GCU Pathophysiology Final Exam Questions
and Answers
A patient presents with fatigue and difficulty with motor control. They live in
Washington, and when it rains it is unsafe for the patient to drive due to her
deteriorating vision. Her vision always seems to get worse after she experiences
unexplained muscle spasms in her legs, feet, and arms. After each spasm, she gets
extremely tired too. Her spastic attacks have gone from once a year to once a
month to almost weekly. What condition might this be?
Multiple Sclerosis (relapse-remitting)
A patient isn't feeling too well and has been experiencing quite a few muscle
spasms over the past few days. The new nurse on staff has been put in charge of
the patient. She, for some reason, thinks that the patient has bacterial meningitis
and performs a LP by herself. She ships the CSF to the lab, where they find
oligoclonal bands on the IgG antibodies. The nurse contacts radiology and
requests to get an MRI. Why would the presence of oligoclonal bands concern the
nurse? What might this disease be?
Multiple sclerosis, with sclerotic plaques
,A patient presents with muscle weakness and spasms down her legs. A nerve and
muscle conduction test revealed that there was a slight delay. An exam reveals
that there is excess glutamate in her system. Her speech has also begun to slur
and she feels fatigued. However, her intelligence has not been infected. What
disease is this?
ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)
Johnny is a 24 y/o who is having trouble waking. On his 25th birthday his relatives
come over and notice a very large change in his mobility. He is constantly shuffling
his feet when he walks or runs. At 26 he is no longer able to walk and his leg
muscles have atrophied, however he can still feel them. Tests revealed high levels
of glutamate in his body. What is this disease? How can it be treated?
ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) treated with riluzole to slow the process
a 25 y/o female presents with slurred speech, weakness, balance and vision
problems. A LP reveals that there are elevated IgGs. A MRI shows small white
lesions scattered throughout her brain. What is her diagnosis?
Multiple sclerosis
A 45 y/o male presents with speech difficulties, muscle weakness, and fatigue. A
LP reveals increased glutamate in the CSF. An intelligence test reveals no changes
in intelligence and a nerve and muscle function test show diminished conduction.
What disease is this?
ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)
, a 30 y/o Arizona native female presents with muscle weakness, fatigue, and eyes
that appear droopy. Her symptoms get worse in the summer and during times of
extreme stress at her job. An exam of her neck showed that she has a tumor on
her thymus. A tensilon test seemed to help with most of her symptoms for a short
period of time. What is her condition?
Myasthenia gravis
A patient presents with unilateral muscle weakness. One day he wakes up and
notices he cannot completely close his right eye or move it. It feels like the
numbing shots he got at the dentist a few months ago. When he looked in the
mirror, he realized that the right side of his face is paralyzed. Freaking out, he goes
to the ER. A medical history showed that he was diagnosed with mono a few
months ago, and a CT showed nothing abnormal. What is his likely condition?
Bell's palsy
A patient presents with unilateral facial paralysis and cannon wrinkle their
eyebrow or close their eyes tightly. Their eyelid is droopy and the corner of their
mouth is unresponsive. What is this condition?
Bell's palsy
A 33 y/o male presents with massive inflammation near the elbow. He explains
that this has been there for quite some time, but his job as a construction worker
and Answers
A patient presents with fatigue and difficulty with motor control. They live in
Washington, and when it rains it is unsafe for the patient to drive due to her
deteriorating vision. Her vision always seems to get worse after she experiences
unexplained muscle spasms in her legs, feet, and arms. After each spasm, she gets
extremely tired too. Her spastic attacks have gone from once a year to once a
month to almost weekly. What condition might this be?
Multiple Sclerosis (relapse-remitting)
A patient isn't feeling too well and has been experiencing quite a few muscle
spasms over the past few days. The new nurse on staff has been put in charge of
the patient. She, for some reason, thinks that the patient has bacterial meningitis
and performs a LP by herself. She ships the CSF to the lab, where they find
oligoclonal bands on the IgG antibodies. The nurse contacts radiology and
requests to get an MRI. Why would the presence of oligoclonal bands concern the
nurse? What might this disease be?
Multiple sclerosis, with sclerotic plaques
,A patient presents with muscle weakness and spasms down her legs. A nerve and
muscle conduction test revealed that there was a slight delay. An exam reveals
that there is excess glutamate in her system. Her speech has also begun to slur
and she feels fatigued. However, her intelligence has not been infected. What
disease is this?
ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)
Johnny is a 24 y/o who is having trouble waking. On his 25th birthday his relatives
come over and notice a very large change in his mobility. He is constantly shuffling
his feet when he walks or runs. At 26 he is no longer able to walk and his leg
muscles have atrophied, however he can still feel them. Tests revealed high levels
of glutamate in his body. What is this disease? How can it be treated?
ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) treated with riluzole to slow the process
a 25 y/o female presents with slurred speech, weakness, balance and vision
problems. A LP reveals that there are elevated IgGs. A MRI shows small white
lesions scattered throughout her brain. What is her diagnosis?
Multiple sclerosis
A 45 y/o male presents with speech difficulties, muscle weakness, and fatigue. A
LP reveals increased glutamate in the CSF. An intelligence test reveals no changes
in intelligence and a nerve and muscle function test show diminished conduction.
What disease is this?
ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)
, a 30 y/o Arizona native female presents with muscle weakness, fatigue, and eyes
that appear droopy. Her symptoms get worse in the summer and during times of
extreme stress at her job. An exam of her neck showed that she has a tumor on
her thymus. A tensilon test seemed to help with most of her symptoms for a short
period of time. What is her condition?
Myasthenia gravis
A patient presents with unilateral muscle weakness. One day he wakes up and
notices he cannot completely close his right eye or move it. It feels like the
numbing shots he got at the dentist a few months ago. When he looked in the
mirror, he realized that the right side of his face is paralyzed. Freaking out, he goes
to the ER. A medical history showed that he was diagnosed with mono a few
months ago, and a CT showed nothing abnormal. What is his likely condition?
Bell's palsy
A patient presents with unilateral facial paralysis and cannon wrinkle their
eyebrow or close their eyes tightly. Their eyelid is droopy and the corner of their
mouth is unresponsive. What is this condition?
Bell's palsy
A 33 y/o male presents with massive inflammation near the elbow. He explains
that this has been there for quite some time, but his job as a construction worker
