Explain how methemoglobin is formed and how its presence impacts oxygen delivery. Be sure to include oxygen affinity in your answer
What will be an ideal response?
Answer: Methemoglobin is formed by oxidation of ferrous iron to ferric iron in the hemoglobin molecule. As a result, it cannot effectively transport oxygen because of its poor oxygen affinity. Patients with this abnormal hemoglobin have cyanosis and shortness of breath as a result of poor oxygen transport.
You might also like to view...
The leads that record electrical impulses generated from the heart's electrical conduction system actually "look at" specific areas of damaged myocardium and are termed:
A) facing leads B) reciprocal leads C) lateral leads D) exhibited leads
An AEMT provider's provisional diagnosis of a patient's medical problem upon which the medical treatment plan is based would be referred to as:
A) mechanism of injury. B) secondary assessment. C) nature of illness. D) field impression.