Which of the following is a treatment for carbon monoxide exposure?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the correct choice for treating carbon monoxide exposure because it involves the patient being placed in a chamber where they breathe pure oxygen at pressures greater than atmospheric pressure. This therapy accelerates the elimination of carbon monoxide from the bloodstream and helps to restore normal oxygen levels to the tissues, addressing the hypoxic effects caused by carbon monoxide binding to hemoglobin.

In cases of carbon monoxide poisoning, the toxicity arises from carbon monoxide’s ability to bind with hemoglobin, forming carboxyhemoglobin, which reduces the blood's capacity to carry oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy effectively displaces the carbon monoxide from hemoglobin and reduces the risk of long-term neurological damage as it also tackles the effects of hypoxia on various tissues.

The other choices do not serve as effective treatments for carbon monoxide exposure. Sodium nitrate is typically used to treat cyanide poisoning, glucagon is used for managing severe hypoglycemia, and calcium chloride is utilized in cases of calcium deficiency or hyperkalemia, none of which directly address the mechanism of carbon monoxide poisoning. Thus, hyperbaric oxygen therapy stands out as the appropriate treatment option.