If a pulmonary embolism blocks a significant portion of pulmonary blood flow, which consequence follows regarding the ventilation-perfusion ratio in the affected lung region?

💡 Explanation

A pulmonary embolism obstructs blood flow to a lung region; because ventilation remains constant while perfusion decreases, the ventilation-perfusion ratio increases, therefore, the ratio increases significantly above one, rather than remaining unchanged or oscillating, because the blood flow is severely limited.

• Why does elevated FSH, despite ovulation, fail to ensure successful implantation?
• Why does irreversible damage to the pancreas hinder efficient intestinal lipid digestion in cystic fibrosis patients?
• Following a benzene exposure incident in a chemical plant, a worker develops aplastic anemia. Which mechanism explains why red blood cell transfusions alone cannot fully resolve his fatigue?
• Why does skin vasoconstriction in hypothermia paradoxically increase core temperature drop despite reduced surface heat loss?
• Why does the small intestine absorb more monosaccharides via secondary active transport than facilitated diffusion after a carbohydrate-rich meal?
• Why does adaptive immunity from vaccination provide longer-lasting protection than passive antibody transfer?