What effects can hypoxia cause?

• A. Nausea, Altered LOC, Death
• B. Increased Energy
• C. Improved Appetite
• D. Peripheral Numbness Only

Answer: (A)

Hypoxia narrows the brain’s oxygen supply, so brain cells can’t generate enough energy. As oxygen delivery falls, brain function deteriorates, starting with subtle symptoms and progressing to more pronounced signs. Nausea can occur with early hypoxia, and as it worsens, level of consciousness becomes altered—ranging from confusion or lethargy to coma—and in the most severe cases, vital functions fail and death can result. This pattern—nausea, changes in consciousness, and potential death—best reflects how insufficient oxygen availability impacts the body. The other options don’t fit because hypoxia does not improve energy or appetite, and peripheral numbness is not a defining, direct consequence of systemic oxygen deprivation.