Pathophysiology practice questions
Fifteen questions on how cells adapt and die, how inflammation works, and how to tell the four types of shock apart. Pick an answer to see the explanation.
Written by the Quizard team. Last updated
Pathophysiology asks you to explain why a patient looks the way they do, so the best questions link a mechanism to a sign. This set covers the general principles most courses teach before the body systems: cell injury, inflammation, shock and fluid balance.
| Type | Problem | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Hypovolemic | Not enough circulating volume | Hemorrhage, severe burns or dehydration |
| Cardiogenic | The heart cannot pump enough | Large myocardial infarction |
| Distributive | Widespread vasodilation | Sepsis, anaphylaxis, spinal cord injury |
| Obstructive | Blood flow is physically blocked | Tension pneumothorax, massive pulmonary embolism, cardiac tamponade |
Questions
0 of 15 answered
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1. Which kind of cell death involves shrinkage and chromatin condensation without inflammation?
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Answer: Apoptosis. Apoptosis is programmed cell death: the cell is packaged up and removed quietly. Necrosis spills cell contents and triggers inflammation.
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2. A smoker’s bronchial lining changes from ciliated columnar to squamous cells. What is this called?
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Answer: Metaplasia. Metaplasia replaces one mature cell type with another that copes better with the stress, at the cost of its normal function.
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3. A weightlifter’s skeletal muscle cells get bigger. What is this called?
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Answer: Hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size. Hyperplasia is an increase in cell number.
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4. Which are the classic signs of acute inflammation?
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Answer: Redness, heat, swelling, pain and loss of function. Vasodilation causes redness and heat, leaky vessels cause swelling, and chemical mediators cause pain.
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5. Which cells usually arrive first at a site of acute bacterial inflammation?
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Answer: Neutrophils. Neutrophils dominate the first hours to days of acute inflammation.
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6. Which cells characterize chronic inflammation?
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Answer: Macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells. Chronic inflammation is driven by mononuclear cells and often comes with tissue destruction and repair at the same time.
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7. Coagulative necrosis is typical of an infarct in which organ?
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Answer: Heart. In the heart the dead tissue keeps its outline for a while. The brain shows liquefactive necrosis and the pancreas fat necrosis.
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8. Septic shock is which type of shock?
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Answer: Distributive. Inflammatory mediators cause widespread vasodilation and leaky capillaries, so blood is poorly distributed.
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9. A tension pneumothorax causes which type of shock?
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Answer: Obstructive. Rising pressure in the chest compresses the great veins and heart, blocking venous return.
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10. Early in hypovolemic shock, how does the body mainly compensate?
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Answer: It raises the heart rate and constricts blood vessels. Sympathetic activation raises heart rate and constricts vessels, which is why tachycardia and cool, pale skin come early.
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11. Anaphylaxis is driven mainly by which antibody?
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Answer: IgE. Allergen binds IgE on mast cells, which release histamine and other mediators: a type I hypersensitivity reaction.
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12. Which blood value rises when poorly perfused tissues switch to anaerobic metabolism?
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Answer: Serum lactate. Without enough oxygen, cells make lactate. A rising lactate is used as a marker of tissue hypoperfusion.
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13. Why does a low plasma albumin cause edema?
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Answer: It lowers plasma oncotic pressure. Albumin holds fluid in the vessels. With less of it, fluid leaks into the tissues.
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14. What mainly causes type 1 diabetes?
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Answer: Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. The immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells, so people with type 1 diabetes need insulin.
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15. Which cytokine is a major driver of fever?
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Answer: Interleukin-1. IL-1, IL-6 and TNF act on the hypothalamus to raise the temperature set point. IL-10 dampens inflammation.
For exam study only, not clinical guidance. Doses, reference ranges and protocols vary, so follow your course, your local policy and current references. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Further reading
Your exam is written from your slides. Practise from them.
Drop in a cell injury, inflammation and shock lecture and Quizard writes questions like these from it, links each one to its slide, and brings back the ones you miss.