Which term denotes a lack of oxygen supply to a body tissue?

Which term denotes a lack of oxygen supply to a body tissue?

• A. Anoxia
• B. Hypoxia
• C. Ischemia
• D. Hyperoxia

Answer: (A)

Oxygen deprivation of tissue is what this question is getting at. Anoxia means there is a complete absence of oxygen reaching the tissue, so it precisely denotes a lack of oxygen supply. Hypoxia, by contrast, is when oxygen is present but at insufficient levels, not completely gone. Ischemia refers to reduced blood flow to a region, which can cause oxygen shortage, but the term focuses on circulation, not directly on the oxygen content itself. Hyperoxia is the presence of excess oxygen, the opposite of the situation described.

Oxygen deprivation of tissue is what this question is getting at. Anoxia means there is a complete absence of oxygen reaching the tissue, so it precisely denotes a lack of oxygen supply. Hypoxia, by contrast, is when oxygen is present but at insufficient levels, not completely gone. Ischemia refers to reduced blood flow to a region, which can cause oxygen shortage, but the term focuses on circulation, not directly on the oxygen content itself. Hyperoxia is the presence of excess oxygen, the opposite of the situation described.