NRS 232: Pathophysiology Midterm Questions With
Complete Solutions
"I do not understand!" says Mr. Lilly. "My cardiologist said my
left ventricle has enlarged due to hypertrophy, but my family
doctor said my enlarged prostate gland is enlarged from
hyperplasia. Are those two different words for the same
process?" Choose the best response.
A. Yes, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are the same process,
which happens when an organ needs to do more work or is
stimulated by hormones.
B. No, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are two different processes,
but they both can arise when an organ needs to do more work or
is stimulated by hormones.
C.Yes, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are the same process, but
hypertrophy occurs in muscle and hyperplasia occurs in glands.
D. No, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are two different processes,
but hypertrophy occurs more frequently in postmitotic tissues
and hyperplasia occurs in mitotic tissues. Correct Answers B.
No, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are two different processes, but
they both can arise when an organ needs to do more work or is
stimulated by hormones.
"I looked at my sore throat in the mirror and it is very red!" says
Mrs. Taylor. "What makes it so red?" Choose the best response.
A. Chemical messengers from your inflamed throat put out a
distress signal that calls for help, so it looks red.
B. The cells that line your throat are doing a healing process
called regeneration, so it looks red.
,C. Cells that line your capillaries have up-regulated their
adhesion molecules to attract phagocytes, so it looks red.
D. Your blood vessels in the area have relaxed to allow more
healing blood into the area, so it looks red. Correct Answers D.
Your blood vessels in the area have relaxed to allow more
healing blood into the area, so it looks red.
"I thought inflammation was the first part of tissue healing" says
a new nurse, "But my patient has chronic inflammation and her
open wound is not healing well at all". Other than chronic
inflammation lasting longer, is there any difference between
acute and chronic inflammation? Choose the best response.
A. Yes, in chronic inflammation, there are areas of new tissue
damage at the same time as areas of inflammation and
reconstruction.
B. No, we just call it chronic inflammation if the person is
immunosuppressed, but the processes occur in the same order.
C. Yes, in chronic inflammation, there is healing by secondary
intention, with areas of inflammation and areas of scar formation
at the same time.
D. No, all the processes are the same except they are slower in
chronic inflammation, so healing takes longer than expected.
Correct Answers A. Yes, in chronic inflammation, there are
areas of new tissue damage at the same time as areas of
inflammation and reconstruction.
"My 2-month-old baby is throwing up and has frequent
diarrhea," says Mr. Worry over the telephone. "I keep giving
him Pedialyte [oral electrolyte replacement solution] like you
, said, but I am worried that he will get dehydrated and I shall not
know it." Choose the best response.
A. Clinical dehydration is the combination of extracellular fluid
volume deficit and hypernatremia, so those are the diagnostic
criteria.
B. If he does not wet his diaper all afternoon and his neck veins
look flat when he is lying down, then he is probably dehydrated.
C. If he sleeps more than usual and acts tired when he is awake,
then he is probably dehydrated.
D. If the soft spot on the top of his head feels sunken in and his
mouth is dry between his cheek and his gums, then he is
probably dehydrated. Correct Answers D. If the soft spot on the
top of his head feels sunken in and his mouth is dry between his
cheek and his gums, then he is probably dehydrated.
"My doctor said I have a fat liver!" shouts Mr. Jabbe. "I would
like to punch him right in his mouth. He keeps nagging me too!"
Before you respond to Mr. Jabbe, you should consider what
pathophysiological process may be occurring and why Mr.
Jabbe might be so angry. Which is the most likely?
A. Fatty change from excessive alcohol use; the doctor may
have tried to discuss reducing his alcohol intake.
B. Fat necrosis from liver abscess (infection); the doctor may
have tried to discuss the need for an operation.
C. Liver hyperplasia from excessive drug metabolism; the
doctor may have tried to discuss illicit drug use.
D. Atrophied liver after damage from hepatitis; the doctor may
have tried to discuss the possibility of death. Correct Answers
Complete Solutions
"I do not understand!" says Mr. Lilly. "My cardiologist said my
left ventricle has enlarged due to hypertrophy, but my family
doctor said my enlarged prostate gland is enlarged from
hyperplasia. Are those two different words for the same
process?" Choose the best response.
A. Yes, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are the same process,
which happens when an organ needs to do more work or is
stimulated by hormones.
B. No, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are two different processes,
but they both can arise when an organ needs to do more work or
is stimulated by hormones.
C.Yes, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are the same process, but
hypertrophy occurs in muscle and hyperplasia occurs in glands.
D. No, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are two different processes,
but hypertrophy occurs more frequently in postmitotic tissues
and hyperplasia occurs in mitotic tissues. Correct Answers B.
No, hypertrophy and hyperplasia are two different processes, but
they both can arise when an organ needs to do more work or is
stimulated by hormones.
"I looked at my sore throat in the mirror and it is very red!" says
Mrs. Taylor. "What makes it so red?" Choose the best response.
A. Chemical messengers from your inflamed throat put out a
distress signal that calls for help, so it looks red.
B. The cells that line your throat are doing a healing process
called regeneration, so it looks red.
,C. Cells that line your capillaries have up-regulated their
adhesion molecules to attract phagocytes, so it looks red.
D. Your blood vessels in the area have relaxed to allow more
healing blood into the area, so it looks red. Correct Answers D.
Your blood vessels in the area have relaxed to allow more
healing blood into the area, so it looks red.
"I thought inflammation was the first part of tissue healing" says
a new nurse, "But my patient has chronic inflammation and her
open wound is not healing well at all". Other than chronic
inflammation lasting longer, is there any difference between
acute and chronic inflammation? Choose the best response.
A. Yes, in chronic inflammation, there are areas of new tissue
damage at the same time as areas of inflammation and
reconstruction.
B. No, we just call it chronic inflammation if the person is
immunosuppressed, but the processes occur in the same order.
C. Yes, in chronic inflammation, there is healing by secondary
intention, with areas of inflammation and areas of scar formation
at the same time.
D. No, all the processes are the same except they are slower in
chronic inflammation, so healing takes longer than expected.
Correct Answers A. Yes, in chronic inflammation, there are
areas of new tissue damage at the same time as areas of
inflammation and reconstruction.
"My 2-month-old baby is throwing up and has frequent
diarrhea," says Mr. Worry over the telephone. "I keep giving
him Pedialyte [oral electrolyte replacement solution] like you
, said, but I am worried that he will get dehydrated and I shall not
know it." Choose the best response.
A. Clinical dehydration is the combination of extracellular fluid
volume deficit and hypernatremia, so those are the diagnostic
criteria.
B. If he does not wet his diaper all afternoon and his neck veins
look flat when he is lying down, then he is probably dehydrated.
C. If he sleeps more than usual and acts tired when he is awake,
then he is probably dehydrated.
D. If the soft spot on the top of his head feels sunken in and his
mouth is dry between his cheek and his gums, then he is
probably dehydrated. Correct Answers D. If the soft spot on the
top of his head feels sunken in and his mouth is dry between his
cheek and his gums, then he is probably dehydrated.
"My doctor said I have a fat liver!" shouts Mr. Jabbe. "I would
like to punch him right in his mouth. He keeps nagging me too!"
Before you respond to Mr. Jabbe, you should consider what
pathophysiological process may be occurring and why Mr.
Jabbe might be so angry. Which is the most likely?
A. Fatty change from excessive alcohol use; the doctor may
have tried to discuss reducing his alcohol intake.
B. Fat necrosis from liver abscess (infection); the doctor may
have tried to discuss the need for an operation.
C. Liver hyperplasia from excessive drug metabolism; the
doctor may have tried to discuss illicit drug use.
D. Atrophied liver after damage from hepatitis; the doctor may
have tried to discuss the possibility of death. Correct Answers
