Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) Practice Exam 2025 – Your All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Reduced atmospheric pressure affecting alveolar PO2 is classified as hypoxic hypoxia. This type of hypoxia occurs when there is inadequate oxygen available in the air, leading to insufficient oxygen being delivered to the tissues. In situations such as high altitudes, the lower atmospheric pressure reduces the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveoli, which in turn results in decreased saturation of hemoglobin and reduced oxygen availability for cellular metabolism.

In hypoxic hypoxia, the primary issue is the reduction in oxygen in the environment rather than problems with the blood or the body’s ability to utilize oxygen. This distinguishes it from other types of hypoxia, such as histotoxic hypoxia, where cells cannot utilize oxygen due to the presence of toxic substances, or stagnant hypoxia, which results from reduced blood flow, hindering oxygen delivery to tissues. Hypemic hypoxia occurs when there is a reduction in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, often due to anemia or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Thus, the situation described in the question directly fits into the category of hypoxic hypoxia due to the environmental factor affecting oxygen availability.