NSG 3850 – Pathophysiology for Nurses
Practice Exam Questions – Galen College of Nursing
1. A client with chronic kidney disease is at risk for anemia due to:
A) Blood loss during dialysis
✅ B) Decreased erythropoietin production
C) Increased red blood cell destruction
D) Folate deficiency
2. Which pathophysiological mechanism is responsible for the edema seen in heart failure?
A) Increased plasma protein concentration
✅ B) Activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system
C) Decreased capillary hydrostatic pressure
D) Increased lymphatic drainage
3. In Type 1 diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia results primarily from:
A) Decreased insulin resistance
B) Excessive hepatic glycogen storage
✅ C) Absolute deficiency of insulin
D) Increased glucose uptake by cells
4. A client develops dyspnea and frothy sputum. This is most likely caused by:
A) Right ventricular failure
✅ B) Left ventricular failure
C) Cor pulmonale
D) Pulmonary embolism
5. Which electrolyte disturbance is most likely in Addison’s disease?
A) Hypernatremia
✅ B) Hyperkalemia
C) Hypocalcemia
D) Hyperglycemia
,6. In asthma, airway obstruction is primarily due to:
✅ A) Bronchoconstriction and inflammation
B) Destruction of alveolar walls
C) Loss of elastic recoil
D) Impaired surfactant production
7. Atherosclerosis begins with which process?
A) Formation of fatty streaks
✅ B) Endothelial injury
C) Plaque rupture
D) Thrombus formation
8. Which finding is most consistent with nephrotic syndrome?
A) Hematuria
B) Oliguria
✅ C) Massive proteinuria
D) Pyuria
9. Which of the following best describes the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease?
A) Demyelination of motor neurons
✅ B) Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra
C) Accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques
D) Autoimmune destruction of acetylcholine receptors
10. Hyperparathyroidism leads to which electrolyte imbalance?
A) Hyponatremia
✅ B) Hypercalcemia
C) Hypokalemia
D) Hypophosphatemia
11. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), air trapping occurs due to:
A) Excess surfactant production
✅ B) Loss of elastic recoil and airway collapse
C) Bronchospasm only
D) Increased inspiratory reserve volume
, 12. Which mechanism causes jaundice in hepatitis?
A) Excessive iron storage
✅ B) Impaired bilirubin conjugation and excretion
C) Overproduction of albumin
D) Increased clotting factors
13. Which of the following contributes to hypertension in chronic kidney disease?
A) Hypovolemia
✅ B) Fluid retention and increased renin production
C) Decreased catecholamine release
D) Hypercalcemia
14. What is the underlying defect in cystic fibrosis?
A) Autoimmune damage to alveoli
B) Deficient surfactant production
✅ C) Defective chloride channel leading to thick mucus
D) Alveolar capillary leak
15. The characteristic lesion of peptic ulcer disease is:
✅ A) Break in the mucosal barrier of the stomach or duodenum
B) Submucosal abscess
C) Overgrowth of bacteria
D) Esophageal stricture
16. Which hormone imbalance causes acromegaly?
✅ A) Excess growth hormone in adulthood
B) Deficient thyroid hormone
C) Increased cortisol
D) Decreased ADH
17. The main pathophysiological process in myocardial infarction is:
A) Coronary artery vasodilation
B) Ventricular hypertrophy
Practice Exam Questions – Galen College of Nursing
1. A client with chronic kidney disease is at risk for anemia due to:
A) Blood loss during dialysis
✅ B) Decreased erythropoietin production
C) Increased red blood cell destruction
D) Folate deficiency
2. Which pathophysiological mechanism is responsible for the edema seen in heart failure?
A) Increased plasma protein concentration
✅ B) Activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system
C) Decreased capillary hydrostatic pressure
D) Increased lymphatic drainage
3. In Type 1 diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia results primarily from:
A) Decreased insulin resistance
B) Excessive hepatic glycogen storage
✅ C) Absolute deficiency of insulin
D) Increased glucose uptake by cells
4. A client develops dyspnea and frothy sputum. This is most likely caused by:
A) Right ventricular failure
✅ B) Left ventricular failure
C) Cor pulmonale
D) Pulmonary embolism
5. Which electrolyte disturbance is most likely in Addison’s disease?
A) Hypernatremia
✅ B) Hyperkalemia
C) Hypocalcemia
D) Hyperglycemia
,6. In asthma, airway obstruction is primarily due to:
✅ A) Bronchoconstriction and inflammation
B) Destruction of alveolar walls
C) Loss of elastic recoil
D) Impaired surfactant production
7. Atherosclerosis begins with which process?
A) Formation of fatty streaks
✅ B) Endothelial injury
C) Plaque rupture
D) Thrombus formation
8. Which finding is most consistent with nephrotic syndrome?
A) Hematuria
B) Oliguria
✅ C) Massive proteinuria
D) Pyuria
9. Which of the following best describes the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease?
A) Demyelination of motor neurons
✅ B) Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra
C) Accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques
D) Autoimmune destruction of acetylcholine receptors
10. Hyperparathyroidism leads to which electrolyte imbalance?
A) Hyponatremia
✅ B) Hypercalcemia
C) Hypokalemia
D) Hypophosphatemia
11. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), air trapping occurs due to:
A) Excess surfactant production
✅ B) Loss of elastic recoil and airway collapse
C) Bronchospasm only
D) Increased inspiratory reserve volume
, 12. Which mechanism causes jaundice in hepatitis?
A) Excessive iron storage
✅ B) Impaired bilirubin conjugation and excretion
C) Overproduction of albumin
D) Increased clotting factors
13. Which of the following contributes to hypertension in chronic kidney disease?
A) Hypovolemia
✅ B) Fluid retention and increased renin production
C) Decreased catecholamine release
D) Hypercalcemia
14. What is the underlying defect in cystic fibrosis?
A) Autoimmune damage to alveoli
B) Deficient surfactant production
✅ C) Defective chloride channel leading to thick mucus
D) Alveolar capillary leak
15. The characteristic lesion of peptic ulcer disease is:
✅ A) Break in the mucosal barrier of the stomach or duodenum
B) Submucosal abscess
C) Overgrowth of bacteria
D) Esophageal stricture
16. Which hormone imbalance causes acromegaly?
✅ A) Excess growth hormone in adulthood
B) Deficient thyroid hormone
C) Increased cortisol
D) Decreased ADH
17. The main pathophysiological process in myocardial infarction is:
A) Coronary artery vasodilation
B) Ventricular hypertrophy
