sharp point prone to infection, deep (stepping
on nail)
sharp force injury
Chopping wound - CORRECT ANSWERS-made with instrument with heavy sharp
edge, also causes blunt injury because of weight
sharp force injury
Asphyxial injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-Caused by a failure of cells to receive or use
oxygen
suffocation
strangulation
, chemical asphyxiant
drowning
Suffocation - CORRECT ANSWERS-Choking asphyxiation (mostly young and elderly)
asphyxial injury
Strangulation - CORRECT ANSWERS-Hanging, ligature, and manual strangulation
asphyxial injury
Chemical asphyxiant - CORRECT ANSWERS-Cyanide and hydrogen sulfide
asphyxial injury
Drowning - CORRECT ANSWERS-asphyxial injury
Sharp force injuries - CORRECT ANSWERS-incised wounds
stab wounds
puncture wounds
chopping wounds
Hydropic Degeneration - CORRECT ANSWERS-When cells swell
Become cloudy
Na moves into cell, K moves out
Bruises - CORRECT ANSWERS-1. extravasted red cells
2. phagocytosis of red cells by macrophages
3. hemosiderin or iron free pigments
Necrosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Sum of cellular changes after local cell death and the
process of cellular autodigestion
Karyolysis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Nuclear dissolution and chromatin lysis, rupture of
cell membrane
Pyknosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Clumping of the nucleus, cell swells
Karyorrhexis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Fragmentation of the nucleus
Coagulative Necrosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Loss of blood supply to any organ
(except brain)
Kidneys (because location, increased chance of blood clot), heart (any malfunction can
lead to decreased blood supply), and adrenal glands(location above kidneys)
Protein denaturation
Liquefactive Necrosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Common in neurons and glial cells of
the brain
Lytic (dissolving) enzymes liquefy necrotic cells
Adaptation - CORRECT ANSWERS-reversible, structural, or functional response both
to normal or physiologic conditions and to adverse or pathologic conditions
What are causes of cellular/tissue adaptation? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Exercise,
growth, invasion of microorganisms, bone breaks
Atrophy - CORRECT ANSWERS-decrease in cell size
Caused by disuse, decreased endocrine stimulation, decreased blood supply to an
organ (atherosclerosis)
Hypertrophy - CORRECT ANSWERS-increase in cell size and intracellular protein
Caused by exercise, increased workload (enlarged heart due to hypertension),
pregnancy (hormonal hypertrophy), compensatory hypertrophy (if missing kidney, other
will compensate)
Hyperplasia - CORRECT ANSWERS-increase in cell number
Activation of genes controlling proliferation
Cells must be capable of mitotic division (ex epidermis)
Seen most often when you have to replace entire organ (like liver that regenerates or a
callus) (endometriosis-pathological hyperplasia)
Metaplasia - CORRECT ANSWERS-reversible replacement of one mature cell type by
another less mature cell type or a change in the phenotype
Dysplasia - CORRECT ANSWERS-deranged cell growth
Aka atypical hyperplasia
Abnormal size, shape, or appearance
Injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-may be reversible (sublethal) or irreversible (lethal) and
is classified broadly as chemical, hypoxic (lack of sufficient oxygen), free radical,
intentional, unintentional, immunologic, infection, and inflammatory
Types of cellular injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-Hypoxia
Chemical abrasion
Infection
Immunologic & inflammatory response
Nutritional imbalances (anorexia, obesity)
Physical agents (rug burn)
,Hypoxic injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-Ischemia (decrease oxygenation)
Anoxia (lack of oxygen)
Cellular responses: Decrease in ATP, causing failure of sodium-potassium pump and
sodium-calcium exchange (Na outside, K inside normally)
Reperfusion injury (due to free radicals)
Free radicals and reactive oxygen species - CORRECT ANSWERS-Can cause cellular
injury
Electrically uncharged atom or group of atoms having an unpaired electron that
damage:
Lipid peroxidation, Alteration of proteins, Alteration of DNA, Mitochondria
Chemical injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-Carbon tetrachloride
Lead (prevalent in mid south from water and lead paint)
Carbon monoxide
Ethanol
Mercury (from fish)
Social or street drugs
Prescription/OTC drugs
Lead poisoning - CORRECT ANSWERS-Old walls, toys, cribs, bicycles
Sweet taste
Decrease toxic effects through diet (well-balanced)
Typically picked out in children because they are anemic
Nausea, weight loss
Can cause kidney disease
Nervous (convulsions, delirium, paralysis)
Hematopoietic (anemia due to lysis of RBCs)
Kidney (renal lesions->glosuria, phosphauria)
GI (N, loss of appetite, wgt. loss, abd. cramps)
Injury due to alcohol use - CORRECT ANSWERS-Affects nutrition (compromises GI
tract)
Acute alcoholism - CORRECT ANSWERS-Affects CNS, liver, & GI (reversible)
Chronic alcoholism - CORRECT ANSWERS-Affects all organs esp. liver & stomach
Shortens life span
Fetal alcohol syndrome - CORRECT ANSWERS-Small head, Epicanthal folds, Flat
midface, Smooth philtrum, Low nasal bridge, Small eye opening, Short nose, Thin upper
lip, Underdeveloped jaw, Slow to learn
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) - CORRECT ANSWERS-Can cause severe liver damage
Overdoses may not live
Causes cellular death, tremors, high ammonia levels, convulsions
,Intentional and Unintentional Injuries types - CORRECT ANSWERS-blunt force
sharp force
asphyxial
infectious
Blunt force injuries - CORRECT ANSWERS-Application of mechanical energy to the
body resulting in the tearing, shearing, or crushing of tissues
contusion
hematoma
abrasion
laceration
fractures
Hematoma - CORRECT ANSWERS-collection of fluid underneath tissue (caused by
hard hit to the head)
Blunt force injury
Contusion - CORRECT ANSWERS-bleeding into tissue or skin (bruise-ecchymosis)
blunt force injury
Abrasion - CORRECT ANSWERS-blunt force injury
Laceration - CORRECT ANSWERS-cut due to sharp object, jagged or smooth edges
blunt force injury
Fractures - CORRECT ANSWERS-blunt force injury
Incised wounds - CORRECT ANSWERS-longer than deep (glass)
sharp force injury
Stab wounds - CORRECT ANSWERS-deeper than long (knife)
sharp force injury
Puncture wound - CORRECT ANSWERS-sharp point prone to infection, deep (stepping
on nail)
sharp force injury
Chopping wound - CORRECT ANSWERS-made with instrument with heavy sharp
edge, also causes blunt injury because of weight
sharp force injury
Asphyxial injury - CORRECT ANSWERS-Caused by a failure of cells to receive or use
oxygen
suffocation
strangulation
, chemical asphyxiant
drowning
Suffocation - CORRECT ANSWERS-Choking asphyxiation (mostly young and elderly)
asphyxial injury
Strangulation - CORRECT ANSWERS-Hanging, ligature, and manual strangulation
asphyxial injury
Chemical asphyxiant - CORRECT ANSWERS-Cyanide and hydrogen sulfide
asphyxial injury
Drowning - CORRECT ANSWERS-asphyxial injury
Sharp force injuries - CORRECT ANSWERS-incised wounds
stab wounds
puncture wounds
chopping wounds
Hydropic Degeneration - CORRECT ANSWERS-When cells swell
Become cloudy
Na moves into cell, K moves out
Bruises - CORRECT ANSWERS-1. extravasted red cells
2. phagocytosis of red cells by macrophages
3. hemosiderin or iron free pigments
Necrosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Sum of cellular changes after local cell death and the
process of cellular autodigestion
Karyolysis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Nuclear dissolution and chromatin lysis, rupture of
cell membrane
Pyknosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Clumping of the nucleus, cell swells
Karyorrhexis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Fragmentation of the nucleus
Coagulative Necrosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Loss of blood supply to any organ
(except brain)
Kidneys (because location, increased chance of blood clot), heart (any malfunction can
lead to decreased blood supply), and adrenal glands(location above kidneys)
Protein denaturation
Liquefactive Necrosis - CORRECT ANSWERS-Common in neurons and glial cells of
the brain
Lytic (dissolving) enzymes liquefy necrotic cells
