GCU Pathophysiology exam 3 questions with
correct answers
Jethro presents with a cough that produces purulent sputum. Jethro smokes 1 packs week for the
past 10 years. He is running a fever and has night sweats. chest x-rays reveal multiple granulomas.
He also tested positive for mycobacterium infection. What does he have? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-TB
What is tertiary syphilis? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-It is systemic -
seen with cardiac problems and CNS gummas (soft, non-cancerous growth resulting from this stage)
37 year old female presents with c/o chest pain, joint pain, and a sore throat. She says that every
time she attempts to write a love letter to her honey on E-harmony her muscles twitch. She had a
temp of 101.4 and on physical exam she has a rash on left arm. Rapid strep came back positive and
CBC showed elevated WBC. What does she have? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Rheumatic fever
A 60 year old chemistry teacher working at Purdue with previous prostate cancer complains of night
sweats, excessive tiredness, and severe bone pain. He comes into the ER and complains of
headaches and fever along with other symptoms mentioned. What tests would you perform and
what might the results be? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Biopsy - look for auer rods.
(this could be AML)
What is the triad for mono? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy strep
Patient presents with recurring, episodic headaches, increased heart rate, and states that they get
really sweaty! This classic triad is an indication of what disease process? This is and increase in
production of what? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Pheochromocytoma - increase in catecholamine
production
A patient comes in complaining of shortness of breath, swelling, and pain in the joints. You do a full
exam and find that he has a heart murmur that he claims was not present before. You gather his
medical history and find that he recently went to Mexico and had a sketchy dental procedure. What
is the most likely diagnosis and how would this affect the heart valves? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
infective endocarditis - heart valves would have vegetation
Page 1 of 23
,A patient comes in complaining of weight loss, diarrhea, a persistent cough, and night sweats. They
have been experiencing these symptoms for awhile and have admitted to a past as a prostitute.
What is the virus they have and how can it be classified? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Chronic HIV - AIDS
47 y/o female presents to the clinic with a severe headache, double vision, and N/V. Patient does not
have a history of headaches and has never experienced anything like this before. During
consultation, patient states that she was in a car accident a few weeks ago, she does not remember
the exact day. She also states that she had a little problem finding her car at the mall, but nothing
major. What might her diagnosis be? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Chronic subdural hematoma
Ammon was excited to be on Christmas vacation and to be done with his 5th grade finals. On his
second day off he developed a fever of 104 and was taken to the ER where he showed a positive
Brudzinski sign with nuchal rigidity. A spinal tap of his CSF showed cloudy with 17,000mm leukocytes
with 75% neutrophils. Glucose levels were decreased. What is his diagnosis? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
Bacterial meningitis
A patient in the hospital who recently had surgery by the new guy begins experiencing tachycardia,
tachypnea, fever, diarrhea, and hypotension and cannot remember where he is. What is the patient
most likely experiencing? What are some of the risks of this condition? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
Sepsis - he is at risk for DIC and acute respiratory distress syndrome
Ethan really likes spicy food even though they give him heartburn. In fact, he likes spicy food almost
as much as he likes to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes, which he does as much as possible. For
the last year, he has had acid reflux pretty much constantly. Now his throat is really sore and his
doctor is concerned that he is causing damage to his esophagus that could lead to cancer. What is
this esophageal condition called? What can this progress to? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-GERD - can
progress to Barrett's esophagus adenocarcinoma
A patient presents with severe GERD. What is the best way to reduce symptoms and treat this
condition before it progresses to Barrett's esophagus? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Stop smoking and
drinking, stop eating spicy foods, take antacids
A 45 y/o female patient is having a hard time sleeping lately. She also states that she has been
eating way more food than usual, but is losing weight without even trying. She also states that
because she cannot sleep she seems to lay awake at night and worry about the craziest little things.
Page 2 of 23
, She has also noticed that even though it has been cold out, her body seems hot and sweaty all the
time. In order to be diagnosed with Grave's disease, what two symptoms must be present? What
else might you find? What would be found in her blood? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Must see
exophthalamos and pre-tibial myxedema, could also find goiter - anti-TSH antibodies in the blood
A 6 y/o first grade student comes home from school with a fever and lethargy. As he tries to get out
of bed the next morning he screams in pain as he lifts his head off the pillow. He explains to his
mom that his head is killing him and it hurts to move. His mom dresses him anyway and as she
removes his pj top she notices red blotches on his back and stomach. What is the name of the red
blotches? What might his diagnosis be? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Red blotches are petechiae - he has
meningitis
How can you tell if meningitis is viral or bacterial? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Perform a spinal tap - if is
it bacterial the CSF will be cloudy with increased neutrophils and decreased glucose
A patient comes in complaining of fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash for about 3
weeks. They confess to sharing needles while shooting up. A rapid HIV test comes back positive.
What is the diagnosis and what is this virus? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Acute HIV - retrovirus
Jo Bob presents with difficult breathing and cough. He is able to breath better when he is bent
forward. He doesn't smoke but both of his parents smoked when he was growing up. His respiratory
rate is 36. He is barrel chested and has mild clubbing of his nails. He has increased total lung
capacity and decreased vital capacity. Sputum culture is negative and his skin is pink. What is the
diagnosis? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Emphysema
A patient comes in complaining of fever, weight loss, and night sweats. They are diagnosed with Non-
Hodgkin's lymphoma. What would be a treatment plan for this patient? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
Rituixmab - Ab that attacks B cell antigens
19 y/o female GCU student has suffered from a severe case of strep throat. Her throat is feeling
better now, but she has started feeling arthralgia, fatigue, and has noticed a rash on her left arm
that looks round with a defined border. What does she have and what heart condition might she
suffer from? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-She has rheumatic fever - might suffer from endocarditis
Patient states that they seem to get really bad headaches every month with her menstrual cycle. The
headache is usually only not he right side of her face, but she states that she also gets nauseous and
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correct answers
Jethro presents with a cough that produces purulent sputum. Jethro smokes 1 packs week for the
past 10 years. He is running a fever and has night sweats. chest x-rays reveal multiple granulomas.
He also tested positive for mycobacterium infection. What does he have? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-TB
What is tertiary syphilis? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-It is systemic -
seen with cardiac problems and CNS gummas (soft, non-cancerous growth resulting from this stage)
37 year old female presents with c/o chest pain, joint pain, and a sore throat. She says that every
time she attempts to write a love letter to her honey on E-harmony her muscles twitch. She had a
temp of 101.4 and on physical exam she has a rash on left arm. Rapid strep came back positive and
CBC showed elevated WBC. What does she have? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Rheumatic fever
A 60 year old chemistry teacher working at Purdue with previous prostate cancer complains of night
sweats, excessive tiredness, and severe bone pain. He comes into the ER and complains of
headaches and fever along with other symptoms mentioned. What tests would you perform and
what might the results be? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Biopsy - look for auer rods.
(this could be AML)
What is the triad for mono? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy strep
Patient presents with recurring, episodic headaches, increased heart rate, and states that they get
really sweaty! This classic triad is an indication of what disease process? This is and increase in
production of what? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Pheochromocytoma - increase in catecholamine
production
A patient comes in complaining of shortness of breath, swelling, and pain in the joints. You do a full
exam and find that he has a heart murmur that he claims was not present before. You gather his
medical history and find that he recently went to Mexico and had a sketchy dental procedure. What
is the most likely diagnosis and how would this affect the heart valves? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
infective endocarditis - heart valves would have vegetation
Page 1 of 23
,A patient comes in complaining of weight loss, diarrhea, a persistent cough, and night sweats. They
have been experiencing these symptoms for awhile and have admitted to a past as a prostitute.
What is the virus they have and how can it be classified? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Chronic HIV - AIDS
47 y/o female presents to the clinic with a severe headache, double vision, and N/V. Patient does not
have a history of headaches and has never experienced anything like this before. During
consultation, patient states that she was in a car accident a few weeks ago, she does not remember
the exact day. She also states that she had a little problem finding her car at the mall, but nothing
major. What might her diagnosis be? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Chronic subdural hematoma
Ammon was excited to be on Christmas vacation and to be done with his 5th grade finals. On his
second day off he developed a fever of 104 and was taken to the ER where he showed a positive
Brudzinski sign with nuchal rigidity. A spinal tap of his CSF showed cloudy with 17,000mm leukocytes
with 75% neutrophils. Glucose levels were decreased. What is his diagnosis? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
Bacterial meningitis
A patient in the hospital who recently had surgery by the new guy begins experiencing tachycardia,
tachypnea, fever, diarrhea, and hypotension and cannot remember where he is. What is the patient
most likely experiencing? What are some of the risks of this condition? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
Sepsis - he is at risk for DIC and acute respiratory distress syndrome
Ethan really likes spicy food even though they give him heartburn. In fact, he likes spicy food almost
as much as he likes to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes, which he does as much as possible. For
the last year, he has had acid reflux pretty much constantly. Now his throat is really sore and his
doctor is concerned that he is causing damage to his esophagus that could lead to cancer. What is
this esophageal condition called? What can this progress to? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-GERD - can
progress to Barrett's esophagus adenocarcinoma
A patient presents with severe GERD. What is the best way to reduce symptoms and treat this
condition before it progresses to Barrett's esophagus? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Stop smoking and
drinking, stop eating spicy foods, take antacids
A 45 y/o female patient is having a hard time sleeping lately. She also states that she has been
eating way more food than usual, but is losing weight without even trying. She also states that
because she cannot sleep she seems to lay awake at night and worry about the craziest little things.
Page 2 of 23
, She has also noticed that even though it has been cold out, her body seems hot and sweaty all the
time. In order to be diagnosed with Grave's disease, what two symptoms must be present? What
else might you find? What would be found in her blood? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Must see
exophthalamos and pre-tibial myxedema, could also find goiter - anti-TSH antibodies in the blood
A 6 y/o first grade student comes home from school with a fever and lethargy. As he tries to get out
of bed the next morning he screams in pain as he lifts his head off the pillow. He explains to his
mom that his head is killing him and it hurts to move. His mom dresses him anyway and as she
removes his pj top she notices red blotches on his back and stomach. What is the name of the red
blotches? What might his diagnosis be? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Red blotches are petechiae - he has
meningitis
How can you tell if meningitis is viral or bacterial? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Perform a spinal tap - if is
it bacterial the CSF will be cloudy with increased neutrophils and decreased glucose
A patient comes in complaining of fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash for about 3
weeks. They confess to sharing needles while shooting up. A rapid HIV test comes back positive.
What is the diagnosis and what is this virus? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Acute HIV - retrovirus
Jo Bob presents with difficult breathing and cough. He is able to breath better when he is bent
forward. He doesn't smoke but both of his parents smoked when he was growing up. His respiratory
rate is 36. He is barrel chested and has mild clubbing of his nails. He has increased total lung
capacity and decreased vital capacity. Sputum culture is negative and his skin is pink. What is the
diagnosis? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-Emphysema
A patient comes in complaining of fever, weight loss, and night sweats. They are diagnosed with Non-
Hodgkin's lymphoma. What would be a treatment plan for this patient? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-
Rituixmab - Ab that attacks B cell antigens
19 y/o female GCU student has suffered from a severe case of strep throat. Her throat is feeling
better now, but she has started feeling arthralgia, fatigue, and has noticed a rash on her left arm
that looks round with a defined border. What does she have and what heart condition might she
suffer from? - VERIFIED ANSWER✔✔-She has rheumatic fever - might suffer from endocarditis
Patient states that they seem to get really bad headaches every month with her menstrual cycle. The
headache is usually only not he right side of her face, but she states that she also gets nauseous and
Page 3 of 23
