Blister agents in the respiratory tract cause which effect?

• A. Secretions
• B. Coughing
• C. Shortness of breath
• D. Blood in sputum

Answer: (A)

Blister agents irritate and damage the lining of the respiratory tract, triggering an inflammatory response and stimulation of the mucous glands. This leads to an increase in secretions within the airways—bronchorrhea—which is the characteristic early effect of vesicant inhalation. Coughing and shortness of breath commonly accompany exposure as consequences of irritation and airway swelling, but the primary, defining effect humans experience in the respiratory tract is the production of secretions. Blood in sputum can occur with more severe tissue injury, but it is not the typical early or defining result.