"WGU D027 Advanced Pathopharmacology
2025/2026– Comprehensive Study Guide for
Success" Latest Updated
What are some physical changes from Alzheimer's dementia? - Correct Answer >- Brain
shrinks dramatically; nerve cell death and tissue loss
- Cardinal signs: plaques (abnormal clusters of protein fragments) and tangles (twisted strands
of another protein)
How is Alzheimer's treated? - Correct Answer >- There is no cure, but there are
pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments
- Cholinesterase inhibitors
- Memantine (namenda)
What are cholinesterase inhibitors prescribed for? - Correct Answer >- To treat symptoms
related to memory, thinking, language, judgment, and other processes
- Helps delay or slow the worsening of symptoms
What does cholinesterase inhibitors do? - Correct Answer >- Prevent the breakdown of
acetylcholine, a chemical messenger that is important for learning and memory
- Supports communication among nerve cells by keeping the acetylcholine high
What is the cause of Prader-Willi Syndrome? - Correct Answer >- Depletion of chromosome
15 from father
- Missing or non-working genes on chromosome 15 (15q11-q13)
- Most cases are not inherited and occur randomly
- Depletion of genes (genes from the region are missing)
- Uniparental disomy - both chromosomes are inherited from the mother
- Imprinting mutation - genes on the paternal chromosome is inactive
What does Prader-Willi Syndrome do to the body? - Correct Answer >- Caused the
hypothalamus to malfunction (the area of the brain that affects hunger, thirst, sex and growth
hormones)
- In infancy, an individual does not meet development milestones suck as sitting up and walking
- Their eyes lack coordination
What is a key feature of Prader-Willi Syndrome? - Correct Answer >- A constant sense of
hunger that usually begins around 2 years of age
- People with Prader-Willi Syndrome want to eat constantly because they never feel full
,What are some symptoms in infants with Prader-Willi Syndrome? - Correct Answer >-
Hypotonia with floppy structure and poor muscle tone
- Distinct facial features affecting the shape and size of eyes, lips, forehead, etc.
- Poor sucking ability making it difficult to feed
- Always lethargic and poor responsiveness
- Underdeveloped genitals
What is celiac disease? - Correct Answer >- Autoimmune disease
- Damages to the small intestinal epithelium when there is ingestion of gluten
- Loss of mucosal surface and brush border enzymes leads to severe malabsorption that is more
pronounced in the duodenum and jejunum
What strong genetic disposition does celiac disease have? - Correct Answer >- Human
leukocyte antigen DQ2 (HLA-DQ2) and HLA-DQ5
What test is recommended for celiac disease? - Correct Answer >- IgA-tTG
- Total IgA
- Simple, inexpensive, widely available, typically covered by insurance, and is very accurate in
untreated celiac disease
What are the recommended tests for celiac disease? - Correct Answer >- Total IgA
- IgA-tTg
- IgA-EMA
- If IgA is deficient, it is recommended that IgG/IgA-DGP also be ordered
What are diagnostic methods of celiac disease? - Correct Answer >- Serologic
measurements of antiendomysial and antitrandsglutaminase IgA antibodies and HLA-DQ2 or
HLA-DQ8
- Duodenal biopsy
What are tests are used in the diagnosing Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >- Anti-
saccharomyces antibody test (ASCA)
- CBC (H/H, WBC)
- Heme-occult
- C-reactive protein (sign of inflammation)
- Electrolyte panel (K due to diarrhea)
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (amount of inflammation)
- Iron and B12 levels
- KUB
- Upper endoscopy
,- Barium x-rays
- CT/MRI (external view)
- Video capsule endoscopy
Which tests may show lesions for patients with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Barium x-ray - in the small intestines
- Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy (primarily) - in the large intestines
Which two lab tests measure inflammation? - Correct Answer >- C-reactive protein
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (looks at the amount of inflammation by measuring the
amount of time it takes for erythrocytes to fall to the bottom of the tube)
What are some medications/treatments used to treat Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
- Corticosteroids
- Immunosuppressants
- Biologics (remicade)
- Antibiotics
- Surgical incision of the affected area
- Aminosalicylates
Why are aminosalicylates used for in patients with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Reduce inflammation
What are some aminosalicylates that are used to treat Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Sulfasalazine
- Mesalamine
Why are corticosteroids used for in patients with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Reduce inflammation
- Only used if aminosalicylates are not effective during an exacerbation
What are some immunosuppressants that are used for in patients with Crohn's disease? -
Correct Answer >- Azathiroprine
- Cyclosporine
- Tactolimus
- Methotrexate
- Infliximab
Why are antibiotics used to manage patient's with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >- To
manage intestinal bacterial overgrowth
, What diet is best for patients with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >- Low residue diet:
low fiber foods, lean proteins, small/refined grains, fully cooked/non cruciferous vegetables
(help prevent gas/bloating), low fat foods, probiotics (when there is not an exacerbation), and
nutritional shakes
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine (dehydrating and diuretics)
- Hydration and electrolyte replacement drinks
What are patients with atopic dermatitis and eczema have an increased risk for? - Correct
Answer >- Crohn's disease
- Celiac disease
How does patients with Crohn's disease's bowels look like? - Correct Answer >- "Skip
lesions" on the bowel tissue (mucosal lesions where inflammation exists)
- Tissue may appear as cobblestones on biopsy
What is the difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in terms of symptoms
and body impacts? - Correct Answer >- Crohn's is inflammation and scarring in the intestine
(bowel) disease lining of all of the digestive tract and worsens after eating
- Ulcerative colitis is inflammation of the bowel/digestive tract and is only in the innermost
lining of the large intestines (colon) and rectum
Which test is used to diagnose ulcerative colitis vs Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Ulcerative colitis: Perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody test (PANCA)
- Crohn's disease: Anti-saccharomyces antibody test (ASCA)
Where in the bowels does Crohn's disease affect? - Correct Answer >- Can be throughout
the entire intestinal lining
- Generally, in the small intestines
Where in the bowels does ulcerative colitis affect? - Correct Answer >- Only the innermost
lining of the large intestines (colon) and rectum
What causes the pain to worsen in patients with Crohn's? - Correct Answer >- After eating
- Pain is usually around the navel or lower right abdomen
What is ulcerative coloitis? - Correct Answer >- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes
inflammation and ulcers (sores) in the digestive tract
- Affects the innermost lining of your large intestines (colon) and rectum
2025/2026– Comprehensive Study Guide for
Success" Latest Updated
What are some physical changes from Alzheimer's dementia? - Correct Answer >- Brain
shrinks dramatically; nerve cell death and tissue loss
- Cardinal signs: plaques (abnormal clusters of protein fragments) and tangles (twisted strands
of another protein)
How is Alzheimer's treated? - Correct Answer >- There is no cure, but there are
pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments
- Cholinesterase inhibitors
- Memantine (namenda)
What are cholinesterase inhibitors prescribed for? - Correct Answer >- To treat symptoms
related to memory, thinking, language, judgment, and other processes
- Helps delay or slow the worsening of symptoms
What does cholinesterase inhibitors do? - Correct Answer >- Prevent the breakdown of
acetylcholine, a chemical messenger that is important for learning and memory
- Supports communication among nerve cells by keeping the acetylcholine high
What is the cause of Prader-Willi Syndrome? - Correct Answer >- Depletion of chromosome
15 from father
- Missing or non-working genes on chromosome 15 (15q11-q13)
- Most cases are not inherited and occur randomly
- Depletion of genes (genes from the region are missing)
- Uniparental disomy - both chromosomes are inherited from the mother
- Imprinting mutation - genes on the paternal chromosome is inactive
What does Prader-Willi Syndrome do to the body? - Correct Answer >- Caused the
hypothalamus to malfunction (the area of the brain that affects hunger, thirst, sex and growth
hormones)
- In infancy, an individual does not meet development milestones suck as sitting up and walking
- Their eyes lack coordination
What is a key feature of Prader-Willi Syndrome? - Correct Answer >- A constant sense of
hunger that usually begins around 2 years of age
- People with Prader-Willi Syndrome want to eat constantly because they never feel full
,What are some symptoms in infants with Prader-Willi Syndrome? - Correct Answer >-
Hypotonia with floppy structure and poor muscle tone
- Distinct facial features affecting the shape and size of eyes, lips, forehead, etc.
- Poor sucking ability making it difficult to feed
- Always lethargic and poor responsiveness
- Underdeveloped genitals
What is celiac disease? - Correct Answer >- Autoimmune disease
- Damages to the small intestinal epithelium when there is ingestion of gluten
- Loss of mucosal surface and brush border enzymes leads to severe malabsorption that is more
pronounced in the duodenum and jejunum
What strong genetic disposition does celiac disease have? - Correct Answer >- Human
leukocyte antigen DQ2 (HLA-DQ2) and HLA-DQ5
What test is recommended for celiac disease? - Correct Answer >- IgA-tTG
- Total IgA
- Simple, inexpensive, widely available, typically covered by insurance, and is very accurate in
untreated celiac disease
What are the recommended tests for celiac disease? - Correct Answer >- Total IgA
- IgA-tTg
- IgA-EMA
- If IgA is deficient, it is recommended that IgG/IgA-DGP also be ordered
What are diagnostic methods of celiac disease? - Correct Answer >- Serologic
measurements of antiendomysial and antitrandsglutaminase IgA antibodies and HLA-DQ2 or
HLA-DQ8
- Duodenal biopsy
What are tests are used in the diagnosing Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >- Anti-
saccharomyces antibody test (ASCA)
- CBC (H/H, WBC)
- Heme-occult
- C-reactive protein (sign of inflammation)
- Electrolyte panel (K due to diarrhea)
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (amount of inflammation)
- Iron and B12 levels
- KUB
- Upper endoscopy
,- Barium x-rays
- CT/MRI (external view)
- Video capsule endoscopy
Which tests may show lesions for patients with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Barium x-ray - in the small intestines
- Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy (primarily) - in the large intestines
Which two lab tests measure inflammation? - Correct Answer >- C-reactive protein
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (looks at the amount of inflammation by measuring the
amount of time it takes for erythrocytes to fall to the bottom of the tube)
What are some medications/treatments used to treat Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
- Corticosteroids
- Immunosuppressants
- Biologics (remicade)
- Antibiotics
- Surgical incision of the affected area
- Aminosalicylates
Why are aminosalicylates used for in patients with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Reduce inflammation
What are some aminosalicylates that are used to treat Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Sulfasalazine
- Mesalamine
Why are corticosteroids used for in patients with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Reduce inflammation
- Only used if aminosalicylates are not effective during an exacerbation
What are some immunosuppressants that are used for in patients with Crohn's disease? -
Correct Answer >- Azathiroprine
- Cyclosporine
- Tactolimus
- Methotrexate
- Infliximab
Why are antibiotics used to manage patient's with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >- To
manage intestinal bacterial overgrowth
, What diet is best for patients with Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >- Low residue diet:
low fiber foods, lean proteins, small/refined grains, fully cooked/non cruciferous vegetables
(help prevent gas/bloating), low fat foods, probiotics (when there is not an exacerbation), and
nutritional shakes
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine (dehydrating and diuretics)
- Hydration and electrolyte replacement drinks
What are patients with atopic dermatitis and eczema have an increased risk for? - Correct
Answer >- Crohn's disease
- Celiac disease
How does patients with Crohn's disease's bowels look like? - Correct Answer >- "Skip
lesions" on the bowel tissue (mucosal lesions where inflammation exists)
- Tissue may appear as cobblestones on biopsy
What is the difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in terms of symptoms
and body impacts? - Correct Answer >- Crohn's is inflammation and scarring in the intestine
(bowel) disease lining of all of the digestive tract and worsens after eating
- Ulcerative colitis is inflammation of the bowel/digestive tract and is only in the innermost
lining of the large intestines (colon) and rectum
Which test is used to diagnose ulcerative colitis vs Crohn's disease? - Correct Answer >-
Ulcerative colitis: Perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody test (PANCA)
- Crohn's disease: Anti-saccharomyces antibody test (ASCA)
Where in the bowels does Crohn's disease affect? - Correct Answer >- Can be throughout
the entire intestinal lining
- Generally, in the small intestines
Where in the bowels does ulcerative colitis affect? - Correct Answer >- Only the innermost
lining of the large intestines (colon) and rectum
What causes the pain to worsen in patients with Crohn's? - Correct Answer >- After eating
- Pain is usually around the navel or lower right abdomen
What is ulcerative coloitis? - Correct Answer >- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes
inflammation and ulcers (sores) in the digestive tract
- Affects the innermost lining of your large intestines (colon) and rectum
