APPLIED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY FOR THE
ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSE REVISION
HANDBOOK 2026 CORE PATHOLOGICAL
PROCESSES AND CASE REVIEW
◉ In relation to disease development, the term "etiology" refers to
which of the following?
a.number of people with the disease
b. cause of the disease
c. definition of the disease
d. outcome of the disease. Answer: B
◉ Which of the following is(are) true about "symptoms"?
a. objective and measurable
b. the same as "signs"
c. both of the above
d. neither of the above. Answer: D
◉ In 1992, there were 980 deaths in a Midwestern city with a
population of 1,000,000. At the beginning of that year, 900 cases of
,AIDS existed in this population. During the year, 250 new cases of
AIDS were diagnosed, and 75 people died of the disease in 1992.
Using the data given above, what was the incidence rate (per
100,000 population) at the end of 1992 for AIDS?
a. 6
b. 25
c. 88
d. 116. Answer: B
◉ What level of prevention is a blood pressure screening program
for high school students who are pregnant?
a. primary
b. secondary
c. tertiary. Answer: B
◉ Mr. Forbes complains of "indigestion" and becomes sweaty and
pale. His wife takes him to the Emergency Department at
Northwestern Memorial Hospital. A cardiac catheterization 2 days
later shows partial blockage of his right coronary artery (RCA).
Blockage of the right coronary artery can lead to myocardial cell
injury because it results in which of the following?
a. bilirubin accumulation in myocardial cells
b. alteration in the genetic material of myocardial cells
c. reduced energy production in myocardial cells
,d. activation of the complement system. Answer: C
◉ When myocardial cells are injured, the function of the Na-K
membrane pump may be impaired. Which of the following may then
result?
a.intracellular sodium will increase
b. extracellular potassium will decrease
c. cell volume will decrease
d. all of the above. Answer: A
◉ Mr. Forbes is being prepared for open heart surgery when he
suffers a myocardial infarction in which a large part of his left
ventricle has suffered lethal cell injury.
Mr. Forbes' CPK-MB and LDH1, enzymes associated with myocardial
cells, are significantly elevated. What is the best explanation for this?
a. It is a sign that necrotic myocardial cells have released their
cytoplasmic contents into the blood.
b. It is a sign of reversible fatty accumulation in the myocardial cells
c. It is a sign that the myocardial cells are undergoing hypertrophy.
d. None of the above.. Answer: A
◉ If a tissue specimen of myocardial cells were obtained for
examination from Mr. Forbes, which of the following findings would
indicate irreversible cell injury?
, a. cellular swelling
b. decreased ATP production
c. decreased intracellular calcium
d. dissolution of nuclear material. Answer: D
◉ The accumulation of lactic acid that occurs with impaired energy
production results from which of the following?
a. increased intracellular glucose
b. increased anaerobic metabolism
c. decreased metabolic rate
d. increased oxidative phosphorylation. Answer: B
◉ A mountain climber is stranded at 23,000 feet in the Swiss Alps
and has lost all his equipment and supplies in an avalanche.
Subsequently, he suffers cell injury due to impaired ATP production.
The reason for the decrease in ATP is which of the following?
a. enzyme inhibition
b. uncoupling
c. hypoxia
d. none of the above. Answer: C
ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSE REVISION
HANDBOOK 2026 CORE PATHOLOGICAL
PROCESSES AND CASE REVIEW
◉ In relation to disease development, the term "etiology" refers to
which of the following?
a.number of people with the disease
b. cause of the disease
c. definition of the disease
d. outcome of the disease. Answer: B
◉ Which of the following is(are) true about "symptoms"?
a. objective and measurable
b. the same as "signs"
c. both of the above
d. neither of the above. Answer: D
◉ In 1992, there were 980 deaths in a Midwestern city with a
population of 1,000,000. At the beginning of that year, 900 cases of
,AIDS existed in this population. During the year, 250 new cases of
AIDS were diagnosed, and 75 people died of the disease in 1992.
Using the data given above, what was the incidence rate (per
100,000 population) at the end of 1992 for AIDS?
a. 6
b. 25
c. 88
d. 116. Answer: B
◉ What level of prevention is a blood pressure screening program
for high school students who are pregnant?
a. primary
b. secondary
c. tertiary. Answer: B
◉ Mr. Forbes complains of "indigestion" and becomes sweaty and
pale. His wife takes him to the Emergency Department at
Northwestern Memorial Hospital. A cardiac catheterization 2 days
later shows partial blockage of his right coronary artery (RCA).
Blockage of the right coronary artery can lead to myocardial cell
injury because it results in which of the following?
a. bilirubin accumulation in myocardial cells
b. alteration in the genetic material of myocardial cells
c. reduced energy production in myocardial cells
,d. activation of the complement system. Answer: C
◉ When myocardial cells are injured, the function of the Na-K
membrane pump may be impaired. Which of the following may then
result?
a.intracellular sodium will increase
b. extracellular potassium will decrease
c. cell volume will decrease
d. all of the above. Answer: A
◉ Mr. Forbes is being prepared for open heart surgery when he
suffers a myocardial infarction in which a large part of his left
ventricle has suffered lethal cell injury.
Mr. Forbes' CPK-MB and LDH1, enzymes associated with myocardial
cells, are significantly elevated. What is the best explanation for this?
a. It is a sign that necrotic myocardial cells have released their
cytoplasmic contents into the blood.
b. It is a sign of reversible fatty accumulation in the myocardial cells
c. It is a sign that the myocardial cells are undergoing hypertrophy.
d. None of the above.. Answer: A
◉ If a tissue specimen of myocardial cells were obtained for
examination from Mr. Forbes, which of the following findings would
indicate irreversible cell injury?
, a. cellular swelling
b. decreased ATP production
c. decreased intracellular calcium
d. dissolution of nuclear material. Answer: D
◉ The accumulation of lactic acid that occurs with impaired energy
production results from which of the following?
a. increased intracellular glucose
b. increased anaerobic metabolism
c. decreased metabolic rate
d. increased oxidative phosphorylation. Answer: B
◉ A mountain climber is stranded at 23,000 feet in the Swiss Alps
and has lost all his equipment and supplies in an avalanche.
Subsequently, he suffers cell injury due to impaired ATP production.
The reason for the decrease in ATP is which of the following?
a. enzyme inhibition
b. uncoupling
c. hypoxia
d. none of the above. Answer: C
