The respiratory therapist is reviewing a patient's electronic medical record to try to verify if the patient has tissue hypoxia. Which of the following laboratory values is MOST likely to correlate with tissue hypoxia?

a. Metabolic acidosis
b. Thrombocytopenia
c. Hypokalemia
d. Bilirubinemia


A
When hypoxia exists, alternate anaerobic mechanisms are activated in the tissues that produce dangerous metabolites—such as lactic acid—as waste products. Lactic acid is a nonvolatile acid and causes the pH to decrease, resulting in metabolic acidosis.

Health Professions

You might also like to view...

A patient with a rapid heart rate may have decreased cardiac output because:

A. the ventricles do not have enough time to refill with blood, so stroke volume decreases. B. the heart muscles become agitated and pump an excessive amount of blood. C. the ventricles are filled with too much blood, so stroke volume increases. D. the heart muscles become tired and are unable to pump as much blood.

Health Professions

The conversion of glycogen to glucose molecules for energy is an example of one of the processes of metabolism, called _______________. 

Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).

Health Professions

Which of the following statistical information on release of information must be available upon request?

A. Number of requests fulfilled B. Number of breaches in disclosure C. Number of valid requests D. All of these

Health Professions

The main disadvantage of single-booking is that:

A) if a problem arises with one patient, it may delay evaluation of another patient B) the provider lacks adequate time to focus on an individual patient C) patients are often made to wait for very long periods of time D) if patients' problems are easily addressed, there may be gaps in the schedule

Health Professions