Which term describes insufficient oxygen delivery to tissues?

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

Answer: (D)

Insufficient oxygen delivery to tissues is described as hypoxia. This term means that the tissues aren’t receiving enough oxygen to meet their metabolic needs, which can happen if oxygen content in the blood is too low, if blood flow to the tissues is reduced, or if there are problems with the circulation.

Anoxia refers to a complete absence of oxygen, which is more extreme than simply insufficient delivery. Hypoxemia means low oxygen content in the blood, which can cause tissue hypoxia but describes the blood’s oxygen level rather than the tissue oxygenation itself. Ischemia describes restricted blood flow to a region, which decreases oxygen delivery and is a common cause of tissue hypoxia, but it’s a specific mechanism rather than the general term for the condition described.

So the best fit for “insufficient oxygen delivery to tissues” is hypoxia, with anoxia being the no-oxygen situation, ischemia being reduced blood flow, and hypoxemia describing blood oxygen levels.