Pathopysiology NURS1302 Midterm

Question 8

Pathopysiology NURS1302 Midterm. A client has increased plasma osmolality due to dehydration. Which response helps restore balance?

• Increased sodium excretion
• Increased ADH release leading to water retention ✅
• Decreased water reabsorption
• Increased urine output

Question 9

A nursing student asks about the structure of DNA. Which components form a nucleotide within DNA?

• Amino acids and phosphate groups
• Phosphate group, sugar, and nitrogenous base ✅
• Fatty acids and carbohydrate chains
• Ribose sugar only

Question 10

A client with severe ischemia develops lactic acidosis. What is the primary cause?

• Increased oxidative phosphorylation
• Shift to anaerobic metabolism ✅
• Increased oxygen availability
• Excess ATP production

Question 11

A factory worker’s hand becomes caught in a piece of equipment, causing crushing of soft tissue and disruption of cell membranes. This type of cellular damage is best classified as which category of injury?

• Mechanical injury
• Genetic injury
• Physical injury ✅
• Chemical injury

Question 12

A nurse reviewing genetic concepts understands that genes are best described as:

• Molecules responsible for oxygen transport
• Enzymes that regulate metabolism
• Segments of DNA that contain instructions for protein synthesis ✅
• Proteins that regulate cell growth

Question 13

A client presents with acute blood loss following trauma. Which fluid compartment is affected first?

• Transcellular fluid
• Intracellular fluid
• Intravascular fluid ✅
• Interstitial fluid

Question 14

Which statement best describes the role of cortisol during stress?

• Stimulates gluconeogenesis ✅
• Promotes inflammation
• Decreases blood glucose levels
• Reduces energy availability

Question 15

A client with liver disease develops ascites. What is the primary cause?

• Decreased capillary oncotic pressure ✅
• Increased capillary hydrostatic pressure
• Increased interstitial hydrostatic pressure
• Increased sodium excretion

Question 16

A client’s sodium level is 150 mmol/L (normal 135-145 mmol/L). Which cellular change is expected?

• Sodium moves into cells causing swelling
• No fluid movement occurs
• Water moves from extracellular fluid into cells
• Water moves from intracellular fluid into extracellular fluid causing cellular dehydration ✅

Question 17

A client with prolonged immobilization after a fracture develops noticeable muscle wasting. Which cellular adaptation is occurring?

• Atrophy ✅
• Metaplasia
• Hypertrophy
• Hyperplasia

Question 18

A client experiences acute stress before an exam. Which physiological response reflects the fight-or-flight response?

• Increased gastric secretions
• Decreased heart rate
• Decreased respiratory rate
• Increased oxygen delivery to muscles ✅

Question 19

Which change is expected during activation of the sympathetic nervous system in stress?

• Increased insulin release
• Increased heart rate ✅
• Decreased blood glucose
• Constricted pupils

Question 20

A client with hyponatremia develops confusion and seizures. What is the primary mechanism?

• Potassium shifts into extracellular fluid
• Sodium shifts into cells
• Water moves into cells causing swelling ✅
• Water moves out of cells causing shrinkage

Question 21

A sudden change in a client’s level of consciousness is most significant because it:

• Is the earliest sign of neurologic deterioration ✅
• Occurs only in metabolic disorders
• Indicates stable neurologic function
• Is unrelated to brainstem function

Question 22

A client has been under prolonged stress but is still coping. Which stage of GAS is this?

• Exhaustion stage
• Recovery stage
• Alarm stage
• Resistance/adaptation stage ✅

Question 23

Which statement best describes a normal function of cell cycle checkpoints?

• Promote uncontrolled cell division
• Increase mutation rates
• Ensure DNA integrity before division ✅
• Prevent apoptosis

Question 24

A nurse reviewing pathophysiology understands that DNA directs cellular activity primarily through which mechanism?

• Generation of ATP
• Regulation of fluid balance
• Control of protein synthesis ✅
• Production of lipids

Question 25

A client with carbon monoxide poisoning has normal oxygen saturation readings but shows signs of tissue hypoxia. What is the underlying cause? Pathopysiology NURS1302 Midterm

• Impaired oxygen utilization at the cellular level
• Increased oxygen delivery
• Inability of hemoglobin to bind oxygen ✅
• Increased ATP production

Question 26

A client progresses from lethargy to stupor. This change indicates:

• Worsening level of consciousness ✅
• Normal variation
• Improved neurologic function
• Stable neurologic status Pathopysiology NURS1302 Midterm

Question 27

A client has been diagnosed with a viral infection. Which cell type is primarily responsible for destroying virally infected cells?

• B lymphocytes
• Cytotoxic T cells ✅
• Neutrophils
• Macrophages

Question 32

A nursing instructor explains the steps of gene expression. Which process involves copying genetic information from DNA into RNA?

• Chromosome separation
• Translation
• Transcription ✅
• Protein assembly

---

Question 33

A tumor is described as “in situ.” What does this indicate?

• It remains confined to its original location ✅
• It has invaded surrounding tissue
• It is benign
• It has metastasized

---

Question 34

A cell fails to stop at the G1 checkpoint despite DNA damage. Which outcome is most likely?

• DNA repair occurs before division
• The cell continues dividing with mutations ✅
• The cell undergoes apoptosis
• The cell enters a resting phase

---

Question 35

A nurse reviewing genetics understands that normal human somatic cells contain which number of chromosomes?

• 23 chromosomes
• 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs ✅
• Chromosomes only during cell division
• 92 chromosomes

---

Question 36

A nurse reviewing protein synthesis understands that translation occurs in which cellular location?

• Ribosome in the cytoplasm ✅
• Nucleus
• Lysosome
• Golgi apparatus

---

Question 37

A nurse notes that a client’s stress response includes activation of the HPA axis. What is released from the adrenal cortex? Pathopysiology NURS1302 Midterm

• Norepinephrine
• Insulin
• Cortisol ✅
• Epinephrine

---

Question 38

A mutation converts a proto-oncogene into an oncogene. What is the expected effect?

• DNA repair activation
• Decreased cell division
• Increased apoptosis
• Continuous cell growth signaling ✅

---

Question 39

A genetic disorder causes dysfunction of mitochondria within cells. Which physiologic process would be most affected?

• Synthesis of membrane lipids
• Packaging of proteins for secretion
• Storage of genetic material
• Production of cellular energy (ATP) ✅

---

Question 40

A client receives a vaccine. Which cells are primarily responsible for producing antibodies following this exposure?

• B lymphocytes ✅
• T cytotoxic cells
• Macrophages
• Natural killer cells

---

Question 41

A client experiencing hypoxia develops cellular swelling. Which mechanism best explains this finding?

• Increased calcium secretion
• Failure of Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase pumps ✅
• Decreased membrane permeability
• Increase protein synthesis

---

Question 42

During the generation of a nerve impulse, depolarization of the neuronal membrane occurs. Which ion primarily enters the neuron during this phase?

• Chloride
• Potassium
• Sodium ✅
• Calcium

---

Question 43

A nurse is teaching about immunoglobulins. Which statement about IgG is correct?

• It primarily mediates allergic reaction
• It is the most abundant antibody in circulation ✅
• It is found only in mucosal secretions
• It is the first antibody produced in primary response

---

Question 44

A client is exposed to a toxin that damages ribosomes within cells. Which cellular function would the nurse expect to be most directly impaired?

• ATP production
• Protein synthesis ✅
• Lipid metabolism
• DNA replication

---

Question 45

A client with a head injury demonstrates flexion of the arms toward the body with extension of the legs in response to painful stimuli. How should the nurse interpret this finding?

• Brainstem injury
• Peripheral nerve injury
• Normal motor response
• Damage above the brainstem ✅

---

Question 46

A nurse is caring for a client with a suspected diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. Which clinical manifestation should the nurse expect to find?

• Bradycardia
• Weight gain
• Exophthalmos ✅
• Constipation

---

Question 47

A nurse is providing education to a client with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Which statement best describes the pathology of this condition?

• Insulin deficiency due to autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells ✅
• Decreased insulin production by the liver
• Increased resistance of body cells to insulin
• Excessive glucose production by the pancreas

Question 46

A client is diagnosed with a genetic disorder caused by a mutation in DNA. Which cellular process would be most directly affected?

• Oxygen transport
• Transmission of genetic information ✅
• Electrolyte balance
• Cellular energy production

Question 47

A client is exposed to the same virus for a second time. The nurse anticipates which response? Pathopysiology NURS1302 Midterm

• No immune response
• Rapid and enhanced antibody response ✅
• Increased IgM only
• Slower antibody production

Question 48

A nurse assesses a client who is awake but unable to recognize family members or surroundings. Which component of consciousness is impaired?

• Awareness ✅
• Reflex response
• Motor function
• Arousal

Question 49

A substance moves across the cell membrane from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration without the use of cellular energy. Which transport mechanism does this describe? Pathopysiology NURS1302 Midterm

• Exocytosis
• Active transport
• Endocytosis
• Diffusion ✅

Question 50

A client with heart failure develops peripheral edema. Which mechanism is most responsible?

• Decreased interstitial oncotic pressure
• Decreased capillary hydrostatic pressure
• Increased capillary hydrostatic pressure ✅
• Increased capillary oncotic pressure

Question 51

A client with long-standing hypertension develops left ventricular enlargement. Which adaptation explains this change?

• Hyperplasia
• Hypertrophy ✅
• Dysplasia
• Metaplasia

Question 52

Which mechanism best explains how ATP depletion leads to cell swelling?

• Decreased membrane permeability
• Failure of $Na^+/K^+$ pumps ✅
• Increased calcium excretion
• Increased protein synthesis

Question 53

A client with a long history of smoking is reviewing their diagnostic report with the healthcare provider. The report notes that the normal ciliated columnar bronchial epithelium has been replaced with stratified squamous epithelium. This cellular change is an example of which process?

• Metaplasia ✅
• Dysplasia
• Atrophy
• Hyperplasia

Question 54

Which immunoglobulin is most associated with allergic reactions and parasitic infections? Pathopysiology NURS1302 Midterm

• IgG
• IgE ✅
• IgM
• IgA

Question 55

A client demonstrates decerebrate posturing. This finding indicates:

• Mild neurologic dysfunction
• Normal motor response
• Brainstem injury ✅
• Cortical damage only

Question 56

A client with severe protein malnutrition develops generalized edema. Which physiologic mechanism best explains this fluid shift?

• Increased capillary hydrostatic pressure
• Increased plasma sodium concentration
• Increased interstitial hydrostatic pressure
• Decreased capillary oncotic pressure ✅

Question 57

A nurse reviewing tissue growth understands that an increase in the number of cells within a tissue is called:

• Hypertrophy
• Metaplasia
• Hyperplasia ✅
• Atrophy

Question 58

A client develops an allergic reaction after exposure to peanuts. Which immunoglobulin is most closely associated with this hypersensitivity response?

• IgE ✅
• IgA
• IgD
• IgG

Question 59

A client with a severe head injury is showing a declining level of consciousness along with vomiting, yawning, and persistent hiccups. These findings most likely indicate involvement of which part of the central nervous system?

• Brainstem ✅
• Cerebellum
• Basal ganglia
• Cerebral cortex

Question 60

A client’s sodium level is 128 mmol/L (normal 135–145 mmol/L). The nurse recognizes this creates a hypotonic extracellular environment. Which cellular change is expected?

• Potassium moves into extracellular fluid
• No fluid shift occurs
• Water moves out of cells causing shrinkage
• Water moves into cells causing swelling ✅