ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) Version 7ScienceHard
A patient presents with symptoms of extreme fatigue, pallor, and shortness of breath. Blood tests reveal significantly reduced levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells. The physician suspects a deficiency in a crucial mineral required for oxygen transport. Which mineral is most likely deficient?
- AIron
- BCalcium
- CPotassium
- DZinc
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Iron
Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that binds and transports oxygen. A deficiency in iron directly impairs hemoglobin synthesis, leading to iron-deficiency anemia, characterized by fatigue, pallor, and shortness of breath due to reduced oxygen-carrying capacity.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Calcium is vital for bone health, muscle contraction, and nerve function, but not directly for oxygen transport.
- C. Potassium is an electrolyte important for nerve and muscle function and fluid balance, not primary oxygen transport.
- D. Zinc is involved in immune function, wound healing, and DNA synthesis, but not directly in oxygen transport.
Iron (Fe)
An essential trace mineral primarily known for its role in oxygen transport as a component of hemoglobin in red blood cells.
- Crucial for hemoglobin and myoglobin synthesis.
- Deficiency leads to iron-deficiency anemia.
- Also involved in enzyme function and cellular respiration.
Memory trick: Iron's Importance is in Oxygen's Journey.