Exam #2 Pathophysiology Test Bank
Ques ons and Answers 2026 – Real
Prac ce to Help You Pass
33 pages
In which of the following pa ent situa ons would a physician be most jus fied in preliminarily
ruling out pericardi s as a contribu ng pathology to the pa ent's health problems? -
ANSWER A 77-year-old with diminished S3 and S4 heart tones, irregular heart rate and
history of a-fib
Following cardiac surgery, the nurse suspects the pa ent may be developing a cardiac
tamponade. Which of the following clinical manifesta ons would support this diagnosis? -
ANSWER Muffled heart tones, narrowed pulse pressure and low BP 84/60
Cardiac tamponade results in increased intracardiac pressure, progressive limita on of
ventricular diastolic filling and decrease SV and CO
Which of the following phenomena would be most likely to accompany increased myocardial
oxygen demand? - ANSWER Increased aor c pressure
Results in rise in a erload, wall tension, ul mately MVO2
Which of the following teaching points would be most appropriate for a group of older adults
who are concerned about their cardiac health? - ANSWER The plaque that builds up in
your heart vessels obstructs the normal flow of blood and can even break loose and lodge itself
in a vessel
,Stable plaque is associated with obstruc on of blood flow, while unstable plaque may dislodge
and result in thrombus forma on
Four pa ents were admi ed to the emergency department with severe chest pain. All were
given preliminary treatment with aspirin, morphine, oxygen, and nitrates and were monitored
by ECG. Which pa ent most likely experienced myocardial infarc on? - ANSWER An 80-
year-old woman whose pain started at 6am shortly a er awakening and was not relieved by
nitrates or rest; the ECG showed St-segment eleva on with inverted T waves and abnormal Q
waves; levels of cardiac markers subsequently rose
The chest pain of MI does not respond to rest or nitrates
Which of the following statements provides blood work results and ra onale that would be
most closely associated with acute coronary syndrome? - ANSWER Elevated crea nine
kinase and troponin, both of which normally exist intracellularly rather than in circula on
Myocardial necrosis releases crea nine kinase and troponin that normally exist intracellularly
A number of clients have presented to the emergency department in the last 32 hours with
complaints that preliminarily indica ve of MI, which of the following clients is least likely to
have a STEMI? - ANSWER A 71-year-old man who has most skin, fever and chest pain that
is excrucia ng when he moves but relieved when at rest
STEMI pain not normally relieved by rest, nor would fever be a common symptom
Following a STEMI, the nurse should be assessing the pt for which of the following
complica ons? - ANSWER Large amount of pink, frothy sputum and new onset of murmur
,A 78-year-old man has been experiencing nocturnal chest pain over the last several months, and
his family physician diagnosed him with variant angina. Which of the following teaching points
should the physician include in his explana on of the man's new diagnosis? - ANSWER I'm
going to start you on a low-dose aspirin, and it will help greatly if you can lose weight and keep
exercising.
An IV drug abuser walks into the ED telling the nurse that, "he is sick". He looks feverish with
flushed, moist skin; dehydrated with dry lips/mucous membranes; and fa gued. The
assessment reveals a loud murmur. An echo was ordered that shows large vegeta on growing
on his mitral valve. The pa ent is admi ed to the ICU. The nurse will be assessing this pa ent
for which possible life-threatening complica ons? - ANSWER Systemic emboli, especially
to the brain
Systemic emboli develop and break off the mitral valve and travel into the vascular system
A 34-year-old man who is an IV drug user has presented to the ED with malaise, abdominal pain
& lethargy. The health care team wants to rule out endocardi s as a diagnosis. Staff of the
department would most realis cally an cipate which of the following sets of diagnos cs? -
ANSWER Echo, blood cx and temperature.
Echo helps visualize the heart, while blood cx would confirm presence or absence of
microorganisms in the circula on, and temperature would gauge presence of infec on.
A 66-year-old obese man with diagnoses of ischemic heart disease has been diagnosed with
heart failure that his care team has characterized as a ributable to systolic dysfunc on. Which
of the following assessment findings is inconsistent with his diagnosis? -
ANSWER Ventricular dila on and wall tension are significantly lower than normal.
A nurse will be providing care for a female pa ent who has diagnosis of heart failure that has
been characterized as being primarily right sided. Which of the following statements best
describes the presenta on that the nurse should an cipate? The client - ANSWER has
, pi ng edema to the ankles and feet bilaterally, decreased ac vity tolerance, and occasional
right upper quadrant pain.
The nurse working in the ICU knows that chronic eleva on of le ventricular end-diastolic
pressure will result in the pa ent displaying which of the following clinical manifesta ons? -
ANSWER Dyspnea and crackles in BL lung bases
Although it may preserve the res ng cardiac output, the resul ng chronic eleva on of le
ventricular end-diastolic pressure is transmi ed to the atria and the pulmonary circula on,
causing pulmonary conges on.
A 77-year-old pa ent with a history of coronary artery disease and heart failure has arrived in
the ER with a rapid heart rate and feeling of "impending doom". Based on pathophysiologic
principles, the nurse knows the rapid heart rate could - ANSWER be a result of
catecholamines released from SNS that could increase the myocardial oxygen demand
A increase in sympathe c ac vity by s mula on of the B-adrenergic receptors of the heart
leads to tachycardia, vasoconstric on, and arrhythmia.
A nurse educator in a geriatric medicine unit of a hospital is teaching a group of new graduates
specific assessment criteria related to heart failure. Which of the following criteria should the
nurses priori ze in their prac ce? - ANSWER Measurement of urine output and mental
status assessment
Both increased and decreased urine output can be markers of heart failure, as can changes in
mental status not a ributable to other factors
Mr. V has been admi ed for exacerba on of his chronic heart failure (HF). When the nurse
walks into the room, he is si ng on the edge of the bed, gasping for air, and his lips are dusty
blue. Vital signs reveal heart rate of 112, respiratory rate of 36, and pulse oximeter reading of
Ques ons and Answers 2026 – Real
Prac ce to Help You Pass
33 pages
In which of the following pa ent situa ons would a physician be most jus fied in preliminarily
ruling out pericardi s as a contribu ng pathology to the pa ent's health problems? -
ANSWER A 77-year-old with diminished S3 and S4 heart tones, irregular heart rate and
history of a-fib
Following cardiac surgery, the nurse suspects the pa ent may be developing a cardiac
tamponade. Which of the following clinical manifesta ons would support this diagnosis? -
ANSWER Muffled heart tones, narrowed pulse pressure and low BP 84/60
Cardiac tamponade results in increased intracardiac pressure, progressive limita on of
ventricular diastolic filling and decrease SV and CO
Which of the following phenomena would be most likely to accompany increased myocardial
oxygen demand? - ANSWER Increased aor c pressure
Results in rise in a erload, wall tension, ul mately MVO2
Which of the following teaching points would be most appropriate for a group of older adults
who are concerned about their cardiac health? - ANSWER The plaque that builds up in
your heart vessels obstructs the normal flow of blood and can even break loose and lodge itself
in a vessel
,Stable plaque is associated with obstruc on of blood flow, while unstable plaque may dislodge
and result in thrombus forma on
Four pa ents were admi ed to the emergency department with severe chest pain. All were
given preliminary treatment with aspirin, morphine, oxygen, and nitrates and were monitored
by ECG. Which pa ent most likely experienced myocardial infarc on? - ANSWER An 80-
year-old woman whose pain started at 6am shortly a er awakening and was not relieved by
nitrates or rest; the ECG showed St-segment eleva on with inverted T waves and abnormal Q
waves; levels of cardiac markers subsequently rose
The chest pain of MI does not respond to rest or nitrates
Which of the following statements provides blood work results and ra onale that would be
most closely associated with acute coronary syndrome? - ANSWER Elevated crea nine
kinase and troponin, both of which normally exist intracellularly rather than in circula on
Myocardial necrosis releases crea nine kinase and troponin that normally exist intracellularly
A number of clients have presented to the emergency department in the last 32 hours with
complaints that preliminarily indica ve of MI, which of the following clients is least likely to
have a STEMI? - ANSWER A 71-year-old man who has most skin, fever and chest pain that
is excrucia ng when he moves but relieved when at rest
STEMI pain not normally relieved by rest, nor would fever be a common symptom
Following a STEMI, the nurse should be assessing the pt for which of the following
complica ons? - ANSWER Large amount of pink, frothy sputum and new onset of murmur
,A 78-year-old man has been experiencing nocturnal chest pain over the last several months, and
his family physician diagnosed him with variant angina. Which of the following teaching points
should the physician include in his explana on of the man's new diagnosis? - ANSWER I'm
going to start you on a low-dose aspirin, and it will help greatly if you can lose weight and keep
exercising.
An IV drug abuser walks into the ED telling the nurse that, "he is sick". He looks feverish with
flushed, moist skin; dehydrated with dry lips/mucous membranes; and fa gued. The
assessment reveals a loud murmur. An echo was ordered that shows large vegeta on growing
on his mitral valve. The pa ent is admi ed to the ICU. The nurse will be assessing this pa ent
for which possible life-threatening complica ons? - ANSWER Systemic emboli, especially
to the brain
Systemic emboli develop and break off the mitral valve and travel into the vascular system
A 34-year-old man who is an IV drug user has presented to the ED with malaise, abdominal pain
& lethargy. The health care team wants to rule out endocardi s as a diagnosis. Staff of the
department would most realis cally an cipate which of the following sets of diagnos cs? -
ANSWER Echo, blood cx and temperature.
Echo helps visualize the heart, while blood cx would confirm presence or absence of
microorganisms in the circula on, and temperature would gauge presence of infec on.
A 66-year-old obese man with diagnoses of ischemic heart disease has been diagnosed with
heart failure that his care team has characterized as a ributable to systolic dysfunc on. Which
of the following assessment findings is inconsistent with his diagnosis? -
ANSWER Ventricular dila on and wall tension are significantly lower than normal.
A nurse will be providing care for a female pa ent who has diagnosis of heart failure that has
been characterized as being primarily right sided. Which of the following statements best
describes the presenta on that the nurse should an cipate? The client - ANSWER has
, pi ng edema to the ankles and feet bilaterally, decreased ac vity tolerance, and occasional
right upper quadrant pain.
The nurse working in the ICU knows that chronic eleva on of le ventricular end-diastolic
pressure will result in the pa ent displaying which of the following clinical manifesta ons? -
ANSWER Dyspnea and crackles in BL lung bases
Although it may preserve the res ng cardiac output, the resul ng chronic eleva on of le
ventricular end-diastolic pressure is transmi ed to the atria and the pulmonary circula on,
causing pulmonary conges on.
A 77-year-old pa ent with a history of coronary artery disease and heart failure has arrived in
the ER with a rapid heart rate and feeling of "impending doom". Based on pathophysiologic
principles, the nurse knows the rapid heart rate could - ANSWER be a result of
catecholamines released from SNS that could increase the myocardial oxygen demand
A increase in sympathe c ac vity by s mula on of the B-adrenergic receptors of the heart
leads to tachycardia, vasoconstric on, and arrhythmia.
A nurse educator in a geriatric medicine unit of a hospital is teaching a group of new graduates
specific assessment criteria related to heart failure. Which of the following criteria should the
nurses priori ze in their prac ce? - ANSWER Measurement of urine output and mental
status assessment
Both increased and decreased urine output can be markers of heart failure, as can changes in
mental status not a ributable to other factors
Mr. V has been admi ed for exacerba on of his chronic heart failure (HF). When the nurse
walks into the room, he is si ng on the edge of the bed, gasping for air, and his lips are dusty
blue. Vital signs reveal heart rate of 112, respiratory rate of 36, and pulse oximeter reading of
