What does apnea mean?

• A. Absence of spontaneous respirations.
• B. A partial obstruction.
• C. Increased rate of breathing.
• D. No oxygen in the blood.

Answer: (A)

Apnea is a temporary cessation of breathing—a period when spontaneous respirations stop. That’s why “absence of spontaneous respirations” best matches the definition. If there’s only a partial obstruction, breathing is reduced but not completely stopped. An increased rate of breathing is tachypnea, not apnea. The oxygen content in the blood can drop during apnea, but apnea itself is about the stopping of breathing, not a measurement of oxygen levels. In clinical terms, apnea can be central, obstructive, or mixed, describing different underlying causes of the breathing cessation.