Certified Transport Registered Nurse Certification Practice Exam

What condition does hypemic hypoxia relate to?

1. Blood loss or anemia

2. High altitude sickness

3. Carbon dioxide retention

4. Severe dehydration

The correct answer is: Blood loss or anemia

Hypemic hypoxia specifically relates to a condition where there is an inadequate amount of hemoglobin available to carry oxygen in the blood. This can significantly occur due to blood loss or anemia, both of which reduce the overall oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. In the case of blood loss, the total volume of circulating blood is diminished, leading to a decrease in hemoglobin levels. Anemia can occur due to various factors, including nutritional deficiencies, chronic disease, or bone marrow suppression, all resulting in low hemoglobin, which directly contributes to hypemic hypoxia. High altitude sickness, while it does cause insufficient oxygen availability due to reduced atmospheric pressure, is categorized under hypoxic hypoxia, not hypemic hypoxia. Similarly, carbon dioxide retention is more closely associated with hypercapnia and respiratory function, rather than the specific reduction in hemoglobin levels that defines hypemic hypoxia. Severe dehydration can impair blood volume but does not directly relate to the hemoglobin deficiency that characterizes hypemic hypoxia. Thus, the most fitting answer is that hypemic hypoxia relates to conditions such as blood loss or anemia, where the amount of functional hemoglobin is compromised.