Hypoxia

A shortage of oxygen in the body.


Decreased concentration of oxygen in the inspired air and body tissues.


Low oxygen levels in the tissues.


An inadequate supply of oxygen to tissue as a result of a lack of oxygen in the arterial blood.


Cerebral hypoxia refers to reduced oxygenation of brain tissue and is a leading cause of perinatal neurologic morbidity and encephalopathy in children. In the absence of oxygen, cells switch to anaerobic glycolysis, which can sustain the brain for only a short time before cell death occurs. In addition, hypoxia can initiate a cascade of toxic biochemical events that evolve over the course of hours to days, including glutamatergic excitotoxicity.


Lack of oxygen vital to the cells of the brain (see brain and brain disorders), a condition resulting when blood or flow of the precious oxygen it carries are cut off, as during childbirth, drowning, or choking. Hypoxia during the birth process is regarded as a main cause of cerebral palsy and a possible cause of learning disabilities.


Inadequate amounts of available oxygen in the blood. Symptoms include bluish discoloration of the skin (cyanosis), high blood pressure (hypertension), rapid heart rate (tachycardia), mental confusion, and, if severe, irregular breathing and finally respiratory and cardiac failure.


Oxygen deprivation to the tissues; if not resolved, this progresses to anoxia.


An inadequate supply of oxygen to the tissues. A lack of oxygen causes changes in breathing and neurologic symptoms that range from headaches and confusion to, rarely, a loss of consciousness. Hypoxia can be acute and severe, as when a person has an airway obstruction. Chronic hypoxia, which may be due to the effects of emphysema or another lung disease, causes persistent fatigue and mental sluggishness and gradual damage to internal organs such as the heart. Cerebral hypoxia, in which circulatory failure deprives the brain of oxygen, causes irreversible brain damage after 4 to 6 minutes.


A shortage of oxygen in the body tissues. It may be caused by low inspired concentration of oxygen, an abnormal breathing pattern, lung disease or heart disease. If severe and prolonged it will cause organ damage and death, as cellular function is dependent on oxygen.


The medical term used to describe the insufficiency of a proper oxygen supply, either to specific tissues or to the entire organism.


Hypoxia is a condition characterized by insufficient oxygen supply to the body tissues. This could be temporary and result from vigorous physical activity. However, more serious causes can include impaired breathing, ischaemia (a condition where blood flow to a part of the body is reduced), severe anemia, or in rare cases, carbon monoxide poisoning. If hypoxia is severe and persists for an extended period, it can lead to tissue death.


When muscles experience hypoxia, they are forced to produce energy through anaerobic processes, which can result in muscle cramps. In the heart muscle, hypoxia can trigger angina pectoris, a type of chest pain. Hypoxia in the brain can lead to confusion, dizziness, and lack of coordination. If hypoxia persists, it may result in unconsciousness and potentially death.


Hypoxia can be evaluated by utilizing an oximeter, which measures the concentration of oxygen in the blood within the tissues. For severe cases of hypoxia, oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation may be required.


 


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