WGU D027 Complete Study Guide | 100+ Questions & 100% verified
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Section 1: Foundations of Pathophysiology
1. A client develops severe nausea after starting a newly prescribed
antibiotic. This is best classified as:
A. a genetic disorder
B. a nosocomial infection
C. an iatrogenic condition
D. a congenital anomaly
Answer: C. an iatrogenic condition
Rationale: An iatrogenic condition is an adverse health consequence
resulting from a medical treatment or procedure. The nausea is a direct
adverse effect of the prescribed antibiotic.
2. Which best describes the term "sign"?
A. Subjective feeling reported by the patient
B. Objective finding observed by the clinician
C. Complication of a disease
D. Predicted outcome of a disease
Answer: B. Objective finding observed by the clinician
Rationale: A sign is objective and measurable (e.g., fever, rash, abnormal
lab). A symptom is subjective. Complication is a secondary problem;
prognosis is predicted outcome.
3. A patient with chronic asthma experiences sudden worsening of
symptoms after exposure to cold air. This is called:
A. remission
B. complication
,C. exacerbation
D. prognosis
Answer: C. exacerbation
Rationale: An exacerbation is an acute worsening of a chronic condition.
Remission is improvement; complication is a new problem; prognosis is
predicted course.
4. Which term refers to the cause of a disease?
A. Pathogenesis
B. Etiology
C. Manifestation
D. Prognosis
Answer: B. Etiology
Rationale: Etiology = cause. Pathogenesis = development. Manifestation =
signs/symptoms. Prognosis = outcome.
5. An increase in the number of cells in a tissue is called:
A. hypertrophy
B. hyperplasia
C. metaplasia
D. atrophy
Answer: B. hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia = increased cell number. Hypertrophy = increased
cell size. Metaplasia = cell type change. Atrophy = decreased size/number.
6. Which is NOT a primary function of the cell membrane?
A. Regulating transport
B. Providing structural support
,C. Synthesizing proteins
D. Facilitating cell-to-cell communication
Answer: C. Synthesizing proteins
Rationale: Protein synthesis occurs on ribosomes, not the cell membrane.
7. Which best describes pathogenesis?
A. The cause of disease
B. The predicted outcome of disease
C. The sequence of events leading to disease
D. The signs and symptoms of disease
Answer: C. The sequence of events leading to disease
Rationale: Pathogenesis is the mechanism and progression of disease
development.
8. A patient with a genetic disorder has a normal parent. The disorder
appears in males only. This suggests:
A. Autosomal dominant
B. X-linked recessive
C. Autosomal recessive
D. Mitochondrial inheritance
Answer: B. X-linked recessive
Rationale: X-linked recessive disorders affect males almost exclusively.
Carrier females are asymptomatic.
9. What is metaplasia?
A. Increased cell size
B. Decreased cell number
C. Replacement of one cell type with another
D. Uncontrolled cell division
, Answer: C. Replacement of one cell type with another
Rationale: Metaplasia is an adaptive change where one differentiated cell
type replaces another (e.g., squamous metaplasia in smokers' airways).
10. Which is an example of a genetic disorder with autosomal dominant
inheritance?
A. Cystic fibrosis
B. Huntington's disease
C. Hemophilia
D. Sickle cell anemia
Answer: B. Huntington's disease
Rationale: Huntington's is autosomal dominant (50% inheritance risk). Cystic
fibrosis and sickle cell are autosomal recessive. Hemophilia is X-linked
recessive.
Section 2: Cardiovascular System (Questions 11–30)
11. A patient has an ejection fraction of 40%. What does this indicate?
A. Normal function
B. Mildly reduced systolic function
C. Severely reduced function
D. Right heart failure
Answer: B. Mildly reduced systolic function
Rationale: Normal EF is 55–65%. EF 40% is mildly reduced; <40% is HFrEF.
12. What are symptoms of left-sided heart failure?
A. Peripheral edema, ascites
B. Pulmonary congestion, dyspnea, crackles, S3
C. JVD, hepatomegaly
D. Hypertension, bounding pulses
Answers | Graded A+ |Guaranteed Pass!!
Section 1: Foundations of Pathophysiology
1. A client develops severe nausea after starting a newly prescribed
antibiotic. This is best classified as:
A. a genetic disorder
B. a nosocomial infection
C. an iatrogenic condition
D. a congenital anomaly
Answer: C. an iatrogenic condition
Rationale: An iatrogenic condition is an adverse health consequence
resulting from a medical treatment or procedure. The nausea is a direct
adverse effect of the prescribed antibiotic.
2. Which best describes the term "sign"?
A. Subjective feeling reported by the patient
B. Objective finding observed by the clinician
C. Complication of a disease
D. Predicted outcome of a disease
Answer: B. Objective finding observed by the clinician
Rationale: A sign is objective and measurable (e.g., fever, rash, abnormal
lab). A symptom is subjective. Complication is a secondary problem;
prognosis is predicted outcome.
3. A patient with chronic asthma experiences sudden worsening of
symptoms after exposure to cold air. This is called:
A. remission
B. complication
,C. exacerbation
D. prognosis
Answer: C. exacerbation
Rationale: An exacerbation is an acute worsening of a chronic condition.
Remission is improvement; complication is a new problem; prognosis is
predicted course.
4. Which term refers to the cause of a disease?
A. Pathogenesis
B. Etiology
C. Manifestation
D. Prognosis
Answer: B. Etiology
Rationale: Etiology = cause. Pathogenesis = development. Manifestation =
signs/symptoms. Prognosis = outcome.
5. An increase in the number of cells in a tissue is called:
A. hypertrophy
B. hyperplasia
C. metaplasia
D. atrophy
Answer: B. hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia = increased cell number. Hypertrophy = increased
cell size. Metaplasia = cell type change. Atrophy = decreased size/number.
6. Which is NOT a primary function of the cell membrane?
A. Regulating transport
B. Providing structural support
,C. Synthesizing proteins
D. Facilitating cell-to-cell communication
Answer: C. Synthesizing proteins
Rationale: Protein synthesis occurs on ribosomes, not the cell membrane.
7. Which best describes pathogenesis?
A. The cause of disease
B. The predicted outcome of disease
C. The sequence of events leading to disease
D. The signs and symptoms of disease
Answer: C. The sequence of events leading to disease
Rationale: Pathogenesis is the mechanism and progression of disease
development.
8. A patient with a genetic disorder has a normal parent. The disorder
appears in males only. This suggests:
A. Autosomal dominant
B. X-linked recessive
C. Autosomal recessive
D. Mitochondrial inheritance
Answer: B. X-linked recessive
Rationale: X-linked recessive disorders affect males almost exclusively.
Carrier females are asymptomatic.
9. What is metaplasia?
A. Increased cell size
B. Decreased cell number
C. Replacement of one cell type with another
D. Uncontrolled cell division
, Answer: C. Replacement of one cell type with another
Rationale: Metaplasia is an adaptive change where one differentiated cell
type replaces another (e.g., squamous metaplasia in smokers' airways).
10. Which is an example of a genetic disorder with autosomal dominant
inheritance?
A. Cystic fibrosis
B. Huntington's disease
C. Hemophilia
D. Sickle cell anemia
Answer: B. Huntington's disease
Rationale: Huntington's is autosomal dominant (50% inheritance risk). Cystic
fibrosis and sickle cell are autosomal recessive. Hemophilia is X-linked
recessive.
Section 2: Cardiovascular System (Questions 11–30)
11. A patient has an ejection fraction of 40%. What does this indicate?
A. Normal function
B. Mildly reduced systolic function
C. Severely reduced function
D. Right heart failure
Answer: B. Mildly reduced systolic function
Rationale: Normal EF is 55–65%. EF 40% is mildly reduced; <40% is HFrEF.
12. What are symptoms of left-sided heart failure?
A. Peripheral edema, ascites
B. Pulmonary congestion, dyspnea, crackles, S3
C. JVD, hepatomegaly
D. Hypertension, bounding pulses
