RASMUSSEN PATHOPHYSIOLOGY 2
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ A female arrives at the clinic complaining of bleeding between menstrual
periods. The nurse identifies this as?.
Answer: Metrorrhagia
◍ What is a hypotonic solution?.
Answer: the solution has a lower solute concentration than the cell so water
moves into the cell causing plant cells to swell and animal cells to swell and
burst
◍ What are the risk factors for developing chronic renal failure?.
Answer: too much Nsaids, chronic kidney disease; diabetes type 1;
hypertension
◍ What is sensible water loss?.
Answer: water loss through typical routes like urination or defication
◍ what hormones depleat potassium levels?.
Answer: Alderstrone. too much causes a loss of potassium and retain
sodium.
◍ atopic dermatitis.
Answer: Excess inflammation; dry skin, redness, and itching from allergies
and irritants. (eczema)
◍ What is the sign of acute prostatitis?.
Answer: tender prostate
◍ causes of edema.
Answer: increased capillary hydrostatic pressure, loss of plasma proteins,
, obstruction of lymphatic circulation, increased capillary permeability
◍ Bicarbonate value normal range (second most abundant anion in blood).
Answer: 23-30 mEq/L
◍ What would you monitor while removing fluid during dialysis?.
Answer: BP
◍ What is dysphasia?.
Answer: difficulty swallowing
◍ What are the three p's in diabetes?.
Answer: polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia
◍ What is the cause of increased glomerular filtration rate?.
Answer: increase in the glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure
◍ What are complications of hydronephrosis?.
Answer: ischemia and necrosis; swelling and build-up of fluid in the kidney;
back flow, swelling pressure
◍ Primary hypothyroidism levels.
Answer: low T4, high TSH
◍ What is overflow incontinence?.
Answer: Leakage due to inability of the bladder to empty itself correctly
(thus causing bladder to fill up to max capacity) caused by a urethral
blockage
◍ Causes of extracellular fluid deficits.
Answer: loss of total body sodium-Vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating,
burns, diuretics or kidney failure.
◍ What is indicative of primary hypothyroidism?.
Answer: High TSH and Low T3/T4
◍ Steps of carcinogenesis.
Answer: 1. Initiation (DNA damage/mutation)2. Promotion
(proliferation/growth promoters)3. Progression (development of cancerous
, phenotype)
◍ passive immunity.
Answer: Transfer of performed antibodies against a specific antigen from
protected or immunized individual to an unprotected or non-immunized
individual
◍ Hyponatremia causes and treatment.
Answer: causes: Diuretic use, excessive sweating, NPO for too long,
excessive consumption of water/beer/other hypertonic fluidsTreatment: if
caused by diuretics, doses of those drugs will need to be changes or
discontinued
◍ Magnesium value normal range.
Answer: 1.5-2.5 mEq/L
◍ Examples of passive immunity.
Answer: IgA in breast milk, maternal IgG crossing placenta, antitoxin,
serotherapy (direct injection of antibodies)
◍ What are the causes of hypothyroidism?.
Answer: Hashimoto's disease: most common when the immune system
attacks the thyroid cells - after surgical or radioactive treatment for
hyperthyroidism - head or neck radiation for cancer - iodine deficiency
◍ alarm stage.
Answer: fight or flight responsereduced resistance to stressorsrelease
catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) and adrenocortical
steroids (cortisol and aldostrone)
◍ Hyponatremia S/S.
Answer: hyperactive bowel sounds, Weakness, Lethargy, Confusion, Muscle
cramps, Twitching, Seizures, Coma, Death
◍ What are the clinical manifestations of hypothyroidism?.
Answer: myxedema, fatigue, cold sensitivity, constipation, weight gain
◍ What causes acromegaly?.
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ A female arrives at the clinic complaining of bleeding between menstrual
periods. The nurse identifies this as?.
Answer: Metrorrhagia
◍ What is a hypotonic solution?.
Answer: the solution has a lower solute concentration than the cell so water
moves into the cell causing plant cells to swell and animal cells to swell and
burst
◍ What are the risk factors for developing chronic renal failure?.
Answer: too much Nsaids, chronic kidney disease; diabetes type 1;
hypertension
◍ What is sensible water loss?.
Answer: water loss through typical routes like urination or defication
◍ what hormones depleat potassium levels?.
Answer: Alderstrone. too much causes a loss of potassium and retain
sodium.
◍ atopic dermatitis.
Answer: Excess inflammation; dry skin, redness, and itching from allergies
and irritants. (eczema)
◍ What is the sign of acute prostatitis?.
Answer: tender prostate
◍ causes of edema.
Answer: increased capillary hydrostatic pressure, loss of plasma proteins,
, obstruction of lymphatic circulation, increased capillary permeability
◍ Bicarbonate value normal range (second most abundant anion in blood).
Answer: 23-30 mEq/L
◍ What would you monitor while removing fluid during dialysis?.
Answer: BP
◍ What is dysphasia?.
Answer: difficulty swallowing
◍ What are the three p's in diabetes?.
Answer: polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia
◍ What is the cause of increased glomerular filtration rate?.
Answer: increase in the glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure
◍ What are complications of hydronephrosis?.
Answer: ischemia and necrosis; swelling and build-up of fluid in the kidney;
back flow, swelling pressure
◍ Primary hypothyroidism levels.
Answer: low T4, high TSH
◍ What is overflow incontinence?.
Answer: Leakage due to inability of the bladder to empty itself correctly
(thus causing bladder to fill up to max capacity) caused by a urethral
blockage
◍ Causes of extracellular fluid deficits.
Answer: loss of total body sodium-Vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating,
burns, diuretics or kidney failure.
◍ What is indicative of primary hypothyroidism?.
Answer: High TSH and Low T3/T4
◍ Steps of carcinogenesis.
Answer: 1. Initiation (DNA damage/mutation)2. Promotion
(proliferation/growth promoters)3. Progression (development of cancerous
, phenotype)
◍ passive immunity.
Answer: Transfer of performed antibodies against a specific antigen from
protected or immunized individual to an unprotected or non-immunized
individual
◍ Hyponatremia causes and treatment.
Answer: causes: Diuretic use, excessive sweating, NPO for too long,
excessive consumption of water/beer/other hypertonic fluidsTreatment: if
caused by diuretics, doses of those drugs will need to be changes or
discontinued
◍ Magnesium value normal range.
Answer: 1.5-2.5 mEq/L
◍ Examples of passive immunity.
Answer: IgA in breast milk, maternal IgG crossing placenta, antitoxin,
serotherapy (direct injection of antibodies)
◍ What are the causes of hypothyroidism?.
Answer: Hashimoto's disease: most common when the immune system
attacks the thyroid cells - after surgical or radioactive treatment for
hyperthyroidism - head or neck radiation for cancer - iodine deficiency
◍ alarm stage.
Answer: fight or flight responsereduced resistance to stressorsrelease
catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) and adrenocortical
steroids (cortisol and aldostrone)
◍ Hyponatremia S/S.
Answer: hyperactive bowel sounds, Weakness, Lethargy, Confusion, Muscle
cramps, Twitching, Seizures, Coma, Death
◍ What are the clinical manifestations of hypothyroidism?.
Answer: myxedema, fatigue, cold sensitivity, constipation, weight gain
◍ What causes acromegaly?.
