Page 1 of 51
CCDS PRACTICE EXAM NEWEST 2026 ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) ALL ANSWERED {80 Q & A} ALREADY
GRADED A+ | BRAND NEW! | 100% GUARANTEED PASS
Metabolic encephalopathy is:
A. Caused by trauma to the head
B. Treated by correcting the underlying condition
C. A minor comorbid condition
D. Usually the Pdx - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > B. Treated by correcting the
underlying condition
Rationale: Treating will vary depending on the identified
underlying cause...the only way to effectively treat
encephalopathy is to treat the etiology.
A CDI specialist has been tracking the CDI program for the past
year and notices a sudden decrease in the CMI for a single
month. Which of the following may explain this temporary
decrease?
A. An additional operating room was opened
B. A neurosurgery service line was opened
,Page 2 of 51
C. Most of the hospital's orthopedic surgeons were away at a
national conference that month
D. Physician response rates improved - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > C. Most
of the hospital's orthopedic surgeons were away at a national
conference that month
Rationale: There are many factors that can impact CMI, and
volume of cases is a significant contributor. Since surgical DRGs
typically carry a higher relative weight, CMI is impacted greatly
when a significant number of procedures are not reported as
would be the case when several surgeons are away at a
conference and not actively treating patients.
A pt is admitted w/ new-onset severe HA, visual changes,
difficulty swallowing and HTN. Clinically, which dx would best
explain these symptoms?
A. Arteriosclerosis
B. Cerebral edema 2nd lesion in brain
C. Acute renal failure
D. ALS - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > B. Cerebral edema 2nd lesion in brain
Rationale: Symptoms of a brain tumor can be general or specific.
A general symptom is caused by the pressure of the tumor on
the brain or spinal cord. Specific symptoms are caused when a
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specific part of the brain is not working well because of the
tumor.
An elderly pt w/ h/o COPD and HTN who uses home O2 is
admitted w/ c/o dyspnea, rapid shallow breathing, and O2 sat
84% on 2L O2. A NRB mask is applied, pt receives IV Solu-Medrol
and breathing tx. The physician documents in notes "respiratory
failure d/t COPD vs PNA". What is the most appropriate Pdx?
A. Dyspnea
B. PNA
C. COPD
D. Resp failure - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > D. Resp failure
Rationale: Per guidelines, A code from subcategory J96.0, Acute
resp failure, or subcategory J96.2, Acute & chronic respiratory
failure, may be assigned as a Pdx when it is the condition
established after study to be chiefly responsible for occasioning
the admission to the hospital. However, chapter specific coding
guidelines (such as OB, poisoning, HIV, newborn) that provide
sequencing direction take precedence.
And elderly pt w/ h/o COPD and HTN who uses home O2 is
admitted w/ c/o dyspnea, rapid shallow breathing and an O2 sat
84% on 2L O2. VS T 99, P 92, R 24, BP 178/92. NRB mask applied,
pt receives IV Solu-Medrol and breathing tx. The physician
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documents in notes, "acute resp failure d/t COPD vs PNA". What
concurrent query should have been presented to the physician?
A. Whether the physician was treating acute exacerbation of
COPD
B. Acuity of resp failure
C. Underlying cause of PNA
D. Whether physician was treating malignant HTN - ✔✔✔ Correct
Answer > A. Whether the physician was treating acute exacerbation
of COPD
Rationale: Decompensated resp function as compared to the pt's
baseline (already on home O2) indicates an acute exacerbation of
the pt's baseline chronic condition.
A pt is being treated w/ cefoxitin for PNA. What type of PNA is
most likely being treated?
A. Bacterial
B. Fungal
C. Aspiration
D. Parasitic - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > A. Bacterial
Rationale: Cefoxitin is a semi-synthetic, broad-spectrum cepha
abx for IV admin, commonly used in bacterial infections.
CCDS PRACTICE EXAM NEWEST 2026 ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) ALL ANSWERED {80 Q & A} ALREADY
GRADED A+ | BRAND NEW! | 100% GUARANTEED PASS
Metabolic encephalopathy is:
A. Caused by trauma to the head
B. Treated by correcting the underlying condition
C. A minor comorbid condition
D. Usually the Pdx - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > B. Treated by correcting the
underlying condition
Rationale: Treating will vary depending on the identified
underlying cause...the only way to effectively treat
encephalopathy is to treat the etiology.
A CDI specialist has been tracking the CDI program for the past
year and notices a sudden decrease in the CMI for a single
month. Which of the following may explain this temporary
decrease?
A. An additional operating room was opened
B. A neurosurgery service line was opened
,Page 2 of 51
C. Most of the hospital's orthopedic surgeons were away at a
national conference that month
D. Physician response rates improved - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > C. Most
of the hospital's orthopedic surgeons were away at a national
conference that month
Rationale: There are many factors that can impact CMI, and
volume of cases is a significant contributor. Since surgical DRGs
typically carry a higher relative weight, CMI is impacted greatly
when a significant number of procedures are not reported as
would be the case when several surgeons are away at a
conference and not actively treating patients.
A pt is admitted w/ new-onset severe HA, visual changes,
difficulty swallowing and HTN. Clinically, which dx would best
explain these symptoms?
A. Arteriosclerosis
B. Cerebral edema 2nd lesion in brain
C. Acute renal failure
D. ALS - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > B. Cerebral edema 2nd lesion in brain
Rationale: Symptoms of a brain tumor can be general or specific.
A general symptom is caused by the pressure of the tumor on
the brain or spinal cord. Specific symptoms are caused when a
,Page 3 of 51
specific part of the brain is not working well because of the
tumor.
An elderly pt w/ h/o COPD and HTN who uses home O2 is
admitted w/ c/o dyspnea, rapid shallow breathing, and O2 sat
84% on 2L O2. A NRB mask is applied, pt receives IV Solu-Medrol
and breathing tx. The physician documents in notes "respiratory
failure d/t COPD vs PNA". What is the most appropriate Pdx?
A. Dyspnea
B. PNA
C. COPD
D. Resp failure - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > D. Resp failure
Rationale: Per guidelines, A code from subcategory J96.0, Acute
resp failure, or subcategory J96.2, Acute & chronic respiratory
failure, may be assigned as a Pdx when it is the condition
established after study to be chiefly responsible for occasioning
the admission to the hospital. However, chapter specific coding
guidelines (such as OB, poisoning, HIV, newborn) that provide
sequencing direction take precedence.
And elderly pt w/ h/o COPD and HTN who uses home O2 is
admitted w/ c/o dyspnea, rapid shallow breathing and an O2 sat
84% on 2L O2. VS T 99, P 92, R 24, BP 178/92. NRB mask applied,
pt receives IV Solu-Medrol and breathing tx. The physician
, Page 4 of 51
documents in notes, "acute resp failure d/t COPD vs PNA". What
concurrent query should have been presented to the physician?
A. Whether the physician was treating acute exacerbation of
COPD
B. Acuity of resp failure
C. Underlying cause of PNA
D. Whether physician was treating malignant HTN - ✔✔✔ Correct
Answer > A. Whether the physician was treating acute exacerbation
of COPD
Rationale: Decompensated resp function as compared to the pt's
baseline (already on home O2) indicates an acute exacerbation of
the pt's baseline chronic condition.
A pt is being treated w/ cefoxitin for PNA. What type of PNA is
most likely being treated?
A. Bacterial
B. Fungal
C. Aspiration
D. Parasitic - ✔✔✔ Correct Answer > A. Bacterial
Rationale: Cefoxitin is a semi-synthetic, broad-spectrum cepha
abx for IV admin, commonly used in bacterial infections.
