WGU pathophysiology D236 questions with well detailed
answers /rationales/2024-2025
1.What is Starling's Law of Capillary forces?
How does this explain why a nutritionally deficient child would have edema?-
: Starling's Law describes how fluids move across the capillary membrane. There are two major
opposing forces that act to balance each other, hydrostatic pressure (pushing water out of the
capillaries) and osmotic pressure (including oncontic pressure, which pushes fluid into the
capillaries).
Both electrolytes and proteins (oncontic pressure) in the blood affect osmotic pres- sure, high
electrolyte and protein concentrations in the blood would cause water to leave the cells and interstitia
space and enter the blood stream to dilute the high concentrations.
On, the other hand, low electrolyte and protein concentrations (as seen in a nutri- tionally deficient
child) would cause water to leave the capillaries and enter the cells and interstitial fluid which can lea
to edema.
2.How does the RAAS (Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System) result in in- creased blood
volume and increased blood pressure?: A drop in blood pressure is sensed by the kidneys by low
perfusion, which in turn begins to secrete renin.
Renin then triggers the liver to produce angiotensinogen, which is converted to Angiotensin I in the
lungs and then angiotensin II by the enzyme
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Angiotensin II stimulates peripheral arterial vasoconstriction
which raises BP.
Angiotensin II is also stimulating the adrenal gland to release aldosterone, which acts to increase
sodium and water reabsorption increasing blood volume, while also increased potassium secretion
in urine.
3.How can hyperkalemia lead to cardiac arrest?: Normal levels of potassium are between 3.5
and 5.2 mEq/dL. Hyperkalemia refers to potassium levels higher that
5.2 mEq/dL.
A major function of potassium is to conduct nerve impulses in muscles. Too low and muscle weakne
occurs and too much can cause muscle spasms.
This is especially dangerous in the heart muscle and an irregular heartbeat can cause a heart attack
,4.The body uses the Protein Buffering System, Phosphate Buffering System, and Carbonic
Acid-Bicarbonate System to regulate and maintain homeostatic pH, what is the consequence
of a pH imbalance: Proteins contain many acidic and basic group that can be affected by pH
changes. Any increase or decrease
in blood pH can alter the structure of the protein (denature), thereby affecting its function as well
5.Describe the laboratory findings associated with metabolic acidosis, meta- bolic alkalosis,
respiratory acidosis and respiratory alkalosis. (ie relative pH and CO2 levels).: Normal ABGs
(Arterial Blood Gases) Blood pH: 7.35-7.45 PCO2: 35-45 mm Hg PO2: 90-100 mm Hg HCO3-: 22-
26 mEq/L SaO2: 95-100%
Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis are marked by changes in PCO2. Higher = acidosis and lower =
alkalosis
Metabolic acidosis and alkalosis are caused by something other than abnormal CO2 levels. This could
include toxicity, diabetes, renal failure or excessive GI losses.
Here are the rules to follow to determine if is respiratory or metabolic in nature. -If pH and PCO2 are
moving in opposite directions, then it is the pCO2 levels that are causing the imbalance and it is
respiratory in nature.
-If PCO2 is normal or is moving in the same direction as the pH, then the imbalance is metabolic in
nature.
6.The anion gap is the difference between measured cations (Na+ and K+) and measured
anions (Cl- and HCO3-), this calculation can be useful in determin- ing the cause of metabolic
acidosis.
Why would an increased anion gap be observed in diabetic ketoacidosis or lactic acidosis?:
The anion gap is the calculation of unmeasured anions in the blood.
Lactic acid and ketones both lead to the production of unmeasured anions, which remove HCO3- (a
measured anion) due to buffering of the excess H+ and therefore leads to an increase in the AG.
7.Why is it important to maintain a homeostatic balance of glucose in the blood (ie
describe the pathogenesis of diabetes)?: Insulin is the hormone re- sponsible for initiating the
uptake of glucose by the cells. Cells use glucose to produce energy (ATP).
,In a normal individual, when blood glucose increases, the pancreas is signaled to produced in insulin
which binds to insulin receptors on a cells surface and initiates the uptake of glucose.
Glucose is a very reactive molecule and if left in the blood, it can start to bind to other proteins and
lipids, which can lead to loss of function.
AGEs are advanced glycation end products that are a result of glucose reacting with the endothelial
lining, which can lead to damage in the heart and kidneys.
8.Compare and contrast Type I and Type II Diabetes: Type I diabetes is caused by lack of
insulin. With out insulin signaling, glucose will not be taken into the cell and leads to high blood
glucose (hyperglycemia). Type I is usually treated with insulin injections.
Type II diabetes is caused by a desensitization to insulin signaling. The insulin receptors are no long
responding to insulin, which also leads to hyperglycemia.
Type II is usually treated with drugs to increase the sensitization to insulin (met- formin), dietary and
life-style changes or insulin injections.
9.Describe some reasons for a patient needing dialysis: AEIOU-acidosis. Elec- trolytes,
Intoxication/Ingestion, overload, uremia. Patients with kidney or heart fail- ure.
A build up of phosphates, urea and magnesium are removed from the blood using a semi-
permeable membrane and dialysate.
AEIOU:
A—acidosis;
E—electrolytes principally hyperkalemia; I—
ingestions or overdose of medications/drugs; O—
overload of fluid causing heart failure; U—uremia
leading to encephalitis/pericarditis
10.Compare and contrast hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
What are some reasons for a patient choosing one over the other?: Hemodial- ysis uses a
machine to pump blood from the body in one tube while dialysate (made of water, electrolytes and
salts) is pumped in the separate tube in the opposite direction. Waste from the blood diffuses
through the semipermeable membrane separating the blood from the dialysate.
, Peritoneal Dialysis does not use a machine, but instead injects a solution of water and glucose into th
abdominal cavity. The peritoneum acts as the membrane instead of dialysis tubing. The waste
products diffuse into the abdominal cavity and the waste solution is then drained from the body.
Peritoneal dialysis offers continuous filtration and is less disruption to the patient's daily routines.
However, it does require some training of the patient and is not recommended for individuals who are
overweight or have severe kidney failure.
Hemodialysis provides medical care, but 3 times a week for several hours sitting at a hospital or
clinic. Individuals with acute kidney failure are recommended to use hemodialysis.
11.How does homeostasis and maintaining optimal physiological health im- pact your
wellbeing?: Homeostasis acts to create a constant and stable environ- ment in the body despite
internal and external changes. Proteins and other cellular processes require optimal conditions in
order to carry out their functions.
Alterations in pH, salt concentration, temperature, glucose levels, etc. can have negative effects on
health, so it is vital for mechanisms that regulate homeostasis to function properly for maintaining
good health
12.Differentiate between Innate Immunity and Adaptive Immunity ?: The innate immune system
encompasses physical barriers and chemical and cellular defenses. Physical barriers protect the
body from invasion. These include things like the skin and eyelashes. Chemical barriers are defense
mechanisms that can destroy harmful agent. Examples include tears, mucous, and stomach acid.
Cellular defenses of the innate immune response are non-specific. These cellular defenses identify
pathogens and substances that are potentially dangerous and takes steps to neutralize or destroy
them.
Adaptive immunity is an organism's acquired immunity to a specific pathogen. As such, it's also
referred to as acquired immunity. Adaptive immunity is not immediate, nor does it always last
throughout an organism's entire lifespan, although it can.
The adaptive immune response is marked by clonal expansion of T and B lympho- cytes, releasing
many antibody copies to neutralize or destroy their target antigen
13.What is a way that Adaptive Immunity can recruit innate immunity?: The innate immune
response to microbes stimulates adaptive immune responses and
answers /rationales/2024-2025
1.What is Starling's Law of Capillary forces?
How does this explain why a nutritionally deficient child would have edema?-
: Starling's Law describes how fluids move across the capillary membrane. There are two major
opposing forces that act to balance each other, hydrostatic pressure (pushing water out of the
capillaries) and osmotic pressure (including oncontic pressure, which pushes fluid into the
capillaries).
Both electrolytes and proteins (oncontic pressure) in the blood affect osmotic pres- sure, high
electrolyte and protein concentrations in the blood would cause water to leave the cells and interstitia
space and enter the blood stream to dilute the high concentrations.
On, the other hand, low electrolyte and protein concentrations (as seen in a nutri- tionally deficient
child) would cause water to leave the capillaries and enter the cells and interstitial fluid which can lea
to edema.
2.How does the RAAS (Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System) result in in- creased blood
volume and increased blood pressure?: A drop in blood pressure is sensed by the kidneys by low
perfusion, which in turn begins to secrete renin.
Renin then triggers the liver to produce angiotensinogen, which is converted to Angiotensin I in the
lungs and then angiotensin II by the enzyme
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Angiotensin II stimulates peripheral arterial vasoconstriction
which raises BP.
Angiotensin II is also stimulating the adrenal gland to release aldosterone, which acts to increase
sodium and water reabsorption increasing blood volume, while also increased potassium secretion
in urine.
3.How can hyperkalemia lead to cardiac arrest?: Normal levels of potassium are between 3.5
and 5.2 mEq/dL. Hyperkalemia refers to potassium levels higher that
5.2 mEq/dL.
A major function of potassium is to conduct nerve impulses in muscles. Too low and muscle weakne
occurs and too much can cause muscle spasms.
This is especially dangerous in the heart muscle and an irregular heartbeat can cause a heart attack
,4.The body uses the Protein Buffering System, Phosphate Buffering System, and Carbonic
Acid-Bicarbonate System to regulate and maintain homeostatic pH, what is the consequence
of a pH imbalance: Proteins contain many acidic and basic group that can be affected by pH
changes. Any increase or decrease
in blood pH can alter the structure of the protein (denature), thereby affecting its function as well
5.Describe the laboratory findings associated with metabolic acidosis, meta- bolic alkalosis,
respiratory acidosis and respiratory alkalosis. (ie relative pH and CO2 levels).: Normal ABGs
(Arterial Blood Gases) Blood pH: 7.35-7.45 PCO2: 35-45 mm Hg PO2: 90-100 mm Hg HCO3-: 22-
26 mEq/L SaO2: 95-100%
Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis are marked by changes in PCO2. Higher = acidosis and lower =
alkalosis
Metabolic acidosis and alkalosis are caused by something other than abnormal CO2 levels. This could
include toxicity, diabetes, renal failure or excessive GI losses.
Here are the rules to follow to determine if is respiratory or metabolic in nature. -If pH and PCO2 are
moving in opposite directions, then it is the pCO2 levels that are causing the imbalance and it is
respiratory in nature.
-If PCO2 is normal or is moving in the same direction as the pH, then the imbalance is metabolic in
nature.
6.The anion gap is the difference between measured cations (Na+ and K+) and measured
anions (Cl- and HCO3-), this calculation can be useful in determin- ing the cause of metabolic
acidosis.
Why would an increased anion gap be observed in diabetic ketoacidosis or lactic acidosis?:
The anion gap is the calculation of unmeasured anions in the blood.
Lactic acid and ketones both lead to the production of unmeasured anions, which remove HCO3- (a
measured anion) due to buffering of the excess H+ and therefore leads to an increase in the AG.
7.Why is it important to maintain a homeostatic balance of glucose in the blood (ie
describe the pathogenesis of diabetes)?: Insulin is the hormone re- sponsible for initiating the
uptake of glucose by the cells. Cells use glucose to produce energy (ATP).
,In a normal individual, when blood glucose increases, the pancreas is signaled to produced in insulin
which binds to insulin receptors on a cells surface and initiates the uptake of glucose.
Glucose is a very reactive molecule and if left in the blood, it can start to bind to other proteins and
lipids, which can lead to loss of function.
AGEs are advanced glycation end products that are a result of glucose reacting with the endothelial
lining, which can lead to damage in the heart and kidneys.
8.Compare and contrast Type I and Type II Diabetes: Type I diabetes is caused by lack of
insulin. With out insulin signaling, glucose will not be taken into the cell and leads to high blood
glucose (hyperglycemia). Type I is usually treated with insulin injections.
Type II diabetes is caused by a desensitization to insulin signaling. The insulin receptors are no long
responding to insulin, which also leads to hyperglycemia.
Type II is usually treated with drugs to increase the sensitization to insulin (met- formin), dietary and
life-style changes or insulin injections.
9.Describe some reasons for a patient needing dialysis: AEIOU-acidosis. Elec- trolytes,
Intoxication/Ingestion, overload, uremia. Patients with kidney or heart fail- ure.
A build up of phosphates, urea and magnesium are removed from the blood using a semi-
permeable membrane and dialysate.
AEIOU:
A—acidosis;
E—electrolytes principally hyperkalemia; I—
ingestions or overdose of medications/drugs; O—
overload of fluid causing heart failure; U—uremia
leading to encephalitis/pericarditis
10.Compare and contrast hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
What are some reasons for a patient choosing one over the other?: Hemodial- ysis uses a
machine to pump blood from the body in one tube while dialysate (made of water, electrolytes and
salts) is pumped in the separate tube in the opposite direction. Waste from the blood diffuses
through the semipermeable membrane separating the blood from the dialysate.
, Peritoneal Dialysis does not use a machine, but instead injects a solution of water and glucose into th
abdominal cavity. The peritoneum acts as the membrane instead of dialysis tubing. The waste
products diffuse into the abdominal cavity and the waste solution is then drained from the body.
Peritoneal dialysis offers continuous filtration and is less disruption to the patient's daily routines.
However, it does require some training of the patient and is not recommended for individuals who are
overweight or have severe kidney failure.
Hemodialysis provides medical care, but 3 times a week for several hours sitting at a hospital or
clinic. Individuals with acute kidney failure are recommended to use hemodialysis.
11.How does homeostasis and maintaining optimal physiological health im- pact your
wellbeing?: Homeostasis acts to create a constant and stable environ- ment in the body despite
internal and external changes. Proteins and other cellular processes require optimal conditions in
order to carry out their functions.
Alterations in pH, salt concentration, temperature, glucose levels, etc. can have negative effects on
health, so it is vital for mechanisms that regulate homeostasis to function properly for maintaining
good health
12.Differentiate between Innate Immunity and Adaptive Immunity ?: The innate immune system
encompasses physical barriers and chemical and cellular defenses. Physical barriers protect the
body from invasion. These include things like the skin and eyelashes. Chemical barriers are defense
mechanisms that can destroy harmful agent. Examples include tears, mucous, and stomach acid.
Cellular defenses of the innate immune response are non-specific. These cellular defenses identify
pathogens and substances that are potentially dangerous and takes steps to neutralize or destroy
them.
Adaptive immunity is an organism's acquired immunity to a specific pathogen. As such, it's also
referred to as acquired immunity. Adaptive immunity is not immediate, nor does it always last
throughout an organism's entire lifespan, although it can.
The adaptive immune response is marked by clonal expansion of T and B lympho- cytes, releasing
many antibody copies to neutralize or destroy their target antigen
13.What is a way that Adaptive Immunity can recruit innate immunity?: The innate immune
response to microbes stimulates adaptive immune responses and
