If a patient with emphysema experiences increased physiological dead space in their lungs due to alveolar damage, which consequence follows regarding respiratory gas exchange?

💡 Explanation

Emphysema damages alveoli, impairing gas exchange and increasing dead space, which reduces the functional area for oxygen diffusion. Because less oxygen is transferred to the blood, arterial oxygen partial pressure decreases. Therefore, the correct answer is reduced arterial oxygen, rather than increased elimination due to the decreased functional surface.

• If a 55-year-old individual is prescribed reading glasses due to presbyopia, which mechanism explains why focusing on near objects becomes difficult, despite sufficient light?
• Why does prolonged glucocorticoid treatment, such as for chronic asthma, increase the risk of osteoporosis?
• If a novel influenza strain evades antibody neutralization, which consequence follows regarding CD8+ T-cell mediated immunity?
• Which effect results when regulatory T cell (Treg) function declines during chronic hepatitis B infection?
• If a deep dermal wound in a patient with peripheral vascular disease develops a chronic non-healing ulcer, which consequence is the MOST likely to prolong the inflammatory phase?
• Why does antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) targeting virally infected cells trigger collateral tissue damage during a strong immune response?