- Main symptoms
- What causes hypoxia
- What are the types
- How the treatment is done
- Possible sequelae
- Difference of hypoxia and hypoxemia
Hypoxia is a situation that occurs when the amount of oxygen transported to the body's tissues is insufficient, causing symptoms such as headache, drowsiness, cold sweat, purplish fingers and mouth and even fainting. This change can happen because of heart diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction, lung diseases, such as asthma and acute lung edema, but it can also arise due to anemia and high altitude.
The treatment of hypoxia depends on the cause, severity and health condition of a person, however, in most cases, it consists of the administration of oxygen through masks or by orotracheal intubation. This situation can lead to sequelae in the body, so when symptoms appear, it is recommended to call the SAMU ambulance at 192 immediately.
Main symptoms
The symptoms of hypoxia vary from one person to another, as it depends on the severity of the lack of oxygenation in the tissues of the body, but they can be:
- Headache; Drowsiness; Increased heartbeat; Cold sweat; Shortness of breath; Dizziness; Mental confusion; Fainting; Purplish fingers and mouth, called cyanosis;
Cyanosis arises because the blood vessels in the extremities of the body constrict to send more blood and more oxygen to the main organs of the body and because of that, the increase in blood pressure also occurs. Learn more about cyanosis and how it is classified.
However, as hypoxia worsens, blood pressure decreases and the person may lose consciousness, so when the first symptoms appear, it is necessary to call the SAMU ambulance at 192, immediately, so that emergency medical care is performed., avoiding possible complications.
What causes hypoxia
Hypoxia occurs when the amount of oxygen in the tissues is insufficient and this can be caused by several reasons, such as respiratory failure, asthma, pulmonary emphysema, acute lung edema and pneumonia, as they cause the entry of oxygen into the lungs to be impaired. Some neurological changes caused by head trauma can cause hypoxia, as it compromises breathing functions.
Hemoglobin, present in the blood, is responsible for transporting oxygen to the body's organs and is low in people who have anemia, which can cause hypoxia in the body's tissues, even if breathing is maintained. Another cause of hypoxia may be intoxication by products such as cyanide, carbon dioxide and psychoactive drugs.
In addition, some heart diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction, impair blood circulation by preventing oxygen from being transported to the body's tissues. In very high or deep places, the amount of oxygen is very low, so if a person is in these places, he may also suffer from hypoxia.
What are the types
The types of hypoxia are related to the cause of the lack of oxygen in the body, which can be:
- Respiratory hypoxia: results from a decrease in the supply of oxygen to the lungs, caused by the absence or reduction of breathing, either by some disease or by obstruction of the airways; Anemic hypoxia: occurs when the amount of hemoglobin in the blood is very low, leading to a decrease in oxygen that is transported in the bloodstream; Circulatory hypoxia: it arises in situations in which blood loss causes gas exchange in the lung to not be carried out correctly, as in heart failure; Hypoxia of specific organs: it happens when the artery of some organ becomes blocked, preventing the passage of blood and decreasing the amount of oxygen in the area, as a consequence of atherosclerosis, for example.
There is also a type of hypoxia related to congenital cardiac malformations, such as Fallot's tetralogy, which makes the defective arteries unable to carry oxygen to important organs in the body, such as the brain, for example. See more about how Fallot's tetralogy treatment is done.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for hypoxia is mainly based on the administration of oxygen through masks, nasal catheters or oxygen tents, characteristics of non-invasive ventilation. However, in the most severe cases, it is recommended to insert a tube through the mouth to deliver oxygen directly to the lungs, known as orotracheal intubation.
If hypoxia is caused by anemia, the administration of oxygen will not have satisfactory effects, because even if the amount of oxygen in the body increases, there is an insufficient amount of hemoglobins, not being able to oxygenate all tissues, so it is necessary to do blood transfusion to deliver more hemoglobin to the bloodstream. Learn more about how a blood transfusion is performed.
Likewise, when severe heart disease causes hypoxia, blood circulation fails and just ensuring breathing is not enough, it is necessary to correct problems first, such as surgery, for example.
Possible sequelae
Hypoxia can cause sequelae to the body and depend on the time the person has been without breathing and the period when the body did not have the amount of oxygen necessary to maintain its vital functions. Changes in the central nervous system represent the main consequences of hypoxia, leading to impaired body movements and impairing activities such as walking, talking, eating and seeing.
In some cases, when hypoxia is very severe and the person is unable to breathe alone, intubation is necessary, that is, devices must be introduced to help the breathing process, and often, the doctor indicates the coma induced. Check out what is induced coma and other indications.
Difference of hypoxia and hypoxemia
Hypoxia is sometimes confused with the term hypoxemia, however, they refer to different situations. Hypoxemia is defined as the low concentration of oxygen in the blood, that is, when oxygen saturation, measured by pulse oximetry, is at a low value of 90%, hypoxia is characterized as the reduction of oxygenation in tissues of the body. Usually, the symptoms are very similar, as hypoxia can happen as a consequence of hypoxemia.
