WGU D236: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY PA
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A patient with chronic hypertension developed enlargement of the left ventricle of the
heart.
What is the maladaptive cellular change that occurred in this patient? - ANSWER -
Pathological hypertrophy
Two parents take genetic tests for sickle cell disease. Both parents are heterozygous.
What are all the possible outcomes for their children? - ANSWER -Heterozygous,
homozygous normal, or homozygous sickle
A six month old baby is diagnosed with Tay Sachs disease.
Which developmental disruptions are associated with this disorder? - ANSWER -
Lethargy, muscle flaccidity, motor coordination impairment, and increasing cognitive
impairment.
Which fracture type is it when there is more than one fracture line, and more than two
bone fragments are shattered or crushed? - ANSWER -Comminuted
What are two characteristics of osteoarthritis as opposed to rheumatoid arthritis?
2 answers - ANSWER -The pathophysiology includes joint swelling and osteophyte
formation.
The most commonly affected joints are the knee, hip, hand, and proximal
interphalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints.
A healthcare professional examines a patient with a slow growing, small, dome shaped
bump on the nose. The lesion is shiny, translucent, and pearly in appearance.
Which type of lesion should this healthcare professional be concerned about? -
ANSWER -Basal cell carcinoma
The record of a 35 year old woman contains the following information:
Presentation: Sudden, transient motor and sensory disturbances, impaired vision,
muscle weakness, and balance problems.
Diagnostic work up including neurological exam, CT, MRI, and CSF analysis.
The patient's diagnosis is a chronic, autoimmune, progressive, and irreversible disease
characterized by the destruction of the myelin sheath.
Which condition does this patient have? - ANSWER -Multiple sclerosis
A patient presents with ringing in the ears, vomiting, and a severe headache after
playing football and taking a hard tackle. A CT scan shows that blood had accumulated
in the surrounding brain tissue.
Which diagnosis is described? - ANSWER -Cerebral contusion
, What is the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis? - ANSWER -Damage to the myelin of
the peripheral nervous system.
What happens to the various anion levels in the bloodstream during diabetic
ketoacidosis? - ANSWER -The anion gap level increases, whereas the HCO3- level
decreases.
How do the kidneys compensate for alkalosis! - ANSWER -By retaining more H+ and
excreting more HCO3-
What is one cause of edema? - ANSWER -Diminished osmotic force created by low
numbers of solutes in the bloodstream.
What are two causes of metabolic acidosis due to increased noncarbonic acids?
2 answers. - ANSWER -Diabetic ketoacidosis
Lactic acidosis
A health informatics professional is conducting a documentation review of records at the
request of the Infection Control Department. The professional is tasked with flagging
records of patients with diseases spread by respiratory secretions.
What are two diseases that this HIM professional should flag? 2 answers. - ANSWER -
Varicella
Influenza
What should a healthcare provider recognize as part of a patient's adaptive immune
response to an influenza virus? - ANSWER -Generation of immunoglobulin M (IgM)
Which apparent electrolyte imbalance may result from untreated acidosis? - ANSWER -
Hyperkalemia
What describes an antimicrobial peptide? - ANSWER -A chain of amino acids produced
by cells in response to pathogenic exposure.
What are two characteristics of a transient ischemic attack?
2 answers - ANSWER -Focal deficits resolve in less than 24 hours.
Symptoms last for minutes to hours.
What is a cerebrovascular accident marked by a blockage of blood flow due to a rupture
in a cerebral vessel? - ANSWER -Hemorrhagic stroke
Which two risk factors are associated with hypertension?
2 answers - ANSWER -Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus
What are two predisposing factors to deep venous thromboembolism?
2 answers - ANSWER -Hyper-coagulability
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A patient with chronic hypertension developed enlargement of the left ventricle of the
heart.
What is the maladaptive cellular change that occurred in this patient? - ANSWER -
Pathological hypertrophy
Two parents take genetic tests for sickle cell disease. Both parents are heterozygous.
What are all the possible outcomes for their children? - ANSWER -Heterozygous,
homozygous normal, or homozygous sickle
A six month old baby is diagnosed with Tay Sachs disease.
Which developmental disruptions are associated with this disorder? - ANSWER -
Lethargy, muscle flaccidity, motor coordination impairment, and increasing cognitive
impairment.
Which fracture type is it when there is more than one fracture line, and more than two
bone fragments are shattered or crushed? - ANSWER -Comminuted
What are two characteristics of osteoarthritis as opposed to rheumatoid arthritis?
2 answers - ANSWER -The pathophysiology includes joint swelling and osteophyte
formation.
The most commonly affected joints are the knee, hip, hand, and proximal
interphalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints.
A healthcare professional examines a patient with a slow growing, small, dome shaped
bump on the nose. The lesion is shiny, translucent, and pearly in appearance.
Which type of lesion should this healthcare professional be concerned about? -
ANSWER -Basal cell carcinoma
The record of a 35 year old woman contains the following information:
Presentation: Sudden, transient motor and sensory disturbances, impaired vision,
muscle weakness, and balance problems.
Diagnostic work up including neurological exam, CT, MRI, and CSF analysis.
The patient's diagnosis is a chronic, autoimmune, progressive, and irreversible disease
characterized by the destruction of the myelin sheath.
Which condition does this patient have? - ANSWER -Multiple sclerosis
A patient presents with ringing in the ears, vomiting, and a severe headache after
playing football and taking a hard tackle. A CT scan shows that blood had accumulated
in the surrounding brain tissue.
Which diagnosis is described? - ANSWER -Cerebral contusion
, What is the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis? - ANSWER -Damage to the myelin of
the peripheral nervous system.
What happens to the various anion levels in the bloodstream during diabetic
ketoacidosis? - ANSWER -The anion gap level increases, whereas the HCO3- level
decreases.
How do the kidneys compensate for alkalosis! - ANSWER -By retaining more H+ and
excreting more HCO3-
What is one cause of edema? - ANSWER -Diminished osmotic force created by low
numbers of solutes in the bloodstream.
What are two causes of metabolic acidosis due to increased noncarbonic acids?
2 answers. - ANSWER -Diabetic ketoacidosis
Lactic acidosis
A health informatics professional is conducting a documentation review of records at the
request of the Infection Control Department. The professional is tasked with flagging
records of patients with diseases spread by respiratory secretions.
What are two diseases that this HIM professional should flag? 2 answers. - ANSWER -
Varicella
Influenza
What should a healthcare provider recognize as part of a patient's adaptive immune
response to an influenza virus? - ANSWER -Generation of immunoglobulin M (IgM)
Which apparent electrolyte imbalance may result from untreated acidosis? - ANSWER -
Hyperkalemia
What describes an antimicrobial peptide? - ANSWER -A chain of amino acids produced
by cells in response to pathogenic exposure.
What are two characteristics of a transient ischemic attack?
2 answers - ANSWER -Focal deficits resolve in less than 24 hours.
Symptoms last for minutes to hours.
What is a cerebrovascular accident marked by a blockage of blood flow due to a rupture
in a cerebral vessel? - ANSWER -Hemorrhagic stroke
Which two risk factors are associated with hypertension?
2 answers - ANSWER -Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus
What are two predisposing factors to deep venous thromboembolism?
2 answers - ANSWER -Hyper-coagulability
