Progressive Care Nursing Certification (PCCN) Practice Exam

In which condition is tissue hypoxia a compensatory mechanism leading to tachycardia?

1. Heart failure

2. Hypothermia

3. Anemia

4. Severe infection

The correct answer is: Heart failure

The condition where tissue hypoxia acts as a compensatory mechanism leading to tachycardia is anemia. In anemia, the body experiences a reduced number of red blood cells or hemoglobin, which decreases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. As a result, tissues may not receive adequate oxygen, leading to tissue hypoxia. To compensate for this lack of oxygen, the body activates several physiological responses, one of which is increasing the heart rate. The heart pumps faster in an effort to circulate blood more quickly and deliver more oxygen to the tissues. This response is crucial for maintaining adequate tissue oxygenation when the efficiency of oxygen transport is compromised due to anemia. In other conditions like heart failure, the heart's ability to pump is already impaired, and while tachycardia may occur, it is not primarily a compensatory mechanism for tissue hypoxia. Similarly, hypothermia is characterized by a decrease in metabolic demand and heart rate rather than an increase. In severe infections, while tachycardia can occur due to systemic inflammatory responses, it may not be directly linked to tissue hypoxia in the same way as in anemia. Therefore, anemia stands out as the condition where tissue hypoxia is a direct cause for compensatory tachy