Endocrine System Practice Test 3
Endocrine System NCLEX Practice Test
Endocrine System is a key topic within the NCLEX test plan, located under Nursing Science → Clinical Foundations → Endocrine System. This section reviews hormonal regulation and nursing priorities in metabolic and endocrine disorders. Each test contains 50 questions designed to mirror the difficulty and variety of the real exam.
This is the 3rd part of the Endocrine System series. To explore all practice tests under this topic, use the “Back to Main Topic” button at the end of the page.
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Endocrine System Practice Test 3
An endogenous vasoconstrictor that can stimulate aldosterone release from suprarenal glands?
- Angiotensinogen
- Angiotensin I
- Angiotensin II
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme
Explanation: Answer reason: Angiotensin II is a potent endogenous vasoconstrictor and directly stimulates aldosterone secretion from the adrenal cortex; angiotensinogen and angiotensin I are precursors, and ACE is an enzyme, not a vasoconstrictor.
Thyroxin is secreted by which gland?
- The thyroid gland
- The thymus
- The pituitary gland
- The hypothalamus
Explanation: Answer reason: Thyroxin (thyroxine, T4) is produced by follicular cells of the thyroid gland; pituitary and hypothalamus release TSH and TRH respectively, and thymus secretes thymic hormones.
What is the cause of hypoglycemia in neonates?
- Immature liver
- Immature lung
- Immature kidney
- None of the above
Explanation: Answer reason: Neonates have limited glycogen stores and immature hepatic gluconeogenesis/glycogenolysis, making them prone to hypoglycemia; lung or kidney immaturity is not the primary cause.
Which pituitary hormone stimulates the secretion of milk from the mammary glands?
- Prolactin
- Progesterone
- Estrogen
- Oxytocin
Explanation: Answer reason: Prolactin from the anterior pituitary stimulates milk synthesis/secretion in the mammary glands; oxytocin causes milk ejection.
Which condition is caused by a deficiency of insulin?
- Anemia
- Diabetes
- Goitre
- Rickets
Explanation: Answer reason: Insulin deficiency leads to hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus. Anemia is due to low RBC/hemoglobin, goitre from iodine deficiency, and rickets from vitamin D deficiency.
Where is the thyroid gland located?
- Brain
- Neck
- Chest
- Abdomen
Explanation: Answer reason: The thyroid gland sits in the anterior neck, below the larynx and over the trachea.
Which hormone contracts the uterus muscles during childbirth to expel the baby?
- Calcitonin
- Oxytocin
- Insulin
- Prolactin
Explanation: Answer reason: Oxytocin released from the posterior pituitary stimulates uterine smooth muscle contractions during labor. Calcitonin regulates calcium, insulin controls glucose, and prolactin promotes milk production.
Which organ is both exocrine and endocrine?
- Liver
- Pancreas
- Kidney
- Stomach
Explanation: Answer reason: The pancreas has exocrine acinar cells that secrete digestive enzymes into ducts and endocrine islets that release hormones like insulin and glucagon into the blood.
A male patient with low sperm count and low testosterone is most likely to have a problem with which gland?
- Thyroid
- Pituitary
- Adrenal
- Pineal
Explanation: Answer reason: Low testosterone and low sperm count indicate hypogonadotropic hypogonadism due to decreased LH/FSH from anterior pituitary dysfunction.
Which of the following is a common symptom of diabetes?
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Frequent urination
- Shortness of breath
Explanation: Answer reason: Polyuria is a classic symptom of hyperglycemia in diabetes due to osmotic diuresis; the other options are nonspecific and less characteristic.
Which organ fails to function normally in diabetes?
- Liver
- Heart
- Brain
- Pancreas
Explanation: Answer reason: Diabetes results from impaired insulin production or action; the pancreas (beta cells) is the primary organ failing to regulate insulin, leading to hyperglycemia.
Poorly controlled maternal thyroid disease is associated with which of the following pregnancy complications?
- Stillbirth
- Intrauterine growth restriction
- Preterm delivery
- Pre-eclampsia
- All of the above
Explanation: Answer reason: Both poorly controlled hypo- and hyperthyroidism in pregnancy increase risks of stillbirth, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and preeclampsia; therefore all listed complications apply.
What is the most ionized mediator of common hormone action in the body?
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Potassium
Explanation: Answer reason: Calcium ions (Ca2+) serve as a ubiquitous second messenger for many hormones, mediating actions via Ca2+-calmodulin and related pathways.
Which of the following is not a hormone?
- Melatonin
- Metolazone
- Oxytocin
- Progesterone
- Testosterone
Explanation: Answer reason: Metolazone is a thiazide-like diuretic medication, not an endogenous hormone. Melatonin, oxytocin, progesterone, and testosterone are hormones.
Which gland is known as the 'master gland' of the body?
- Thyroid gland
- Pituitary gland
- Adrenal gland
- Pancreas
Explanation: Answer reason: The pituitary secretes trophic hormones that regulate other endocrine glands, so it is termed the master gland.
Relaxin hormone is also known as?
- Testosterone
- Progesterone
- Vasopressin
- Oxytocin
Explanation: Answer reason: Relaxin is a corpus luteal hormone associated with pregnancy; among the options the closely linked and traditionally paired luteal hormone is progesterone, whereas testosterone, vasopressin (ADH), and oxytocin are unrelated.
Which hormone promotes milk production?
- Oxytocin
- Prolactin
- Estrogen
Explanation: Answer reason: Prolactin from the anterior pituitary stimulates milk synthesis; oxytocin mediates milk ejection, and estrogen promotes breast development but not milk production.
Which gland controls blood pressure in the human body?
- Thymus
- Thyroid Gland
- Adrenal Gland
- Corpus Luteum
Explanation: Answer reason: Adrenal glands regulate blood pressure via aldosterone (sodium and water retention in RAAS) and catecholamines that affect vascular tone. Thus they are key endocrine controllers of BP.
Which hormone increases water reabsorption in the kidney?
- Aldosterone
- Insulin
- Antidiuretic hormone
- Parathyroid hormone
Explanation: Answer reason: Antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin) increases water reabsorption in the renal collecting ducts via V2 receptors and aquaporin-2 insertion. Aldosterone primarily increases sodium reabsorption, insulin has no renal water-reabsorption effect, and parathyroid hormone regulates calcium/phosphate.
How do circulating TSH levels change during pregnancy?
- Increased
- Decreased
- Remain unchanged
- Increase then decrease
- Decrease then increase
Explanation: Answer reason: Early pregnancy hCG stimulates the thyroid, raising T4/T3 and suppressing pituitary TSH; later TSH returns toward normal or rises—thus TSH decreases then increases.
Which of the following glands controls the functioning of other endocrine glands?
- Thyroid gland
- Pineal gland
- Adrenal glands
- Pituitary gland
Explanation: Answer reason: The pituitary is the 'master gland' that secretes tropic hormones such as TSH, ACTH, LH, and FSH, which regulate other endocrine glands.
What condition is caused by iodine deficiency?
- Goitre
- Marasmus
- Kwashiorkor
- Anaemia
Explanation: Answer reason: Iodine is required for thyroid hormone synthesis; deficiency leads to thyroid enlargement (goitre). The other options relate to protein-energy malnutrition or iron deficiency.
Which hormone is known as the 'Emergency Hormone'?
- Insulin
- Adrenaline
- Oxytocin
- Thyroxine
Explanation: Answer reason: Adrenaline (epinephrine) is released from the adrenal medulla during acute stress and triggers the fight-or-flight response, hence called the emergency hormone.
Which structure produces gonadotropins?
- Hypothalamus
- Anterior pituitary
- Posterior pituitary
- Ovaries
- Endometrium
Explanation: Answer reason: Gonadotropins (FSH and LH) are secreted by gonadotroph cells of the anterior pituitary.
Which hormone is known as the 'stress hormone'?
- Insulin
- Oxytocin
- Cortisol
- Thyroxine
Explanation: Answer reason: Cortisol, produced by the adrenal cortex, is released in response to stress via the HPA axis and is commonly called the stress hormone.
The nurse knows that a 60-year-old female client's susceptibility to osteoporosis is most likely related to?
- Lack of exercise
- Hormonal disturbances
- Lack of calcium
- Genetic predisposition
Explanation: Answer reason: In women around age 60, postmenopausal estrogen deficiency accelerates bone resorption, making hormonal changes the most likely cause of osteoporosis risk compared with exercise, calcium intake, or genetics.
A client with diabetes visits the prenatal clinic at 28 weeks gestation. Which statement is true regarding insulin needs during pregnancy?
- Insulin requirements moderate as the pregnancy progresses.
- A decreased need for insulin occurs during the second trimester.
- Elevations in human choronic gonadotrophin decrease the need for insulin.
- Fetal development depends on adequate insulin regulation.
Explanation: Answer reason: Insulin needs typically decrease in the first trimester and increase in the second and third trimesters due to placental hormones (e.g., human placental lactogen) causing insulin resistance; hCG is not responsible for reduced insulin needs. The reliably true statement is that normal fetal development depends on adequate insulin regulation.
Which hormone controls the feeling of hunger?
- Ghrelin
- Leptin
- Insulin
Explanation: Answer reason: Ghrelin, produced mainly by the stomach, stimulates appetite and increases the sensation of hunger; leptin promotes satiety and insulin primarily regulates glucose.
Which hormone regulates the sleep-wake cycle of the human body?
- Melatonin
- Progesterone
- Cortisol
- Prolactin
Explanation: Answer reason: Melatonin from the pineal gland regulates circadian rhythms and the sleep-wake cycle; progesterone affects reproduction, cortisol mediates stress with diurnal variation, and prolactin promotes lactation.
Which of the following diseases is caused by deficiency of insulin?
- Hypertension
- Diabetes mellitus
- Osteoporosis
- Asthma
Explanation: Answer reason: Insulin deficiency leads to impaired glucose uptake and hyperglycemia, causing diabetes mellitus; the other conditions are not due to lack of insulin.
In which condition are high levels of ketones commonly found?
- Hypertension
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Hypothyroidism
- Anemia
Explanation: Answer reason: Ketone bodies accumulate during insulin deficiency with increased fat breakdown, characteristic of diabetic ketoacidosis; the other conditions do not typically cause ketosis.
Which hormone regulates blood sugar levels?
- Cortisol
- Insulin
- Estrogen
Explanation: Answer reason: Insulin lowers blood glucose by facilitating cellular uptake of glucose and promoting storage as glycogen; cortisol raises glucose, and estrogen is not a primary regulator of glycemia.
What are the expected TSH and T4 levels in a patient diagnosed with secondary hypothyroidism?
- High TSH, high T4
- Low TSH, low T4
- Normal TSH, low T4
- High TSH, low T4
Explanation: Answer reason: Secondary (pituitary or hypothalamic) failure results in inadequate TSH stimulation leading to low TSH and consequently low T4.
Which hormone is known as the love hormone?
- Prolactin
- Testosterone
- Progesterone
- Oxytocin
Explanation: Answer reason: Oxytocin is commonly called the love hormone due to its role in bonding, trust, and social attachment; the other hormones do not primarily mediate pair-bonding.
What is one of the leading causes of hyperthyroidism?
- Graves’ disease
- Exophthalmos
- Hashimoto’s disease
- Congenital hypothyroidism
Explanation: Answer reason: Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder and the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. Exophthalmos is a sign of Graves’, and Hashimoto’s disease and congenital hypothyroidism cause hypothyroidism, not hyperthyroidism.
Which hormone is responsible for the release of milk in the let-down reflex?
- Oxytocin
- Prolactin
- Dopamine
- Oestrogen
Explanation: Answer reason: Oxytocin from the posterior pituitary triggers contraction of myoepithelial cells in the breast, causing milk ejection (let-down). Prolactin stimulates milk production; dopamine inhibits prolactin; estrogen is not responsible for milk ejection.
Which gland is known as both an exocrine and endocrine gland?
- Pancreas
- Liver
- Gall bladder
- Heart
Explanation: Answer reason: The pancreas has exocrine acini that secrete digestive enzymes into ducts and endocrine islets that release hormones (insulin, glucagon) into the bloodstream.
Which gland is referred to as the master gland?
- Thyroid gland
- Pituitary gland
- Pineal gland
- Adrenal gland
Explanation: Answer reason: The pituitary gland is known as the master gland because it secretes trophic hormones that regulate other endocrine glands.
What condition is caused by excessive secretion of growth hormone by the anterior pituitary in prepubertal children?
- Addison’s disease
- Cushing’s disease
- Gigantism
- Adenomegaly
Explanation: Answer reason: Excess growth hormone secretion before epiphyseal plate closure causes proportional overgrowth termed gigantism; Addison’s is adrenal insufficiency, Cushing’s is cortisol excess, and adenomegaly is nonspecific gland enlargement.
What is the name of the master gland?
- Thymus
- Hypothalamus
- Pituitary
- Pineal
Explanation: Answer reason: The pituitary gland is traditionally called the master gland because it secretes hormones that regulate other endocrine glands.
Which of the following is NOT one of the classic P’s of diabetes mellitus?
- Polyuria
- Polyphagia
- Polydipsia
- Polyarthria
Explanation: Answer reason: The classic three P’s of diabetes mellitus are polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia. Polyarthria (joint pain) is not one of them.
Growth, reproduction, and food use at the cellular level are partially controlled by hormones released by organs from which of the following systems that also act(s) relatively slowly?
- The digestive system.
- The reproductive system.
- The endocrine system.
- The nervous system.
Explanation: Answer reason: Hormones that regulate growth, reproduction, and metabolism are produced by endocrine glands; endocrine signaling acts more slowly than the nervous system.
Which hormone causes the adrenal glands to produce steroid hormones that influence the metabolism of glucose?
- Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH)
- Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
- Oxytocin (OXT)
- Luteinizing hormone (LH)
Explanation: Answer reason: ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex to secrete glucocorticoids (e.g., cortisol), steroid hormones that regulate glucose metabolism. The other options do not act on the adrenal cortex for this function.
Prediabetes is associated with all of the following except?
- Increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Impaired glucose tolerance
- Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
- Increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes
Explanation: Answer reason: Prediabetes reflects insulin resistance and impaired glucose regulation, which increases risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is not associated with an increased risk of autoimmune type 1 diabetes.
What is the approximate half-life of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)?
- 10 days
- 24 hours
- 24 days
- 10 minutes
Explanation: Answer reason: HCG, a glycoprotein hormone, has a circulating half-life of roughly 24–36 hours; 24 hours is the best listed estimate.
Which hormone is increased in polycystic ovarian syndrome?
- 17-OH progesterone
- LH
- FSH
- TSH
Explanation: Answer reason: PCOS characteristically has an increased LH with an elevated LH:FSH ratio; FSH is normal/low, TSH is unrelated, and 17-OH progesterone elevation is more typical of congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
Which hormone contracts the uterus muscles during childbirth to expel the baby?
- Adrenaline
- Oxytocin
- Insulin
- Steroid
Explanation: Answer reason: Oxytocin from the posterior pituitary stimulates uterine smooth muscle contraction during labor, expelling the fetus.
Human chorionic gonadotrophin hormone is secreted by which structure?
- Corpus luteum
- Syncytiotrophoblast of the placenta
- Graffian follicles
- Endometrium
Explanation: Answer reason: HCG is produced by the placental syncytiotrophoblast after implantation; it maintains the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum and follicles do not secrete hCG.
Antidiuretic hormone is secreted by which gland?
- Anterior pituitary gland
- Posterior pituitary gland
- Hypothalamus
- Pituitary midline
Explanation: Answer reason: ADH (vasopressin) is synthesized in the hypothalamus and stored in the posterior pituitary, which secretes/releases it into the bloodstream.
Which two hormones does the pancreas produce?
- Insulin and epinephrine
- Glucagon and melatonin
- Insulin and glucagon
- Glucagon and epinephrine
Explanation: Answer reason: The pancreatic islets secrete insulin from beta cells and glucagon from alpha cells; epinephrine is adrenal medulla and melatonin is pineal.
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