NSG 5140 Advanced Pathophysiology Exam Review 2025–2026 | 100
Questions with Answers & Rationales | Graduate-Level A+
Guaranteed
1. A 65-year-old patient has fatigue, pallor, low Hgb, and low ferritin. Likely anemia?
A. Vitamin B12 deficiency
B. Iron deficiency ✅
C. Aplastic anemia
D. Sickle cell anemia
Rationale: Low ferritin & Hgb indicate iron deficiency; B12 deficiency is macrocytic; aplastic =
pancytopenia.
2. CKD patient with hyperphosphatemia & hypocalcemia. Elevated hormone?
A. PTH ✅
B. Calcitonin
C. TSH
D. Aldosterone
Rationale: CKD → phosphate retention, ↓vitamin D → secondary hyperparathyroidism.
3. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus pathophysiology?
A. Autoimmune beta-cell destruction
B. Peripheral insulin resistance w/ relative insulin deficiency ✅
C. Excess glucagon
D. Absolute insulin deficiency
Rationale: Insulin resistance + relative deficiency; Type 1 = autoimmune.
,4. Sudden severe chest pain, left arm radiation, elevated troponin. Diagnosis?
A. Pulmonary embolism
B. Acute MI ✅
C. Pericarditis
D. Aortic dissection
Rationale: Troponin elevation + classic MI presentation.
5. Heart failure compensatory mechanism worsening disease?
A. ↓Sympathetic activity
B. RAAS activation ✅
C. Vasodilation (NO)
D. Reduced preload
Rationale: RAAS → fluid retention & vasoconstriction → chronic HF progression.
6. Jaundice, pruritus, ↑ALP. Likely liver disorder?
A. Acute hepatitis
B. Cholestatic liver disease ✅
C. Cirrhosis
D. Alcoholic hepatitis
Rationale: Cholestasis → ALP ↑, jaundice, pruritus; hepatitis ↑ transaminases.
7. COPD patient w/ chronic CO2 retention. Acid-base imbalance?
,A. Metabolic acidosis
B. Respiratory acidosis ✅
C. Metabolic alkalosis
D. Respiratory alkalosis
Rationale: Hypoventilation → CO2 retention → respiratory acidosis.
8. Fatigue, weight gain, bradycardia; labs: low T4, high TSH. Diagnosis?
A. Hyperthyroidism
B. Hypothyroidism ✅
C. Thyroid storm
D. Euthyroid sick syndrome
Rationale: Low T4 + ↑TSH = primary hypothyroidism.
9. Shock from severe infection causing vasodilation?
A. Cardiogenic
B. Hypovolemic
C. Septic ✅
D. Neurogenic
Rationale: Sepsis → systemic vasodilation → hypotension, organ hypoperfusion.
10. Polyuria, polydipsia, hypernatremia. Endocrine disorder?
A. SIADH
B. Diabetes insipidus ✅
C. Hyperaldosteronism
, D. Hypopituitarism
Rationale: DI → excessive water loss → hypernatremia & dehydration.
11. IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation?
A. Type I ✅
B. Type II
C. Type III
D. Type IV
Rationale: Type I = immediate hypersensitivity (allergies).
12. Fever, rash, joint pain post-streptococcal infection. Mechanism?
A. Direct infection
B. Autoimmune ✅
C. IgE hypersensitivity
D. Endocrine imbalance
Rationale: Rheumatic fever = autoimmune response to bacterial antigens.
13. Sudden, unilateral, painless vision loss. Cause?
A. Retinal detachment
B. Central retinal artery occlusion ✅
C. Glaucoma
D. Cataract
Rationale: Artery occlusion → sudden, painless loss; detachment = floaters/flashes.
Questions with Answers & Rationales | Graduate-Level A+
Guaranteed
1. A 65-year-old patient has fatigue, pallor, low Hgb, and low ferritin. Likely anemia?
A. Vitamin B12 deficiency
B. Iron deficiency ✅
C. Aplastic anemia
D. Sickle cell anemia
Rationale: Low ferritin & Hgb indicate iron deficiency; B12 deficiency is macrocytic; aplastic =
pancytopenia.
2. CKD patient with hyperphosphatemia & hypocalcemia. Elevated hormone?
A. PTH ✅
B. Calcitonin
C. TSH
D. Aldosterone
Rationale: CKD → phosphate retention, ↓vitamin D → secondary hyperparathyroidism.
3. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus pathophysiology?
A. Autoimmune beta-cell destruction
B. Peripheral insulin resistance w/ relative insulin deficiency ✅
C. Excess glucagon
D. Absolute insulin deficiency
Rationale: Insulin resistance + relative deficiency; Type 1 = autoimmune.
,4. Sudden severe chest pain, left arm radiation, elevated troponin. Diagnosis?
A. Pulmonary embolism
B. Acute MI ✅
C. Pericarditis
D. Aortic dissection
Rationale: Troponin elevation + classic MI presentation.
5. Heart failure compensatory mechanism worsening disease?
A. ↓Sympathetic activity
B. RAAS activation ✅
C. Vasodilation (NO)
D. Reduced preload
Rationale: RAAS → fluid retention & vasoconstriction → chronic HF progression.
6. Jaundice, pruritus, ↑ALP. Likely liver disorder?
A. Acute hepatitis
B. Cholestatic liver disease ✅
C. Cirrhosis
D. Alcoholic hepatitis
Rationale: Cholestasis → ALP ↑, jaundice, pruritus; hepatitis ↑ transaminases.
7. COPD patient w/ chronic CO2 retention. Acid-base imbalance?
,A. Metabolic acidosis
B. Respiratory acidosis ✅
C. Metabolic alkalosis
D. Respiratory alkalosis
Rationale: Hypoventilation → CO2 retention → respiratory acidosis.
8. Fatigue, weight gain, bradycardia; labs: low T4, high TSH. Diagnosis?
A. Hyperthyroidism
B. Hypothyroidism ✅
C. Thyroid storm
D. Euthyroid sick syndrome
Rationale: Low T4 + ↑TSH = primary hypothyroidism.
9. Shock from severe infection causing vasodilation?
A. Cardiogenic
B. Hypovolemic
C. Septic ✅
D. Neurogenic
Rationale: Sepsis → systemic vasodilation → hypotension, organ hypoperfusion.
10. Polyuria, polydipsia, hypernatremia. Endocrine disorder?
A. SIADH
B. Diabetes insipidus ✅
C. Hyperaldosteronism
, D. Hypopituitarism
Rationale: DI → excessive water loss → hypernatremia & dehydration.
11. IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation?
A. Type I ✅
B. Type II
C. Type III
D. Type IV
Rationale: Type I = immediate hypersensitivity (allergies).
12. Fever, rash, joint pain post-streptococcal infection. Mechanism?
A. Direct infection
B. Autoimmune ✅
C. IgE hypersensitivity
D. Endocrine imbalance
Rationale: Rheumatic fever = autoimmune response to bacterial antigens.
13. Sudden, unilateral, painless vision loss. Cause?
A. Retinal detachment
B. Central retinal artery occlusion ✅
C. Glaucoma
D. Cataract
Rationale: Artery occlusion → sudden, painless loss; detachment = floaters/flashes.
