ESSENTIALS OF PATHO EXAM 2, RASMUSSEN 2026 WITH 100% QUESTIONS
& ANSWERS
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS & CELLULAR PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
(Questions 1–20)
Question 1
Which of the following assessment findings indicates an alteration in homeostatic
control mechanisms?
A) Bradycardia
B) Fever
C) Hypertension
D) Tachypnea
Answer: B
Rationale: Fever indicates a change in the body's homeostatic set point, triggered
by pyrogens acting on the hypothalamus. Bradycardia, hypertension, and
tachypnea can be physiologic responses but do not directly indicate a resetting of
homeostatic mechanisms .
Question 2
Injury that occurs when blood flow is diminished to tissue is called:
,A) Hypoxic injury
B) Ischemic injury
C) Necrotic injury
D) Apoptotic injury
Answer: B
Rationale: Ischemic injury specifically refers to tissue damage caused by reduced
or interrupted blood flow (ischemia), leading to decreased oxygen and nutrient
delivery. Hypoxic injury refers to low oxygen alone .
Question 3
During acute inflammation, which cell arrives early in great numbers?
A) Basophils
B) Lymphocytes
C) Neutrophils
D) Monocytes
Answer: C
,Rationale: Neutrophils (PMNs) are the first leukocytes to arrive at the site of
inflammation, typically within 60–90 minutes. Monocytes arrive later and mature
into macrophages .
Question 4
The cancer growth continuum is divided into which of the following stages?
A) Induction, latency, maturity
B) Initiation, promotion, progression
C) Detection, diagnosis, treatment
D) Activation, inhibition, regression
Answer: B
Rationale: The three stages are initiation (DNA damage), promotion (cell
proliferation of initiated cells), and progression (acquisition of malignant
characteristics) .
Question 5
A patient with long-standing hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy.
What is the primary pathophysiological mechanism behind this adaptation?
A) Decreased afterload leading to reduced myocardial workload
, B) Increased pressure overload causing myocardial muscle thickening
C) Reduced preload causing ventricular dilation
D) Increased oxygen supply leading to muscle atrophy
Answer: B
Rationale: Chronic hypertension increases afterload, forcing the left ventricle to
work harder. This pressure overload results in myocardial thickening
(hypertrophy) as an adaptive mechanism .
Question 6
A patient with heart failure presents with fluid accumulation in the lungs. Which
mechanism is responsible for pulmonary edema in this condition?
A) Increased oncotic pressure in pulmonary capillaries
B) Decreased hydrostatic pressure in pulmonary circulation
C) Increased hydrostatic pressure due to left ventricular failure
D) Decreased capillary permeability
Answer: C
& ANSWERS
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS & CELLULAR PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
(Questions 1–20)
Question 1
Which of the following assessment findings indicates an alteration in homeostatic
control mechanisms?
A) Bradycardia
B) Fever
C) Hypertension
D) Tachypnea
Answer: B
Rationale: Fever indicates a change in the body's homeostatic set point, triggered
by pyrogens acting on the hypothalamus. Bradycardia, hypertension, and
tachypnea can be physiologic responses but do not directly indicate a resetting of
homeostatic mechanisms .
Question 2
Injury that occurs when blood flow is diminished to tissue is called:
,A) Hypoxic injury
B) Ischemic injury
C) Necrotic injury
D) Apoptotic injury
Answer: B
Rationale: Ischemic injury specifically refers to tissue damage caused by reduced
or interrupted blood flow (ischemia), leading to decreased oxygen and nutrient
delivery. Hypoxic injury refers to low oxygen alone .
Question 3
During acute inflammation, which cell arrives early in great numbers?
A) Basophils
B) Lymphocytes
C) Neutrophils
D) Monocytes
Answer: C
,Rationale: Neutrophils (PMNs) are the first leukocytes to arrive at the site of
inflammation, typically within 60–90 minutes. Monocytes arrive later and mature
into macrophages .
Question 4
The cancer growth continuum is divided into which of the following stages?
A) Induction, latency, maturity
B) Initiation, promotion, progression
C) Detection, diagnosis, treatment
D) Activation, inhibition, regression
Answer: B
Rationale: The three stages are initiation (DNA damage), promotion (cell
proliferation of initiated cells), and progression (acquisition of malignant
characteristics) .
Question 5
A patient with long-standing hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy.
What is the primary pathophysiological mechanism behind this adaptation?
A) Decreased afterload leading to reduced myocardial workload
, B) Increased pressure overload causing myocardial muscle thickening
C) Reduced preload causing ventricular dilation
D) Increased oxygen supply leading to muscle atrophy
Answer: B
Rationale: Chronic hypertension increases afterload, forcing the left ventricle to
work harder. This pressure overload results in myocardial thickening
(hypertrophy) as an adaptive mechanism .
Question 6
A patient with heart failure presents with fluid accumulation in the lungs. Which
mechanism is responsible for pulmonary edema in this condition?
A) Increased oncotic pressure in pulmonary capillaries
B) Decreased hydrostatic pressure in pulmonary circulation
C) Increased hydrostatic pressure due to left ventricular failure
D) Decreased capillary permeability
Answer: C
