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PATHOPHYSIOLOGY NURSING EXAM PREP 2025/2026 – 130
VERIFIED QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS &
DETAILED RATIONALES, ALREADY GRADED A+
1. Which of the following best describes pathophysiology?
A. The study of normal body function
B. The study of disease mechanisms and functional changes in the body
C. The study of drug actions in the body
D. The study of body structures
Correct Answer: B. The study of disease mechanisms and functional changes
in the body
Rationale: Pathophysiology links physiology and pathology, focusing on how
diseases alter normal body functions.
2. Which type of cellular adaptation is seen in muscles after prolonged exercise?
A. Atrophy
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B. Hypertrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Dysplasia
Correct Answer: B. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy = increase in cell size (e.g., skeletal muscle growth).
Atrophy = shrinkage, hyperplasia = increased cell number, dysplasia = abnormal
growth.
3. Which of the following is an example of apoptosis?
A. Inflammatory cell death after injury
B. Programmed cell death of webbing in fetal development
C. Necrosis after ischemia
D. Bacterial toxin-induced cell death
Correct Answer: B. Programmed cell death of webbing in fetal development
Rationale: Apoptosis = programmed, controlled cell death. Necrosis =
uncontrolled, injury-related death.
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4. Which electrolyte imbalance is most associated with cardiac arrhythmias?
A. Hypernatremia
B. Hypokalemia
C. Hypercalcemia
D. Hypochloremia
Correct Answer: B. Hypokalemia
Rationale: Low potassium alters cardiac electrical activity → arrhythmias.
5. Which type of necrosis is typical of myocardial infarction?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Correct Answer: A. Coagulative necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis occurs in hypoxic tissues like heart and kidney
(except brain → liquefactive).
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6. Which mechanism causes swelling in inflammation?
A. Vasoconstriction
B. Increased vascular permeability
C. Decreased capillary filtration
D. Reduced hydrostatic pressure
Correct Answer: B. Increased vascular permeability
Rationale: Histamine and mediators ↑ permeability → plasma proteins and fluid
leak → swelling.
7. Which immune cells are first responders in acute inflammation?
A. Lymphocytes
B. Monocytes
C. Neutrophils
D. Eosinophils
Correct Answer: C. Neutrophils
Rationale: Neutrophils are early responders, phagocytosing bacteria and debris.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY NURSING EXAM PREP 2025/2026 – 130
VERIFIED QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS &
DETAILED RATIONALES, ALREADY GRADED A+
1. Which of the following best describes pathophysiology?
A. The study of normal body function
B. The study of disease mechanisms and functional changes in the body
C. The study of drug actions in the body
D. The study of body structures
Correct Answer: B. The study of disease mechanisms and functional changes
in the body
Rationale: Pathophysiology links physiology and pathology, focusing on how
diseases alter normal body functions.
2. Which type of cellular adaptation is seen in muscles after prolonged exercise?
A. Atrophy
,2 | Page
B. Hypertrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Dysplasia
Correct Answer: B. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy = increase in cell size (e.g., skeletal muscle growth).
Atrophy = shrinkage, hyperplasia = increased cell number, dysplasia = abnormal
growth.
3. Which of the following is an example of apoptosis?
A. Inflammatory cell death after injury
B. Programmed cell death of webbing in fetal development
C. Necrosis after ischemia
D. Bacterial toxin-induced cell death
Correct Answer: B. Programmed cell death of webbing in fetal development
Rationale: Apoptosis = programmed, controlled cell death. Necrosis =
uncontrolled, injury-related death.
,3 | Page
4. Which electrolyte imbalance is most associated with cardiac arrhythmias?
A. Hypernatremia
B. Hypokalemia
C. Hypercalcemia
D. Hypochloremia
Correct Answer: B. Hypokalemia
Rationale: Low potassium alters cardiac electrical activity → arrhythmias.
5. Which type of necrosis is typical of myocardial infarction?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Correct Answer: A. Coagulative necrosis
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis occurs in hypoxic tissues like heart and kidney
(except brain → liquefactive).
, 4 | Page
6. Which mechanism causes swelling in inflammation?
A. Vasoconstriction
B. Increased vascular permeability
C. Decreased capillary filtration
D. Reduced hydrostatic pressure
Correct Answer: B. Increased vascular permeability
Rationale: Histamine and mediators ↑ permeability → plasma proteins and fluid
leak → swelling.
7. Which immune cells are first responders in acute inflammation?
A. Lymphocytes
B. Monocytes
C. Neutrophils
D. Eosinophils
Correct Answer: C. Neutrophils
Rationale: Neutrophils are early responders, phagocytosing bacteria and debris.
