Supplemental oxygen is indicated for which condition?

• A. Anxiety
• B. Hypoxia
• C. Hyperventilation
• D. None

Answer: (B)

Supplemental oxygen is used when the body's tissues aren’t getting enough oxygen, known as hypoxia. When someone is hypoxic, delivering more oxygen helps raise the amount of oxygen in the blood and improve tissue oxygen delivery. Anxiety or hyperventilation by themselves don’t indicate a lack of oxygen in the blood, so they aren’t indications for oxygen therapy unless there are signs of hypoxia (like low oxygen saturation or trouble breathing). Saying none would miss a real need for oxygen in hypoxic states. So the condition that calls for supplemental oxygen is hypoxia.