Written to NHA's CCMA test plan
- Foundational Knowledge and Basic Science 10%
- Anatomy and Physiology 5.3%
- Clinical Patient Care 56%
- Patient Care Coordination and Education 8%
- Administrative Assisting 8%
- Communication and Customer Service 8%
- Medical Law and Ethics 4.7%
Free · 2026 · 5.3% of the NHA CCMA CCMA Anatomy and Physiology practice questions
Anatomy and Physiology is 5.3% of the NHA CCMA. Answer 10 questions (6 on Anatomy and Physiology) and see your score by domain, with every answer explained. Free, no sign-up.
A 34-year-old woman reports a 12-pound weight loss despite eating more than usual. She also describes feeling hot when others are comfortable, a racing heartbeat and nervousness. Her eyes appear to bulge. Which condition do these findings most strongly suggest?
Tap an answer, or press A to D
Body systems, common diseases and their signs, symptoms and diagnostic tests.
What the NHA CCMA exam tests in Anatomy and Physiology
- Body structures and organ systems: cell structure and organelles; anatomical structures, locations and positions; structure and function of the major body systems and organs; how systems interact and maintain homeostasis
- Pathophysiology and disease processes: signs, symptoms and causes of common diseases, conditions and injuries; diagnostic measures (labs, imaging, biopsy) and treatments (infusion, chemo, medication, surgery); incidence, prevalence, risk factors and comorbidities; epidemics and pandemics
High-yield anatomy and physiology facts
- Body planes: sagittal divides left and right (midsagittal = equal halves); frontal/coronal divides front and back; transverse divides top and bottom.
- Body cavities: dorsal (cranial, spinal) and ventral (thoracic, abdominal, pelvic). Abdominal quadrants: RUQ = liver, gallbladder; LUQ = stomach, spleen; RLQ = appendix; LLQ = sigmoid colon.
- Blood flow through the heart: right atrium → tricuspid valve → right ventricle → pulmonary valve → pulmonary artery (deoxygenated, to the lungs) → pulmonary veins (oxygenated) → left atrium → mitral (bicuspid) valve → left ventricle → aortic valve → aorta.
- Cardiac conduction: SA node (pacemaker, 60-100 bpm) → AV node → bundle of His → bundle branches → Purkinje fibers.
- Homeostasis is maintained mainly by negative feedback. Examples: sweating lowers temperature; insulin lowers blood glucose. Childbirth contractions are an example of positive feedback.
- Systems work together. Kidneys plus the endocrine system regulate BP and fluid; the respiratory system plus the kidneys regulate acid-base balance; the nervous and endocrine systems control the stress response.
| Organelle | Function |
|---|---|
| Nucleus | holds DNA; control center |
| Mitochondria | make energy (ATP); 'powerhouse' |
| Ribosomes | build proteins |
| Endoplasmic reticulum | transport; rough ER has ribosomes, smooth ER makes lipids |
| Golgi apparatus | packages and ships proteins |
| Lysosomes | digest waste and pathogens |
| Cell membrane | selectively permeable barrier |
| Cytoplasm | gel where organelles sit |
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Common anatomy and physiology traps
- Pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood; pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood.
- Tricuspid valve is on the right; mitral (bicuspid) is on the left.
- Tendon = muscle to bone; ligament = bone to bone.
- Incidence (new cases) vs prevalence (all cases).
- Epidemic (local excess) vs pandemic (worldwide).
- Insulin lowers blood glucose; glucagon raises it.
- The SA node, not the AV node, is the natural pacemaker.
Free CCMA anatomy and physiology practice questions
Question 1
A 48-year-old patient with a family history of type 2 diabetes has a hemoglobin A1c result of 6.1%. According to American Diabetes Association criteria, how is this result classified?
- APrediabetes range
- BNormal glucose regulation
- CDiabetes range
- DHypoglycemia range
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. An A1c from 5.7% to 6.4% falls in the prediabetes range, and 6.1% sits within it. This signals increased risk and a need for lifestyle changes and monitoring.
Why not B: A normal A1c is below 5.7%, so 6.1% is above the normal range.
Why not C: Diabetes is diagnosed at an A1c of 6.5% or higher, usually confirmed by repeat testing. 6.1% is below that threshold.
Why not D: A1c reflects average blood glucose over about 2 to 3 months and is not used to classify hypoglycemia. 6.1% is above normal, not low.
Remember: A1c below 5.7% is normal, 5.7% to 6.4% is prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher meets the diabetes threshold.
Question 2
A teenager fell from a bicycle and struck the handlebar with the upper left abdomen. He has left upper quadrant tenderness and pain referred to the left shoulder. Which organ in this region is most likely injured?
- AGallbladder
- BSpleen
- CAppendix
- DLiver
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. The spleen lies in the left upper quadrant and is one of the abdominal organs most commonly injured by blunt trauma. Blood from a splenic injury irritates the diaphragm and can refer pain to the left shoulder (Kehr sign).
Why not A: The gallbladder lies under the liver in the right upper quadrant. It would not explain left-sided findings.
Why not C: The appendix sits in the right lower quadrant. It is not near the site of this injury.
Why not D: The liver lies mainly in the right upper quadrant. It would not be the primary organ injured by a blow to the upper left abdomen.
Remember: The spleen is in the left upper quadrant, and the liver and gallbladder are in the right upper quadrant.
Question 3
A radiology report states that a set of MRI images was taken along a vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions. Which plane does the report describe?
- ASagittal plane
- BMidsagittal plane
- CFrontal (coronal) plane
- DTransverse plane
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. The frontal, or coronal, plane is vertical and separates the front (anterior) of the body from the back (posterior).
Why not A: The sagittal plane is vertical but divides the body into left and right portions, not front and back.
Why not B: The midsagittal plane runs down the midline and divides the body into equal left and right halves.
Why not D: The transverse plane is horizontal and divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.
Remember: Frontal (coronal) divides front from back, sagittal divides left from right, and transverse divides top from bottom.
Question 4
A patient waiting in a cold exam room begins to shiver, and the shivering raises his body temperature back toward normal. Which statement best describes this homeostatic mechanism?
- APositive feedback, in which the muscle activity intensifies the original drop in temperature
- BNegative feedback, in which the hypothalamus triggers heat-producing muscle contractions
- CNegative feedback, in which skin blood vessels dilate to hold heat inside the body
- DPositive feedback, in which the pituitary gland stimulates the sweat glands to warm the skin
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. The hypothalamus senses the drop in temperature and triggers shivering to generate heat. The response reverses the change and returns temperature toward the set point.
Why not A: Positive feedback amplifies a change, as oxytocin does during labor contractions. Shivering opposes the temperature drop rather than intensifying it.
Why not C: Vasodilation releases heat through the skin. When the body is cold, skin vessels constrict to conserve heat.
Why not D: Sweating cools the body, and the hypothalamus, not the pituitary, is the main temperature control center. This is not positive feedback.
Remember: Most homeostasis relies on negative feedback, in which the body's response reverses a change; the hypothalamus acts as the body's thermostat.
Question 5
A provider orders a hemoglobin A1c test for a patient being screened for diabetes. The patient asks why she does not need to fast beforehand. Which explanation by the medical assistant is accurate?
- AThe test reflects only the blood glucose level at the moment the sample is drawn
- BThe test measures blood glucose 2 hours after drinking a glucose solution
- CThe test reflects the average blood glucose level over roughly the past 2 to 3 months
- DThe test reflects the average blood glucose level over roughly the past 2 to 3 weeks
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. A1c measures glucose attached to hemoglobin over the lifespan of red blood cells (about 120 days). A recent meal does not significantly change the result, so fasting is not needed.
Why not A: A single point-in-time reading describes a random or fasting plasma glucose test, not the A1c.
Why not B: This describes the oral glucose tolerance test, which does require fasting before the glucose drink.
Why not D: A window of only a few weeks describes tests such as fructosamine (about 2 to 3 weeks). The A1c covers a longer period tied to red blood cell lifespan.
Remember: Hemoglobin A1c reflects average blood glucose over about 2 to 3 months, needs no fasting, and a result of 6.5% or higher is consistent with diabetes.
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