NUR 3125 Exam 2 Pathophysiology USF Exam 2 Study Set
Questions With Complete Solutions
Acute orthostatic hypotension Correct Answers caused when
the normal regulatory mechanisms are sluggish as a result of:
altered body chemistry, drug action (antihypertensives,
antidepressants), prolonged immobility, starvation, physical
exhaustion, any condition that produces volume depletion
(dehydration, diuresis, potassium or sodium depletion), any
condition that results in venous pooling (pregnancy, extensive
varicose veins in lower extremities)
Acute Pericarditis Correct Answers Inflammation of the
pericardium; can be caused by viral infection, thoracic trauma,
myocardial infarction, tuberculosis, malignancy, autoimmune
conditions.
May cause pericardial effusion or cardiac tamponade. Causes
decreased cardiac output.
MANIFESTATIONS: falling arterial pressure, rising venous
pressure, narrowing pulse pressure, muffled heart sounds.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Correct Answers Also
called Lou Gehrig's disease; Damage of the upper motor neurons
of the cerebral cortex and lower motor neurons of the brainstem
and spinal cord
Sensory neurons, cognitive function, and cranial nerves III, IV,
and VI are not affected
,Nerves lose their ability to trigger muscle movement, resulting
in muscle weakness, disability, paralysis, and eventually death
(usually within 3 years of onset of symptoms)
May also increase the risk for dementia
No definitive cause, may be linked to genetics, environment,
free radical damage, excess glutamate, autoimmune responses
MANIFESTATIONS: become progressively worse as more
motor neurons are damaged; The loss of upper motor neurons
results in spastic paralysis and hyperreflexia; the loss of lower
motor neurons results in flaccid paralysis
Early manifestations include: Footdrop, Lower extremity
weakness, Hand weakness or clumsiness, Slurred speech,
Dysphagia, Muscle cramps and twitching in upper extremities
and the tongue, Frequently begins in the upper or lower
extremities and then spreads to other parts of the body, As the
disease advances, muscles become progressively weaker until
they are paralyzed, Eventually affects chewing, swallowing,
speaking, and breathing
Aneurysms Correct Answers A localized outpouching of a
cerebral artery due to weakening of the artery wall
Common causes: Congenital defects, hypertension, diabetes
mellitus, dyslipidemia, connective tissue diseases (e.g., Marfan
syndrome), traumatic brain injuries, arteriovenous
malformations, cigarette smoking, illicit drug use, and brain
tumor
,Can put pressure on surrounding tissue as well as leak or
rupture, causing a CVA or death
Most are berry or saccular; Most frequently occur in multiples
on the circle of Willis
Many are asymptomatic until they grow large enough to
compress surrounding structures or rupture
Manifestations: Vision issues (e.g., diplopia and loss of vision),
headache, eye pain, and neck pain,**A sudden, severe headache
is an indication that the aneurysm has ruptured; may also
resemble symptoms of increased ICP and CVA
Athersclerosis Correct Answers A chronic inflammatory
disease, triggered by a vessel wall injury, characterized by
thickening/hardening of lesions which calcify on arterial wall.
Obstructs the vessel, leads to platelet aggregation, and
vasoconstriction
Complications: peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery
disease, thrombi, hypertension, stroke
MANIFESTATIONS: asymptomatic until it causes other
complications
Autoregulation Correct Answers the blood vessels dilate to
increase blood flow and constrict if ICP increases
, BEFAST (stroke) Correct Answers B - balance (loss of
balance, headache, dizziness)
E - eyes (blurred vision)
F - face (one side of face drooping)
A - arms (arm/leg weakness)
S - speech (speech difficulty)
T - time (time to call ambulance immediately)
Brain tumors Correct Answers benign or malignant, increased
ICP, s/s: depends on location:
• frontal lobe: personality, seizures, visual disturbances,
hemiparesis, aphasia
• occipital lobe: visual hallucinations, seizures
• temporal lobe: seizures, ha
• parietal lobe: seizures visual loss
• cerebellum: coordination or walking/mobility difficulties
Cardiac Tamponade Correct Answers A life-threatening
cardiac compression from fluid accumulation (pleural effusion).
The heart does not stretch out fully, chambers do not fill
properly, less cardiac output, hypotension.
Cephalalgia (headache) Correct Answers refers to pain in any
region of the head
characterized by recurrent headache
Can occur on one or both sides of the head, be isolated to a
specific area, radiate across the head from one point, or have a
viselike quality