Question

The 68-year-old patient was admitted to the hospital medical floor with a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis. His wife asks the nurse why his skin loos blue. How would you explain cyanosis to the patient and his wife.

A. Cyanosis leaves blue to black marks on the skin due to ruptured blood vessels and pooling of blood beneath the skin.
B. Cyanosis is a dusky bluish or grayish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes that occurs with reduced oxygen levels.
C. Cyanosis is a bronzing of the skin that occurs when the adrenal gland produces an inadequate amount of steroids.
D. Cyanosis is a whitening of the skin due to anemia or accumulation of bile pigments.
E. Cyanosis is a reddening of skin due to fever, hypertension, inflammation, or an allergy.

Answer 1

Cyanosis is a dusky bluish or grayish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes that occurs with reduced oxygen levels.

Step-by-step explanation:

Cyanosis is a dusky bluish or grayish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes that occurs with reduced oxygen levels. When the oxygen supply is restricted, such as when someone is experiencing difficulty in breathing due to asthma or a heart attack, the blood becomes dominantly dark red in color, making the skin appear blue. This condition is called cyanosis. It is a result of insufficient oxygenation of the blood and is not related to ruptured blood vessels or pooling of blood beneath the skin.