Imagine That a Patient Is Admitted to the Hospital After

Imagine that a patient is admitted to the hospital after falling from the second-story window of her apartment. Tests reveal no injuries other than some swelling in the brain. Why, then, would her breathing become irregular?

A) Her tissues require more oxygen for healing.
B) The blood returning to the lungs from the brain is too high in oxygen.
C) The respiratory center in the lungs is malfunctioning due to a lack of carbon dioxide.
D) The damage to the brain is affecting the respiratory center in the medulla.
E) Her swollen brain is causing a decrease in blood pressure.