A Patient Has Been Exposed to Smoke During a House

Multiple Choice

A patient has been exposed to smoke during a house fire. An ABG result shows a normal PaO₂. How should the patient's PaO₂ value be interpreted?

A) The PaO₂ is being falsely elevated by the carbon monoxide.
B) The PaO₂ is being falsely decreased by the carbon monoxide.
C) The PaO₂ is accurate.
D) The PaO₂ is a false measurement because the presence of carbon monoxide makes the analyzer unable to determine the PaO₂.