Q.Poor exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in an individual is the result of: a. exercise induced Asthma b. allergy induced Asthma c. Pulmonary Hypertension d. Respiratory Failure

Bronchial asthma is one of the five lifestyle diseases this unit covers, alongside obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and back pain/arthritis. An asthma attack narrows the airways and makes breathing difficult, and it is commonly triggered by allergens (dust, pollen, pet dander), by smoke and air pollution, and -- in some people -- by exercise itself (exercise-induced asthma). Any of these can bring on an attack, which is why exam questions on this topic are usually answered with "all of the above" rather than a single cause.

During an attack, the airways swell and narrow, making it harder for oxygen to reach the blood and for carbon dioxide to be removed from it. When this gas exchange becomes severely impaired, the condition is described as respiratory failure -- the body is no longer managing the basic in-and-out exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide that breathing exists to do. …