Hypoxia: symptoms, causes, treatment, etc. & bull; hello healthy

Definition

What is hypoxia?

Hypoxia is a condition in which your body's tissues have oxygen levels that are below normal limits. This condition is caused by hypoxemia, which is the oxygen level in your blood is lower than the level it should be.

Generally, hypoxia is the term used to describe the two conditions above. The oxygen that should be contained in the blood and arteries is about 75 to 100 mmHg. However, if your oxygen level is below 60 mmHg, you are likely to have hypoxia.

This condition can cause several symptoms such as difficulty breathing, dizziness, and even high blood pressure. If your condition is severe enough, there may be damage to organs, seizures, coma, and even death.

If you experience this condition, you need additional oxygen to restore your body's functions to normal. This condition can be divided into acute and chronic, depending on its severity and when it occurs.

It does not rule out that the emergence of hypoxemia and hypoxia is a symptom of other health conditions that you are experiencing.

How common is hypoxia?

Hypoxia is a fairly common health condition. This condition can also affect patients of any age group, both parents and children.

Several health problems can increase a person's chances of experiencing this condition. These health problems are generally related to the heart and breathing, such as asthma, bronchitis, and heart attacks.

This condition can be handled by controlling the existing risk factors. To find out more information about this condition, you can consult a doctor.

Type

What are the types of hypoxia?

Hypoxia is a condition that can be divided into several types. Here is the explanation:

1. Hypoxic hypoxia

In this type, the blood supplied to the organs of the body does not have sufficient oxygen levels. This causes problems in the function of organs, one of which is respiratory problems.

2. Hypoxic anemia

When hypoxia occurs in a patient with anemia, low hemoglobin levels prevent the blood from absorbing oxygen properly. This makes the tissues in the body lack oxygen-rich blood.

3. Hypoxia is stagnant

In this type, the blood does not circulate or circulate in the body properly, so that the tissues in the body do not get an adequate blood supply.

4. Histotoxic hypoxia

In histotoxic conditions, there is an adequate amount of oxygen in the lungs and blood is supplied to the tissues of the body. However, the tissues of the body cannot use oxygen properly.

5. Metabolic hypoxia

In this type of hypoxia, the body experiences problems with its metabolic system, so that the body's organs cannot absorb oxygen from the blood properly.

Signs & symptoms

What are the symptoms of hypoxia?

Hypoxia symptoms vary from person to person. However, common signs and symptoms of hypoxia are:

• Dizziness, accompanied by fainting
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
• Hard to breathe
• Cough
• Wheezing (wheezing)
• Headache
• Acceleration or heart rate (tachycardia)
• Change in skin color on the lips and fingers
• Confusion and restlessness
• Difficult to make decisions
• Sweating more
• Euphoria
• Polycythemia, or increased red blood cells
• The body loses balance
• High blood pressure (hypertension)

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

You should call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• You feel short of breath after a little activity or while you are resting
• You feel short of breath which is worse when you exercise or are physically active
• Sleep disturbance due to shortness of breath during sleep, this can be a symptom of sleep apnea
• Your shortness of breath and difficulty breathing are affecting your ability to do activities
• Severe shortness of breath with coughing, fast heart rate, and fluid retention when you are at high altitude

Each sufferer's body shows signs and symptoms that vary. To get the most appropriate treatment and according to your health condition, always consult a doctor or the nearest health service center.

Cause

What causes hypoxia?

Hypoxia is a condition that can be caused by a number of things, depending on the type of hypoxia you have. In addition, there are various common causes of this condition, from traveling to the highlands to health conditions.

Travel to the highlands or catch a plane

Experts suggest that flights as high as 10,000 feet and 6,000 feet should be equipped with supplemental oxygen. This is important because the pilot's vision will become more sensitive if the oxygen level in the aircraft decreases.

Lung conditions

The lungs do not have good air circulation due to several problems, such as COPD, asthma, lung cancer, pneumonia, pulmonary rheumatoid disease, and pulmonary hypertension.

Hypoventilation

Hypoventilation is when you don't breathe enough. This occurs because the brain fails to instruct the lungs to breathe normally. This condition is generally a side effect of medication, injury, or stroke.

Causes of hypoxic anemia

Apart from that, here are some of the causes of hypoxia related to anemia. In this condition, anemia occurs because the hemoglobin level in the blood has decreased, so the blood cannot absorb oxygen properly. The triggers are:

Anemia of any kind

In this condition, almost all types of anemia can cause hypoxia, such as iron deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, and anemia due to chemotherapy.

Bleeding

Internal bleeding or bleeding from an accident can also cause this condition.

Methemoglobinemia

This condition occurs when the hemoglobin in the blood fails to function and cannot bind oxygen properly.

Causes of stagnant anemia

In the case of stagnant hypoxia, blood cannot flow in the body properly, so the body's tissues are deprived of blood and oxygen. Here are the triggers:

Edema

Edema is a condition of swelling that occurs in body tissues, such as occurs in a heart attack. Edema can inhibit the entry of oxygen in the blood.

Ischemic hypoxia

Blockage or clots in the coronary arteries can block blood circulation.

Risk factors

What increases my risk of developing hypoxia?

Hypoxia is a condition that can occur in almost anyone, regardless of age group and race. However, there are several things or factors that can increase a person's risk of experiencing this condition.

Please note that having one or more risk factors does not mean that you can certainly experience this condition. It is possible that you can experience hypoxia without having any risk factors.

Factors that can trigger hypoxic conditions are:

1. Have lung disease or heart problems

If you suffer from some health problems related to the heart or lungs, such as heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, or bronchitis, your chances of developing this condition are much greater.

2. Get on the plane

People who travel frequently by plane also have a greater chance of developing hypoxia. This is because oxygen levels decrease when the airplane flies at a certain altitude.

3. Be on high ground

You are also at risk for hypoxia if you are in or traveling to high altitudes, such as tall buildings or mountains.

4. Smoking and drinking alcohol

Cigarettes and alcohol can have a bad effect on health, especially oxygen levels in the blood and other organs. This puts you at risk for this condition.

Diagnosis & treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor for more information.

How is hypoxia diagnosed?

Doctors can diagnose hypoxia by evaluating the level of oxygen gas in your blood using a pulse oximeter (a medical device that is clipped to your finger), or measuring directly on a blood sample taken from an artery.

A normal oximeter reading is around 95% to 100%. If your oxygen level is 90% or below, you may be in a hypoxic state.

Other tests may be needed in some cases if the doctor wants to check for other potential problems such as carbon monoxide poisoning which is the cause of the hypoxia.

These tests may include lung function tests, along with other tests to help determine the cause of low oxygen saturation levels.

How is hypoxia treated?

In some cases, you should be admitted to the hospital to get treatment for your condition. In addition, by being hospitalized, the medical team can maintain and monitor oxygen levels in your body.

In case of quite an emergency, the most important thing is that you need to get more oxygen in your body. The doctor will usually give you a breathing apparatus that covers your nose and mouth, or a small plug in your nose to supply your body with oxygen.

If this is not providing you with enough oxygen to raise your oxygen level to normal, an inhaler or oral asthma medication may be selected to make breathing easier.

If this doesn't work, you may receive medication through a vein in the arm (IV). You may also need steroid medication for a short time to minimize inflammation in your lungs.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can help me manage hypoxia?

Here are some lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with hypoxia:

• Quit smoking. If you have been diagnosed with hypoxia or another lung disease, quitting smoking is one of the first things you need to do to improve your condition.
• Avoid being secondhand smoke. Apart from quitting smoking, you also need to avoid places where other people smoke. Secondhand smoke can cause a lot more lung damage than smoking itself.
• Get regular exercise. Proper exercise is very helpful for you to increase your overall strength and endurance.
• Eat right and stay active.
• Find out your asthma triggers, and find ways to avoid them.

If you have any questions, please consult your doctor to better understand the best solution for you.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.