A 74-year-old woman arrives at the emergency department after experiencing left leg pain and numbness for two days. She has a history of atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure. Her left lower limb is palpably pale and cold below the knee. A left femoral embolectomy is performed after an arterial Doppler ultrasound reveals an occluding thrombus. The dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses become palpable after the procedure. Several hours later, the patient complains of severe left calf pain. The left calf is swollen, tense, and tender on re-examination, and the pain worsens with dorsiflexion of the left foot. Distal pulses are also missing. The doctor suspects that the reperfused muscles were injured as a result of an excess of reactive oxygen species. Which of the following enzymes is most likely to help neutralize these toxic molecules?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Superoxide dismutase, as an antioxidant, neutralizes reactive oxygen species, preventing cell damage. In a pathologic state, such as post-ischemic reperfusion, oxidative stress is high, and reactive oxygen species production exceeds antioxidant neutralization capacity, resulting in increased cell damage and death.

A 74-Year-Old Woman Arrives at the Emergency Department After Experiencing