Respiratory hypoxia is a medical condition caused by insufficient oxygen supply to the body or a part of it. There are four types: hypoxic, stagnant, anemic, and histotoxic. The causes, signs, and treatment depend on the type of hypoxia.
Respiratory hypoxia is a medical condition that occurs when the body or a part of the body does not get enough oxygen. There are four different types of respiratory hypoxia: hypoxic hypoxia, stagnant hypoxia, anemic hypoxia, and histotoxic hypoxia. The main causes, signs and treatment of respiratory hypoxia depend on the type of hypoxia at hand.
Hypoxic hypoxia occurs when the lungs are unable to saturate the blood sufficiently with oxygen. This form of hypoxia can be caused by hyperventilation, deflated alveoli, or pulmonary obstruction. These medical conditions can be the result of illnesses such as asthma, pneumonia or emphysema or prolonged exposure to high altitudes. Signs of this form of respiratory hypoxia include extreme tiredness, headache, and nausea. Oxygen concentrators, machines that supply a patient with higher than normal concentrations of oxygen, are used to treat this condition.
Stagnant hypoxia, also known as circulatory hypoxia, occurs when there is not enough blood circulation to supply all of the body’s tissues with needed oxygen. The primary causes of this respiratory condition are shock or impairment of the circulatory system. Signs of this serious medical condition include low blood pressure, dizziness, and chills. Treatment of this condition consists of addressing the issue causing the circulatory problems or shock and supplementing the patient with oxygen therapy.
Anemic hypoxia occurs when the blood becomes anemic and unable to bind oxygen. Some types of poisoning, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, interfere with the ability of hemoglobin in the blood to bind to oxygen, causing acute anemic hypoxia. Gradual anemic hypoxia is often caused by hemorrhage or anemia. Symptoms of this form of respiratory hypoxia are extreme tiredness, irregular heartbeat, and dizziness.
Severe poisonings causing anemic hypoxia can be treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy which will force the hemoglobin to release the poison and re-bind to oxygen. Less severe poisoning will be treated with oxygen therapy. Anemic hypoxia caused by bleeding will be treated by stopping the bleeding and providing a blood transfusion. Iron supplements are used to treat mild anemia.
Histotoxic hypoxia occurs when the body’s cells are unable to metabolize the oxygen supplied by the blood. Most often caused by cyanide poisoning, the symptoms of this medical condition are very similar to the symptoms seen with hypoxic hypoxia. These signs include exhaustion, nausea and headaches. Treatment of histotoxic hypoxia, caused by cyanide poisoning, involves the use of a cyanide antidote kit to neutralize the poison and a hyperbaric chamber to maximize oxygen uptake.
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