Susan suffered from a heart attack. When the doctors tested her heart muscle, they found that she had an increased ratio of lactic acid to pyruvate in her heart. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the skewed ratio?
A) The heart cells must have received too much oxygen
B) The heart cells had not received enough oxygen
C) The heart cells accumulated to much carbon dioxide which poisoned her cells
D) The lactic acid accumulated as a result of cellular respiration occurring too quickly
E) The heart cells produced too much ATP

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The increased ratio of lactic acid to pyruvate in Susan's heart muscle is most likely due to the heart cells not receiving enough oxygen. When oxygen is scarce, cells switch from aerobic respiration to anaerobic respiration, leading to the production of lactic acid from pyruvate.

Susan Suffered from a Heart Attack