A nurse is assessing a client for hypoxemia during an asthma attack. Which manifestation is expected?

• A. Nausea
• B. Agitation
• C. Dysphagia
• D. Hypotension

Answer: (B)

When the airways narrow during an asthma attack, ventilation is impaired and oxygen levels in the blood drop, leading to hypoxemia. The brain is highly sensitive to reduced oxygen, so early signs often include restlessness or agitation as the patient tries to cope with the shortage of oxygen. This agitation reflects cerebral hypoxia and is a common, expected manifestation in this context. Nausea, while it can occur for various reasons, is not a primary sign of hypoxemia in an asthma attack. Dysphagia isn’t related to the oxygenation problem, and hypotension isn’t typically an early finding in asthma-related hypoxemia (it would suggest a more severe deterioration or different process). Focus on agitation as the key cue of falling oxygen levels in this scenario.