COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE TEST
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS UPDATED 2025/2026
For a patient with respiratory acidosis, chronic compensation by the body will
include:
Kidney excretion of h+
A 55-year-old female presents to her primary care provider and reports
dizziness, confusion, and tingling in the extremities. Blood tests reveal an
elevated ph, decreased pco2, and slightly decreased hco3. Which of the
following is the most likely diagnosis?
Respiratory alkalosis with renal compensation
Outcomes of laboratory tests include an elevated level of natriuretic peptides.
Which organ is the priority assessment?
Heart
A 53-year-old male with a 20-year history of smoking is diagnosed with
emphysema. When the nurse is asked what causes this, what is the nurses best
response? Changes in his lungs are caused by:
Alpha-1-antirypsin deficiency
changes in the lungs are associated with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.
Individuals with a recent diagnosis of emphysema should be assessed for which
most common presenting factor?
Dyspnea
dyspnea is the most common presenting factor of emphysema.
A 60-year-old female with a 25-year history of smoking is diagnosed with
emphysema. She has an increased anterior-posterior chest diameter. The nurse
attributes this finding to:
Air trapping
,air trapping expands the thorax, putting the respiratory muscles at a mechanical
disadvantage.
A patient asks what causes pneumonia. How should the nurse reply?
Pneumonia is caused by:
Viral or bacterial infections
pneumonia is caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
When the nurse observes a diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia, the patient
generally acquires this pneumonia:
During hospitalization
nosocomial infections are acquired in the hospital.
A 30-year-old male prison inmate contracted tuberculosis during an outbreak.
When the nurse reviews the lab results, the organism that caused this condition
is a:
Bacterium
the organism that causes tuberculosis is a bacterium.
A 30-year-old male prison inmate contracted tuberculosis during an outbreak.
While planning interactions, the nurse realizes the patient can transmit this
disease through:
Airborne droplets
tuberculosis is transmitted through airborne droplets.
A 70-year-old female is in the hospital for pelvic fracture. She develops
pulmonary thromboembolism. The nurse realizes this embolus is composed of:
Blood clot
Which of the following patients is at highest risk for developing pulmonary
embolism (pe)?
72-year-old male who is recovering from hip replacement surgery in the hospital
,An 80-year-old female is in the hospital for a bone fracture. While there she
develops a large, nonlethal pulmonary embolus. Which of the following is a
direct result of the obstruction to pulmonary blood flow?
Pulmonary hypertenison
significant obstruction of the pulmonary vasculature leads to increased
pulmonary artery pressures (pulmonary hypertension).
When a patient has a massive pulmonary embolism (pe), what complications
will the nurse monitor for?
Shock and death
a massive pe will lead to shock and death.
A 60-year-old male with a 30-year history of smoking is diagnosed with a
hormone-secreting lung tumor. Further testing indicates that the tumor secretes
adh. Which of the following assessment findings should the nurse expect?
(select all that apply.)
-confusion
-weakness
-nausea
-muscle twitching
The nurse would anticipate the patient with syndrome of inappropriate adh
(siadh) to demonstrate which of the following symptoms? (select all that apply.)
-weakness
-nausea
-headache
-muscle twitching
A primary care provider is talking about plasma proteins synthesized by
lymphocytes in the lymph nodes. What is the primary care provider describing?
Antibodies
, While reviewing lab results, the nurse recalls the most abundant cells in the
blood are:
Erythrocytes
An adult patients blood sample is analyzed in a laboratory. Assuming a normal
sample, which type of white blood cell accounts for the highest percentage?
Neutrophils
A group of cells isolated in the laboratory have membrane-bound granules in
their cytoplasm and they show phagocytic activity. Which of the following cells
is most similar?
A) monocyte
b) macrophage
c) lymphocyte
d) eosinophils
Eosinophils
While planning care for a patient with inflammation, which principle will the
nurse remember? The predominant phagocyte of early inflammation is the:
Neutrophil
A patient has researched white blood cells on the internet. Which statement
indicates the patient has a good understanding? _______________ contain
preformed granules of vasoactive amines.
A) neutrophils
b) eosinophils
c) monocytes
d) basophils
Basophils
A nurse recalls that monocytes are blood cells that mature (differentiate) into:
a. Macrophages
b. Neutrophils
c. Eosinophils
d. Mast cells
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS UPDATED 2025/2026
For a patient with respiratory acidosis, chronic compensation by the body will
include:
Kidney excretion of h+
A 55-year-old female presents to her primary care provider and reports
dizziness, confusion, and tingling in the extremities. Blood tests reveal an
elevated ph, decreased pco2, and slightly decreased hco3. Which of the
following is the most likely diagnosis?
Respiratory alkalosis with renal compensation
Outcomes of laboratory tests include an elevated level of natriuretic peptides.
Which organ is the priority assessment?
Heart
A 53-year-old male with a 20-year history of smoking is diagnosed with
emphysema. When the nurse is asked what causes this, what is the nurses best
response? Changes in his lungs are caused by:
Alpha-1-antirypsin deficiency
changes in the lungs are associated with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.
Individuals with a recent diagnosis of emphysema should be assessed for which
most common presenting factor?
Dyspnea
dyspnea is the most common presenting factor of emphysema.
A 60-year-old female with a 25-year history of smoking is diagnosed with
emphysema. She has an increased anterior-posterior chest diameter. The nurse
attributes this finding to:
Air trapping
,air trapping expands the thorax, putting the respiratory muscles at a mechanical
disadvantage.
A patient asks what causes pneumonia. How should the nurse reply?
Pneumonia is caused by:
Viral or bacterial infections
pneumonia is caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
When the nurse observes a diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia, the patient
generally acquires this pneumonia:
During hospitalization
nosocomial infections are acquired in the hospital.
A 30-year-old male prison inmate contracted tuberculosis during an outbreak.
When the nurse reviews the lab results, the organism that caused this condition
is a:
Bacterium
the organism that causes tuberculosis is a bacterium.
A 30-year-old male prison inmate contracted tuberculosis during an outbreak.
While planning interactions, the nurse realizes the patient can transmit this
disease through:
Airborne droplets
tuberculosis is transmitted through airborne droplets.
A 70-year-old female is in the hospital for pelvic fracture. She develops
pulmonary thromboembolism. The nurse realizes this embolus is composed of:
Blood clot
Which of the following patients is at highest risk for developing pulmonary
embolism (pe)?
72-year-old male who is recovering from hip replacement surgery in the hospital
,An 80-year-old female is in the hospital for a bone fracture. While there she
develops a large, nonlethal pulmonary embolus. Which of the following is a
direct result of the obstruction to pulmonary blood flow?
Pulmonary hypertenison
significant obstruction of the pulmonary vasculature leads to increased
pulmonary artery pressures (pulmonary hypertension).
When a patient has a massive pulmonary embolism (pe), what complications
will the nurse monitor for?
Shock and death
a massive pe will lead to shock and death.
A 60-year-old male with a 30-year history of smoking is diagnosed with a
hormone-secreting lung tumor. Further testing indicates that the tumor secretes
adh. Which of the following assessment findings should the nurse expect?
(select all that apply.)
-confusion
-weakness
-nausea
-muscle twitching
The nurse would anticipate the patient with syndrome of inappropriate adh
(siadh) to demonstrate which of the following symptoms? (select all that apply.)
-weakness
-nausea
-headache
-muscle twitching
A primary care provider is talking about plasma proteins synthesized by
lymphocytes in the lymph nodes. What is the primary care provider describing?
Antibodies
, While reviewing lab results, the nurse recalls the most abundant cells in the
blood are:
Erythrocytes
An adult patients blood sample is analyzed in a laboratory. Assuming a normal
sample, which type of white blood cell accounts for the highest percentage?
Neutrophils
A group of cells isolated in the laboratory have membrane-bound granules in
their cytoplasm and they show phagocytic activity. Which of the following cells
is most similar?
A) monocyte
b) macrophage
c) lymphocyte
d) eosinophils
Eosinophils
While planning care for a patient with inflammation, which principle will the
nurse remember? The predominant phagocyte of early inflammation is the:
Neutrophil
A patient has researched white blood cells on the internet. Which statement
indicates the patient has a good understanding? _______________ contain
preformed granules of vasoactive amines.
A) neutrophils
b) eosinophils
c) monocytes
d) basophils
Basophils
A nurse recalls that monocytes are blood cells that mature (differentiate) into:
a. Macrophages
b. Neutrophils
c. Eosinophils
d. Mast cells
