What medical term describes the absence of breathing?

• A. Hypoxemia
• B. Atelectasis
• C. Apnea
• D. Tachypnea

Answer: (C)

Absence of breathing is described by the term apnea. Apnea means breathing has stopped temporarily, which can happen during sleep or due to problems with the brain’s control of breathing or an airway obstruction. It’s a medical emergency because tissues and organs aren’t receiving the oxygen they need.

Hypoxemia means low oxygen levels in the blood, which can occur with poor or interrupted breathing but describes the oxygen level itself rather than a pause in breathing. Atelectasis is the collapse of part of the lung, leading to reduced gas exchange, not a pause in breathing. Tachypnea is rapid breathing, the opposite of apnea.