Question

When multiple patients present with an acute onset of difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and hoarseness or stridor, you should be MOST suspicious of exposure to:

A. a nerve agent.
B. sarin or soman.
C. a vesicant agent.
D. phosgene or chlorine.

Answer 1

The symptoms of acute difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and hoarseness or stridor are indicative of exposure to respiratory irritants like phosgene or chlorine, which can lead to suffocation and chronic breathing problems.

Step-by-step explanation:

When multiple patients present with symptoms such as acute onset of difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and hoarseness or stridor, one should be most suspicious of exposure to respiratory irritants such as phosgene or chlorine.

These agents cause airway irritation, eye and skin irritation, dyspnea, cough, sore throat, chest tightness, wheezing, and bronchospasm. Phosgene and chlorine have a similar mechanism to blister agents, but their action is more pronounced in the respiratory system, potentially flooding it and resulting in suffocation. Survivors often suffer from chronic breathing problems. Therefore, the correct answer is D. phosgene or chlorine.