Which of the following lists the signs and symptoms of tension pneumothorax?

• A. JVD, cyanosis, progressive respiratory distress, anxiety, tracheal deviation
• B. Headache, itchy skin
• C. Fever only
• D. Nausea and vomiting

Answer: (A)

When air accumulates under pressure in the chest, it pushes on the lung and the great vessels, producing a characteristic emergency pattern. Jugular venous distension occurs because the increased intrathoracic pressure impedes return of blood to the heart. Cyanosis appears as oxygenation drops. Progressive respiratory distress reflects the collapsing lung and limited ability to exchange gases. Anxiety stems from sudden difficulty breathing and hypoxia. The pressure also shifts the mediastinal structures, so the trachea deviates away from the affected side. This combination is the classic signal of tension pneumothorax and requires IMMEDIATE action.

Headache and itchy skin, fever, or nausea/vomiting don’t align with the underlying chest-pressurization and impaired venous return seen in tension pneumothorax, so they don’t fit this emergency pattern.