A Patient Asks What Smoking Cigarettes Has to Do with Low

question 26

Multiple Choice

A patient asks what smoking cigarettes has to do with low back pain. What is the best response to the patient?

• A)"Nicotine in cigarettes decreases spinal blood flow."
• B)"Nicotine is linked to nutritional disorders."
• C)"Nicotine in cigarettes interferes with nutrients that supply the disk spaces."
• D)"Nicotine hinders the mobility of the vertebral spaces and interferes with nerve function."

---

Definitions:

Population Growth

The increase in the number of individuals in a population, typically measured as a percentage change over time.

Productivity Growth

Productivity growth is the increase in efficiency of production of goods and services, measured by the output per unit of input, over a specific time period.

Medicare, Medicaid

Federal programs in the United States that provide health coverage; Medicare is for people over 65 or with certain disabilities, and Medicaid is for low-income individuals and families.

Malpractice Insurance

A type of professional liability insurance that protects healthcare providers against claims of negligence or incompetence.