1
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY HESI Verified Questions
and Answers with Rationales Graded A+
Guaranteed Pass Updated Version
1) Which statement is true regarding hiatal hernia?
a. A mixed hernia is the most common type.
b. The least common type is a paraesophageal hernia.
c. Paraesophageal hernia is herniation of the greater curvature of the stomach.
d. A sliding hernia is triggered by standing and frequent meals.
Answer: C
There are three types of hiatal hernia: sliding, paraesophageal, and mixed; however, mixed is
less common. Sliding is the most common and reverses with standing. It moves into the
thoracic cavity with sitting, bending, tight clothing, ascites, and obesity. A Paraesophageal
hernia is caused by herniation of the greater curvature of the stomach through a second
opening in the diaphragm.
2) Which of the following is a TRUE statement regarding ulcerative colitis?
a. It extends throughout the entire GI tract.
b. It generally appears in childhood.
c. Women are more affected than men
d. Bloody, purulent diarrhea is a common symptom.
Answer: D
Frequent diarrhea, with passage of small amounts of blood and purulent mucus, is common.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition and has equal prevalence in women and
men. The lesions usually begin appearing between 20 and 40 years of age and are located
from the rectum to the colon proximally.
,2
3) Which stage of hepatitis is characterized by jaundice, fatigue, anorexia, nausea, and
vomiting?
a. Prodromal phase
b. Icteric phase
c. Recovery phase
d. Chronic active hepatitis
Answer: A
The prodromal phase begins about 2 weeks after exposure and includes the symptoms
described. The icteric phase begins 1-2 weeks after the prodromal phase and includes
jaundice, dark urine, clay-colored stools, and hepatomegaly. The recovery phase begins with
resolution of jaundice and other symptoms. Chronic active hepatitis is persistence of clinical
manifestations and liver inflammation after acute infection.
4) Which of the following is a TRUE statement regarding Crohn disease?
a. It involves the mucosa only.
b. Skip lesions are common.
c. It affects only the rectum.
d. The most common site is the rectum.
2
,3
Answer: B
Crohn disease affects the entire GI tract and can affect all layers of the mucosa and serosa.
Skip lesions are common, meaning the disease is not continuous; it skips parts of the colon.
The most common area for the disease is the ileocolon.
5) The poor absorption of vitamin A can result in:
a. osteoporosis.
b. neurologic deficiencies
c. night blindness.
d. petechiae.
Answer: C
A deficiency in vitamin A can result in night blindness. Vitamin D is involved in osteoporosis,
vitamin E in neurologic development, and vitamin K in petechiae formation.
6) A patient experiences abdominal pain that is very localized and intense. Which type of pain
does this describe?
a. Parietal.
b. Visceral
c. Referred
d. Phantom
Answer: A
Parietal pain arises from the parietal peritoneum and is more localized and intense than
visceral pain. Visceral pain is often poorly localized and dull and arises from the organs
themselves. Referred pain is well-localized visceral pain felt at some distance from a diseased
or an affected organ. Phantom pain does not refer to abdominal pain. It is felt after the loss of
a limb.
3
, 4
7) H. pylori is discovered in the GI tract of a client experiencing an inflammation of the gastric
mucosa. Which findings support this diagnosis?
a. Chronic diarrhea
b. Paralytic ileus
c. Chronic antral gastritis
d. Pyloric obstruction
Answer: C
Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with chronic antral gastritis. The other options are
not related to this organism.
8) A patient experiences increased mucosal discharge of chloride- or bicarbonate-rich fluid.
Which of the following types of diarrhea is this?
a. Osmotic
b. Secretory
c. Motility
d. Parasitic
Answer: B
Secretory diarrhea is a form of large-volume diarrhea caused by excessive mucosal secretion
of chloride- or bicarbonate-rich fluid or inhibition of net sodium absorption. Osmotic diarrhea
is due to a nonabsorbable substance in the intestine that draws water into the lumen by
osmosis; an example is lactase deficiency. Motility diarrhea is caused by resection of the small
intestine. This is often found after bypass surgery (bariatric). Parasitic diarrhea is caused by
parasites in the gastrointenstinal (GI) tract.
9) Which extraintestinal manifestations are found in ulcerative colitis? (select all that apply)
a. Gallstones
b. Uveitis
c. Polyarthritis
d. Cutaneous lesions
e. Liver disorders
+ TEST BANK 4
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY HESI Verified Questions
and Answers with Rationales Graded A+
Guaranteed Pass Updated Version
1) Which statement is true regarding hiatal hernia?
a. A mixed hernia is the most common type.
b. The least common type is a paraesophageal hernia.
c. Paraesophageal hernia is herniation of the greater curvature of the stomach.
d. A sliding hernia is triggered by standing and frequent meals.
Answer: C
There are three types of hiatal hernia: sliding, paraesophageal, and mixed; however, mixed is
less common. Sliding is the most common and reverses with standing. It moves into the
thoracic cavity with sitting, bending, tight clothing, ascites, and obesity. A Paraesophageal
hernia is caused by herniation of the greater curvature of the stomach through a second
opening in the diaphragm.
2) Which of the following is a TRUE statement regarding ulcerative colitis?
a. It extends throughout the entire GI tract.
b. It generally appears in childhood.
c. Women are more affected than men
d. Bloody, purulent diarrhea is a common symptom.
Answer: D
Frequent diarrhea, with passage of small amounts of blood and purulent mucus, is common.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition and has equal prevalence in women and
men. The lesions usually begin appearing between 20 and 40 years of age and are located
from the rectum to the colon proximally.
,2
3) Which stage of hepatitis is characterized by jaundice, fatigue, anorexia, nausea, and
vomiting?
a. Prodromal phase
b. Icteric phase
c. Recovery phase
d. Chronic active hepatitis
Answer: A
The prodromal phase begins about 2 weeks after exposure and includes the symptoms
described. The icteric phase begins 1-2 weeks after the prodromal phase and includes
jaundice, dark urine, clay-colored stools, and hepatomegaly. The recovery phase begins with
resolution of jaundice and other symptoms. Chronic active hepatitis is persistence of clinical
manifestations and liver inflammation after acute infection.
4) Which of the following is a TRUE statement regarding Crohn disease?
a. It involves the mucosa only.
b. Skip lesions are common.
c. It affects only the rectum.
d. The most common site is the rectum.
2
,3
Answer: B
Crohn disease affects the entire GI tract and can affect all layers of the mucosa and serosa.
Skip lesions are common, meaning the disease is not continuous; it skips parts of the colon.
The most common area for the disease is the ileocolon.
5) The poor absorption of vitamin A can result in:
a. osteoporosis.
b. neurologic deficiencies
c. night blindness.
d. petechiae.
Answer: C
A deficiency in vitamin A can result in night blindness. Vitamin D is involved in osteoporosis,
vitamin E in neurologic development, and vitamin K in petechiae formation.
6) A patient experiences abdominal pain that is very localized and intense. Which type of pain
does this describe?
a. Parietal.
b. Visceral
c. Referred
d. Phantom
Answer: A
Parietal pain arises from the parietal peritoneum and is more localized and intense than
visceral pain. Visceral pain is often poorly localized and dull and arises from the organs
themselves. Referred pain is well-localized visceral pain felt at some distance from a diseased
or an affected organ. Phantom pain does not refer to abdominal pain. It is felt after the loss of
a limb.
3
, 4
7) H. pylori is discovered in the GI tract of a client experiencing an inflammation of the gastric
mucosa. Which findings support this diagnosis?
a. Chronic diarrhea
b. Paralytic ileus
c. Chronic antral gastritis
d. Pyloric obstruction
Answer: C
Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with chronic antral gastritis. The other options are
not related to this organism.
8) A patient experiences increased mucosal discharge of chloride- or bicarbonate-rich fluid.
Which of the following types of diarrhea is this?
a. Osmotic
b. Secretory
c. Motility
d. Parasitic
Answer: B
Secretory diarrhea is a form of large-volume diarrhea caused by excessive mucosal secretion
of chloride- or bicarbonate-rich fluid or inhibition of net sodium absorption. Osmotic diarrhea
is due to a nonabsorbable substance in the intestine that draws water into the lumen by
osmosis; an example is lactase deficiency. Motility diarrhea is caused by resection of the small
intestine. This is often found after bypass surgery (bariatric). Parasitic diarrhea is caused by
parasites in the gastrointenstinal (GI) tract.
9) Which extraintestinal manifestations are found in ulcerative colitis? (select all that apply)
a. Gallstones
b. Uveitis
c. Polyarthritis
d. Cutaneous lesions
e. Liver disorders
+ TEST BANK 4
