Which term means administration of supplemental oxygen?

• A. Oxygen Therapy
• B. Pleural Space
• C. Spontaneous Pneumothorax
• D. Ventilation-Perfusion Mismatch

Answer: (A)

Giving extra oxygen to a patient is called oxygen therapy. This term describes the deliberate act of delivering supplemental oxygen to raise the amount of oxygen in the inhaled air and, consequently, the oxygen carried in the blood. In practice, oxygen therapy uses devices like nasal cannulas or face masks and is tailored to reach target oxygen levels (often measured as SpO2 or PaO2) to ensure tissues get enough oxygen without causing harm.

The other terms don’t describe the act of administering supplemental oxygen. The pleural space is the anatomical potential space surrounding the lungs and is involved in conditions like pleural effusion or pneumothorax, not in providing oxygen. Spontaneous pneumothorax is a condition where air collects in the pleural space causing the lung to collapse, not a method of oxygen delivery. Ventilation-perfusion mismatch refers to a problem where air flow and blood flow in the lungs aren’t properly aligned, which may lead to hypoxemia, but it’s a pathophysiologic issue rather than the treatment of giving oxygen.