NUR 2063 / NUR2063 Actual Exam 2026/2027 | Essentials
of Pathophysiology Exam 2 - Rasmussen | Complete
Questions and Verified Answers | Pass Guaranteed - A+
Graded
Cellular Adaptation, Injury & Inflammation
Q1: A patient diagnosed with chronic hypertension asks the nurse why their heart
muscle feels "thicker" or stronger. The nurse explains that this is an adaptive change
known as:
A. Atrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy refers to an increase in the size of individual cells, which in this
case is the heart's response to increased workload from hypertension, unlike
hyperplasia which is an increase in the number of cells.
Q2: A long-time smoker presents with changes in the lining of their bronchial airways,
where ciliated columnar epithelial cells have been replaced by stratified squamous
epithelial cells. This cellular adaptation is best described as:
A. Dysplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Anaplasia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
often in response to chronic irritation or stress, such as smoking affecting the airways.
Q3: During a routine colonoscopy, a patient is found to have polyps that show
disordered growth and cells that look abnormal but are not yet cancerous. The
pathologist identifies this as:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Dysplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Apoptosis
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to deranged cell growth of a specific tissue that results in
cells that vary in size, shape, and organization; it is often a precursor to cancer.
Q4: A patient suffers a stroke and loses muscle function in their leg due to lack of
movement. Over time, the muscle fibers shrink and decrease in size. This adaptation is
called:
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Necrosis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in the size of cells, which can happen when a muscle
is not used, such as after a neurological injury like a stroke.
Q5: The nurse is teaching about cellular injury. Which cellular injury mechanism is
primarily responsible for the damage seen in myocardial infarction (heart attack) and
stroke?
A. Free radical injury
B. Hypoxia
C. Chemical injury
D. Immunologic injury
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen, is the most common cause of cellular injury and
is the primary mechanism behind tissue damage in heart attacks and strokes due to
blocked blood flow.
Q6: A patient presents with a crush injury to their leg. The lab results show high levels
of potassium in the blood. The nurse explains that this is due to the release of
intracellular contents caused by:
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Hypertrophy
D. Liquefaction
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Necrosis is the unprogrammed cell death often caused by trauma, which
leads to the rupture of the cell membrane and the dumping of intracellular contents (like
potassium) into the bloodstream.
, Q7: A patient is receiving radiation therapy for cancer. The nurse explains that some of
the damage to the tumor cells is caused by unstable molecules that damage DNA and
cell membranes. These molecules are known as:
A. Free radicals
B. Cytokines
C. Histamines
D. Antigens
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Free radicals are highly reactive chemical species that have an unpaired
electron, leading to damage of lipids, proteins, and DNA, which is a mechanism of injury
in radiation therapy.
Q8: When discussing cellular death with the family of a patient with a brain injury, the
nurse explains that "programmed cell death" is a normal, physiological process that
eliminates old or damaged cells. This process is called:
A. Necrosis
B. Apoptosis
C. Gangrene
D. Liquefactive necrosis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death that occurs naturally to
remove unnecessary or damaged cells, distinct from the inflammatory process of
necrosis.
Q9: The nurse assesses a patient with acute appendicitis. The patient reports pain, and
the nurse notes redness, heat, and swelling at the area. These classic signs are
primarily the result of which vascular response?
A. Vasoconstriction and decreased permeability
B. Vasodilation and increased vascular permeability
C. Thrombosis and vessel occlusion
D. Ischemia and pallor
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The cardinal signs of inflammation (redness, heat, swelling, pain) are caused
by vasodilation, which brings more blood to the area, and increased vascular
permeability, which allows fluid and proteins to leak into tissues.
Q10: A patient is in the early stages of the inflammatory response. Which white blood
cell is the first responder to arrive at the site of tissue injury to begin phagocytosis?
A. Lymphocytes
B. Eosinophils
C. Neutrophils
of Pathophysiology Exam 2 - Rasmussen | Complete
Questions and Verified Answers | Pass Guaranteed - A+
Graded
Cellular Adaptation, Injury & Inflammation
Q1: A patient diagnosed with chronic hypertension asks the nurse why their heart
muscle feels "thicker" or stronger. The nurse explains that this is an adaptive change
known as:
A. Atrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy refers to an increase in the size of individual cells, which in this
case is the heart's response to increased workload from hypertension, unlike
hyperplasia which is an increase in the number of cells.
Q2: A long-time smoker presents with changes in the lining of their bronchial airways,
where ciliated columnar epithelial cells have been replaced by stratified squamous
epithelial cells. This cellular adaptation is best described as:
A. Dysplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Anaplasia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
often in response to chronic irritation or stress, such as smoking affecting the airways.
Q3: During a routine colonoscopy, a patient is found to have polyps that show
disordered growth and cells that look abnormal but are not yet cancerous. The
pathologist identifies this as:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Dysplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Apoptosis
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to deranged cell growth of a specific tissue that results in
cells that vary in size, shape, and organization; it is often a precursor to cancer.
Q4: A patient suffers a stroke and loses muscle function in their leg due to lack of
movement. Over time, the muscle fibers shrink and decrease in size. This adaptation is
called:
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Necrosis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in the size of cells, which can happen when a muscle
is not used, such as after a neurological injury like a stroke.
Q5: The nurse is teaching about cellular injury. Which cellular injury mechanism is
primarily responsible for the damage seen in myocardial infarction (heart attack) and
stroke?
A. Free radical injury
B. Hypoxia
C. Chemical injury
D. Immunologic injury
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen, is the most common cause of cellular injury and
is the primary mechanism behind tissue damage in heart attacks and strokes due to
blocked blood flow.
Q6: A patient presents with a crush injury to their leg. The lab results show high levels
of potassium in the blood. The nurse explains that this is due to the release of
intracellular contents caused by:
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Hypertrophy
D. Liquefaction
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Necrosis is the unprogrammed cell death often caused by trauma, which
leads to the rupture of the cell membrane and the dumping of intracellular contents (like
potassium) into the bloodstream.
, Q7: A patient is receiving radiation therapy for cancer. The nurse explains that some of
the damage to the tumor cells is caused by unstable molecules that damage DNA and
cell membranes. These molecules are known as:
A. Free radicals
B. Cytokines
C. Histamines
D. Antigens
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Free radicals are highly reactive chemical species that have an unpaired
electron, leading to damage of lipids, proteins, and DNA, which is a mechanism of injury
in radiation therapy.
Q8: When discussing cellular death with the family of a patient with a brain injury, the
nurse explains that "programmed cell death" is a normal, physiological process that
eliminates old or damaged cells. This process is called:
A. Necrosis
B. Apoptosis
C. Gangrene
D. Liquefactive necrosis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death that occurs naturally to
remove unnecessary or damaged cells, distinct from the inflammatory process of
necrosis.
Q9: The nurse assesses a patient with acute appendicitis. The patient reports pain, and
the nurse notes redness, heat, and swelling at the area. These classic signs are
primarily the result of which vascular response?
A. Vasoconstriction and decreased permeability
B. Vasodilation and increased vascular permeability
C. Thrombosis and vessel occlusion
D. Ischemia and pallor
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The cardinal signs of inflammation (redness, heat, swelling, pain) are caused
by vasodilation, which brings more blood to the area, and increased vascular
permeability, which allows fluid and proteins to leak into tissues.
Q10: A patient is in the early stages of the inflammatory response. Which white blood
cell is the first responder to arrive at the site of tissue injury to begin phagocytosis?
A. Lymphocytes
B. Eosinophils
C. Neutrophils
