Hypoxia Symptoms

Medically, hypoxia is a condition, which is characterized by the shortage of oxygen either in the entire body (generalized hypoxia) or a particular region or part of the body (tissue hypoxia). The literal meaning of the term, 'hypoxia' is deficiency of oxygen. Hypoxia can be of several types and sometimes it can be a medical emergency, especially when the vital organs of the body such as, brain is deprived of oxygen. In certain circumstances, even healthy individuals can experience this condition. As for example, one can experience generalized hypoxia while ascending mountains or during high altitude ascension. Basically, this condition is classified into five types, known as hypoxemic hypoxia, histotoxic hypoxia, anemic hypoxia, ischemic or stagnant hypoxia and hypemic hypoxia. Cerebral, tissue and chronic hypoxia are some of the common subtypes of hypoxia.

Hypoxia Causes
It can be caused by a large number of factors. It can be caused by inadequate supply of oxygen to the entire body, which can result in a fall in partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood. This is the case with hypoxemic hypoxia, which is usually caused by factors like, high altitude ascension, sleep apnea, heart mechanism failure and inadequate pulmonary ventilation. Inadequate pulmonary ventilation can be caused by respiratory arrest and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Conditions like, carbon monoxide poisoning and accumulation of abnormal hemoglobin in blood can also cause this condition by reducing the ability of the blood to deliver oxygen to the tissues. Apart from these, some other possible causes are, cyanide toxicity, ischemic heart disease, cerebral ischemia, cardiac arrest, choking, suffocation, drowning, very low blood pressure, compression of the wind pipe, strangulation, asphyxiation caused by inhalation of smoke, stroke and any other condition that can obstruct the supply of oxygen to the body or a particular region and organ of the body.

Hypoxia Signs
They can vary to an extent depending on the severity of oxygen deprivation, and the types of hypoxia. In case of generalized hypoxia, one can experience symptoms like, headaches, shortness of breath, fatigue and nausea. If the supply of oxygen to the brain gets obstructed, then it can produce symptoms like, changes in attention and consciousness, and uncoordinated movements. If the supply of oxygen to the brain gets reduced significantly, then it is a case of severe cerebral hypoxia. Severe cerebral hypoxia can lead to coma, characterized by complete lose of awareness. Lack of breathing and response to light are some other symptoms.

If the tissues of the body are deprived of oxygen for a long time, which is the case with chronic hypoxia, then one can observe symptoms like, weakness, fatigue, poor reflexes, breathing difficulty, muscle cramps, cyanosis or bluish discoloration of the skin and slow down of mental processes. These are the most common symptoms. Chronic hypoxia can result from an underlying medical condition or chronic diseases like, chronic blood loss, chronic pulmonary disease and heart disease. These condition can cause a gradual reduction in the supply of oxygen to the cells and tissues of the body, which can be termed as the most important chronic hypoxia effects.

In general, the most common symptoms are, rapid breathing, shortness of breath, lack of coordination, poor judgment, headache, dizziness, muscle fatigue, nausea, cyanosis, visual impairment, mental fatigue and euphoria. Symptoms like, cyanosis, changes in awareness or consciousness, seizures and coma are associated with acute and severe hypoxia.

Patients suffering from this conditon are usually treated with supplemental oxygen or oxygen therapy, which helps to restore the normal supply of oxygen to the body. The patients are usually hospitalized and then put on mechanical ventilation. Cerebral hypoxia, as has been mentioned already, is a medical emergency that requires immediate hospitalization. After putting the patient on mechanical ventilation, physicians try to bring back the heart rate and the blood pressure to the normal level. Further treatment depends on the identification and treatment of the underlying causes.