The stage in which restlessness and tachycardia are present but cyanosis is not yet evident is which?

• A. Late hypoxia
• B. Early hypoxia
• C. No hypoxia
• D. Hyperoxia

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that early hypoxia presents with compensatory symptoms before turning cyanotic. When oxygen delivery begins to fall, the body responds with increased heart rate and agitation or restlessness as tissues try to get more oxygen. Cyanosis—the blue discoloration of skin and mucous membranes—takes more time to develop because it appears only after a significant amount of deoxygenated hemoglobin accumulates or when perfusion becomes poor enough. So restlessness and tachycardia without cyanosis point to early hypoxia. In late hypoxia, cyanosis and confusion are more likely, and no hypoxia or hyperoxia would show different baseline signs.