Hypoxia and hypoxemia are two conditions that result in reduced oxygen availability and can lead to health problems. Hypoxemia refers to low levels of dissolved oxygen in the blood, while hypoxia is a decrease in oxygen supply to organs and tissues. Treatment involves increasing oxygen intake through an oxygen mask or intubation. Complications can arise if left untreated.
Hypoxia and hypoxemia are two terms that refer to the reduced availability of oxygen, which can lead to health problems. While they sound similar and one may cause the other, they are different. Hypoxemia specifically refers to low levels of dissolved oxygen in the blood. This can lead to the development of hypoxia or a decrease in oxygen supply to various organs and tissues. Hypoxia and hypoxemia can both be very serious, as the body’s tissues are not designed to function without oxygen.
If you have hypoxemia, a doctor may do a test to measure how much dissolved oxygen is present. If the patient’s oxygen saturation level is below 90%, this is indicative of hypoxemia. For some reason, not enough oxygen is getting into the patient’s blood. Some causes may include a slowed breathing rate, fluid in the lungs, or lung disease. Over time, the reduced oxygen availability can start to create complications.
With hypoxia, tissues and organs experience oxygen deprivation and begin to develop problems. These can include cell death leading to tissue necrosis, where tissue dies because it doesn’t get enough oxygen. In the brain, a condition known as cerebral hypoxia can develop in which brain cells experience a decline in function due to oxygen deprivation. Hypoxia and hypoxemia can occur simultaneously, as low oxygen in the blood causes tissues to develop hypoxia. Patients may also suffer from hypoxia due to anemia, which causes a generally low supply of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, or due to an obstruction in the blood supply.
Treatments for hypoxia and hypoxemia are similar, as the goal in both cases is to get more oxygen into the patient. The patient may need to wear an oxygen mask or may require intubation if he cannot breathe on his own. Your doctor will prescribe a high-oxygen mixture, rather than pure air, to increase the amount of oxygen entering your lungs. This can facilitate gas exchange and increase blood oxygen levels.
If the patient’s tissues continue to develop hypoxia, the doctor may need to run some tests to learn more about the patient’s lung function and check for problems such as blockages that could occlude blood flow and make it difficult for an area of the body to get the blood it needs. With hypoxia and hypoxemia, it is also possible to see tissue dying from lack of nutrients. This indicates that overall blood flow is not as robust as it should be and that cells cannot obtain the compounds they rely on to function. Your doctor can take steps to raise your blood pressure or increase blood flow.
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