NSG 3280 Pathophysiology for Nurses I Review 200 Practice Questions with
Answers and Rationales (Latest 2025/2026 Update)
This comprehensive practice exam covers all four units of NSG 3280
Pathophysiology for Nurses I at Galen College of Nursing. Questions are based on
the 7th edition of Banasik's Pathophysiology (2022) and reflect the latest
2025/2026 course updates .
UNIT 1: Cellular Regulation & Fundamentals (Questions 1-30)
Q1. A patient with chronic hypertension develops thickening of the left ventricular
wall. Which cellular adaptation best describes this change?
A. Atrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size and functional capacity that
occurs in response to increased workload, such as in chronic hypertension. The
heart muscle adapts to increased afterload by enlarging individual myocytes.
,Atrophy occurs with decreased demand, hyperplasia increases cell numbers
(common in glandular tissue), and metaplasia involves replacement of one cell
type with another .
Q2. A client with COPD has prolonged injury to bronchial tissues. What cellular
adaptation should the nurse expect?
A. Dysplasia
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia involves the replacement of one cell type with another that
is better suited to a hostile environment. In COPD, chronic irritation causes the
normal ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium of the bronchi to be
replaced by stratified squamous epithelium. Dysplasia is a more advanced,
disorganized change that may be precancerous .
,Q3. A patient experiences sudden cardiac arrest due to a massive myocardial
infarction. Which type of necrosis would occur in the cardiac tissue?
A. Liquefactive
B. Caseous
C. Fat
D. Coagulative
Answer: D. Coagulative
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is the most common type of necrosis and results
from ischemia in solid organs like the heart, kidney, and liver. Tissue architecture
is preserved for several days. Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain, caseous
necrosis in tuberculosis, and fat necrosis in breast or pancreatic tissue .
Q4. A nurse is reviewing lab results that show increased glycogenolysis and
bronchodilation. Which hormone is most likely elevated?
A. Norepinephrine
B. Aldosterone
, C. Epinephrine
D. Growth Hormone
Answer: C. Epinephrine
Rationale: Epinephrine is released during the "fight-or-flight" response and causes
increased glycogenolysis (breakdown of glycogen to glucose), bronchodilation,
and decreased insulin release. Norepinephrine causes vasoconstriction but does
not directly affect bronchi or glycogenolysis. Aldosterone regulates fluid balance,
and growth hormone affects long-term metabolism .
Q5. A patient with tuberculosis is found to have soft, cheese-like necrosis in lung
tissue. This is characteristic of which type of necrosis?
A. Fat
B. Coagulative
C. Caseous
D. Liquefactive
Answer: C. Caseous
Answers and Rationales (Latest 2025/2026 Update)
This comprehensive practice exam covers all four units of NSG 3280
Pathophysiology for Nurses I at Galen College of Nursing. Questions are based on
the 7th edition of Banasik's Pathophysiology (2022) and reflect the latest
2025/2026 course updates .
UNIT 1: Cellular Regulation & Fundamentals (Questions 1-30)
Q1. A patient with chronic hypertension develops thickening of the left ventricular
wall. Which cellular adaptation best describes this change?
A. Atrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size and functional capacity that
occurs in response to increased workload, such as in chronic hypertension. The
heart muscle adapts to increased afterload by enlarging individual myocytes.
,Atrophy occurs with decreased demand, hyperplasia increases cell numbers
(common in glandular tissue), and metaplasia involves replacement of one cell
type with another .
Q2. A client with COPD has prolonged injury to bronchial tissues. What cellular
adaptation should the nurse expect?
A. Dysplasia
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: D. Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia involves the replacement of one cell type with another that
is better suited to a hostile environment. In COPD, chronic irritation causes the
normal ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium of the bronchi to be
replaced by stratified squamous epithelium. Dysplasia is a more advanced,
disorganized change that may be precancerous .
,Q3. A patient experiences sudden cardiac arrest due to a massive myocardial
infarction. Which type of necrosis would occur in the cardiac tissue?
A. Liquefactive
B. Caseous
C. Fat
D. Coagulative
Answer: D. Coagulative
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is the most common type of necrosis and results
from ischemia in solid organs like the heart, kidney, and liver. Tissue architecture
is preserved for several days. Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain, caseous
necrosis in tuberculosis, and fat necrosis in breast or pancreatic tissue .
Q4. A nurse is reviewing lab results that show increased glycogenolysis and
bronchodilation. Which hormone is most likely elevated?
A. Norepinephrine
B. Aldosterone
, C. Epinephrine
D. Growth Hormone
Answer: C. Epinephrine
Rationale: Epinephrine is released during the "fight-or-flight" response and causes
increased glycogenolysis (breakdown of glycogen to glucose), bronchodilation,
and decreased insulin release. Norepinephrine causes vasoconstriction but does
not directly affect bronchi or glycogenolysis. Aldosterone regulates fluid balance,
and growth hormone affects long-term metabolism .
Q5. A patient with tuberculosis is found to have soft, cheese-like necrosis in lung
tissue. This is characteristic of which type of necrosis?
A. Fat
B. Coagulative
C. Caseous
D. Liquefactive
Answer: C. Caseous
