Oxygen starvation of the brain in infants. A pediatrician or an experienced mother can notice them. How is this violation determined

03.07.2019

Hypoxia in newborns is a common defect characterized by oxygen deprivation of the baby during pregnancy or after childbirth. Doctors do not classify hypoxia as a disease. This is a specific condition of the body in which oxygen does not reach the tissues and internal organs of the baby in sufficient quantities.

Hypoxia, like any other ailment, is much easier to prevent than to cure. To avoid problems, the expectant mother should be attentive to her body during gestation, because often any pathology of the child is the result of an unfavorable pregnancy or difficult childbirth.

Causes of hypoxia in newborns

Experienced doctors identify several risk groups for the development of hypoxia:

The likelihood of an illness in an infant increases if his mother suffers from such serious diseases as heart disease, leukemia, tuberculosis, intoxication;
Brain hypoxia in newborns often occurs due to bad habits of the mother. Smoking or drinking alcohol while carrying a child increases the risk of developing the disease;
The possibility of developing hypoxia increases several times if the fetus has congenital genetic diseases;
Children who were born as a result of premature or late childbirth are more susceptible to hypoxia.

To prevent the development of pathology, a woman should undergo regular medical examinations throughout pregnancy. Having discovered the problem in a timely manner, the doctor will be able to correct the condition of the future woman in labor and determine the strategy for the delivery.

Symptoms of hypoxia in newborns

Experienced doctors detect the presence of oxygen starvation in a baby immediately after birth. Hypoxia of the brain in a newborn is manifested through the external state of the baby. He does not cry like other children, he breathes heavily and adapts to the external environment with great difficulty.

The degree of hypoxia can be determined using the Apgar scale, which assesses the condition of infants in terms of muscle tone, heart rate, reflexes, respiration, and skin condition. Healthy children on the Apgar scale are rated from 7 to 10 points, while with severe pathology, infants receive from 3 to 6 points.

Leading experts distinguish between three degrees of severity of hypoxia:

The mild stage often does not have serious consequences, since the baby feels discomfort with it only in the first hours of life. The indicator on the Apgar scale ranges from 6-7 points. In newborns with a similar ailment, there is a slight nervous excitability and inhibition of unconditioned reflexes. In such situations, doctors need several days to stabilize the child's condition;
Hypoxia in newborns of moderate severity is characterized by irregular breathing, muffled heart sounds and changes in muscle tone. The child does not eat well and cannot spit up normally. Indicators on the Apgar scale range from 5-6 points. Under such circumstances, mother and baby need to undergo a series of tests in order to identify the cause of the development of hypoxia and minimize its manifestations;
The severe stage of oxygen starvation is very dangerous for the life of the newborn. The Apgar score ranges from 1 to 4 points. The stage is characterized by pale skin, dull heart sounds, decreased muscle tone, refusal to eat. Children with a severe stage of hypoxia require prompt medical treatment and constant medical supervision until complete recovery.

Consequences of hypoxia in newborns

Depending on the severity of the pathology, the consequences of hypoxia in newborns can be completely different. A mild degree of hypoxia does not cause much harm to the nervous system and the general development of the child. One week of observation by qualified doctors is enough so that the ailment no longer bothers the baby and his parents. The average degree can slightly slow down the reflexes of the crumbs, but the problem is quickly solved with proper medication.

Hypoxia can disrupt the infant's brain function. A severe degree of pathology often causes a deterioration in the work of internal organs and the development of neurological diseases. Prolonged oxygen deprivation poses a threat of disability. In exceptional cases, a lethal outcome is possible.

It is worth noting that serious complications are quite rare, so parents should not sound the alarm prematurely. In most cases, hypoxia in newborns does not become a serious problem, since timely treatment can eliminate all its symptoms within a few weeks.

Treatment of hypoxia in newborns

Treatment of a child suffering from hypoxia begins from the first minutes of his life. First of all, doctors try to normalize the work of breathing with an oxygen mask. With a severe degree of pathology, the newborn is transferred to the intensive care unit. Further, depending on the stage of development of the disease, doctors can prescribe a number of drugs and preventive measures.

To stabilize the condition, the baby must be in favorable conditions - a calm environment helps his body receive as much oxygen as possible. In the maternity hospital, the baby is prescribed medication baths, physiotherapy and massages using natural herbs. 4.6 out of 5 (60 votes)

Being one of the most common pathologies, cerebral hypoxia in newborns is a lack of oxygen, which can be observed in the fetus throughout pregnancy (chronic form of the disease), and can occur directly during childbirth (acute form of the disease). It happens that this condition of the baby leads to his disability and even death. Due to a lack of oxygen, the work of many systems of a small organism is disrupted, and primarily the central nervous system, heart, lungs, kidneys or liver are affected. Therefore, it is so important to do everything possible in order to first - prevent, and then - in time to treat this terrible disease.

Causes of hypoxia

To prevent the disease, you need to know about the reasons that can cause this condition. If the expectant mother can protect herself from them, there is a chance that this trouble will not affect the child. Many factors really depend on the behavior and health of the woman. The first two groups of causes lead to a chronic form of the disease, and it manifests itself during pregnancy. The last group of factors provokes an acute form of hypoxia, which is diagnosed only after childbirth.

Health problems in the expectant mother:

diseases of the cardiovascular system (heart disease, hypotension, hypertension, vegetative-vascular dystonia);
broncho-pulmonary diseases;
anemia;
infectious infection of the genitourinary system;
age threshold below 18 or more than 35 years old;
non-observance of the daily regimen and the correct lifestyle: frequent stress, lack of sleep, lack of fresh air, poor nutrition;
bad habits (alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking);
disturbances in the work of the endocrine system.

Pregnancy pathologies:

pathology of the placenta (detachment, early aging, presentation);
toxicosis in the last months of pregnancy;
pathologists of the umbilical cord (knots, entanglement);
early childbirth;
overburdening;
threat of interruption;
prolificacy;
lack of water / polyhydramnios;
pathology in the development of the fetus.

Problems during childbirth:

protracted / difficult labor;
entanglement of the fetus with the umbilical cord;
cesarean section;
early childbirth;
large fruit;
birth trauma;
using various tools (for example, forceps);
the use of medications.

An extensive list of reasons shows that both a mother who did not follow medical instructions for the normal course of pregnancy and doctors who unprofessionally showed themselves during childbirth can be to blame for the hypoxia of a newborn. In some cases, a coincidence of circumstances occurs, somewhere the mother's sick organism cannot cope with such difficult processes as bearing a child and childbirth.

Hypoxia can be detected already during pregnancy (read more about this in the previous article), and appropriate measures should be taken to properly treat the baby. However, very often the diagnosis is made after childbirth. How do you know if your child is developing oxygen deprivation?

Symptoms and Signs

Hypoxia in a newborn most often has pronounced symptoms, which do not present difficulties for making an accurate, correct diagnosis immediately after the birth of the baby. This allows you to start treatment on time and cope with the disease. The main symptoms of hypoxia in newborns are:

tachycardia (heart contraction occurs with an increased frequency);
bradycardia (the opposite indicator is a significant decrease in the frequency of contraction of the heart muscle);
arrhythmia (violation of the rhythm of heart contractions);
the presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid;
heart murmurs;
hypovolemia (small blood volume);
the formation of blood clots in the vessels, which entail tissue hemorrhage.

Doctors distinguish between several degrees of hypoxia, using a special Apgar scale. She assesses how fully the systems of a small organism function:

8-10 points- excellent condition of the newborn, which is not threatened by any hypoxia;
7-6 points- hypoxia of the 1st degree, a mild form of the disease;
5-4 points- hypoxia of the 2nd degree, medium form;
3–0 points- hypoxia of the 3rd degree, severe form.

A mild degree is characterized by a gradual improvement in the condition of the newborn immediately, within a few minutes. The second degree may take several days to fully restore the normal functions of a small organism. The third requires complete treatment, which includes initial resuscitation measures and follow-up care.

Treatment of hypoxia in infants

The further recovery of the baby will depend on the sequence of medical actions and the professionalism of doctors. Correct treatment of hypoxia in newborns involves the following set of measures:

restoration of normal breathing: cleansing the airways, mouth and nasal cavities from mucus;
warming the child with heating pads and a special table;
the use of drugs to stimulate blood circulation and restore breathing;
using an oxygen mask if the baby's breathing could not be restored;
in a serious condition, the child is placed in a pressure chamber.

When the symptoms of hypoxia in newborns disappear, they are discharged from the hospital. The recovery period requires constant monitoring not only by the local pediatrician, but also by the neuropathologist. We'll have to protect the baby from the slightest stress, carefully monitor its diet and sleep patterns. Healing massages, soothing baths, and aromatherapy sessions are often prescribed.

In severe forms, the treatment of hypoxia in infants involves the appointment of medications: sedatives and stimulants of cardiac and brain activity. With late detection of the disease or untimely treatment, hypoxia can result in dire consequences for the health of the baby.

Why hypoxia is dangerous in newborns

Most often, the consequences of hypoxia in newborns depend on the degree of the disease. The first one passes quickly, without affecting the health of the baby at all. The second will be fraught with temporary slowed down and depressed reflexes, but these consequences will soon pass, also leaving no trace on the child's health. In the third degree, there may be:

anxiety;
sleep disturbance;
muscle cramps;
retardation in mental and physical development;
disturbances in the work of the brain;
death.

Death with today's level of medicine is an exception. Chronic and acute hypoxia today is a very common problem with which doctors cope quite successfully, completely eliminating or minimizing its consequences.

Hypoxia in newborns is a common pathology that occurs due to the fact that an insufficient amount of oxygen enters the child's body. It can develop in the fetus even in utero or during childbirth. This condition is dangerous for the child and requires urgent treatment.

Causes of hypoxia in newborns

In order to prevent the disease, you need to know the reasons why it can develop.

Many factors depend on the pregnant woman herself, her behavior and health. These include:

lack of sleep, stress;
disease of the cardiovascular system;
poor nutrition;
inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system;
anemia;
intrauterine infection;
rhesus conflict;
malfunction of the endocrine system;
diseases of the respiratory system, asthma, bronchitis can lead to respiratory failure, and subsequently to disorders in the child;
bad habits.

Pathologies during pregnancy that can lead to oxygen starvation of the baby's brain:

problems with the placenta;
late toxicosis;
multiple pregnancy;
lack of water or high water;
entanglement with the umbilical cord.

During childbirth, problems can also arise that cause hypoxia:

cesarean section;
overmaturity or premature birth;
entanglement with an umbilical cord;
labor takes a long time;
difficult childbirth;
rupture of the uterus;
the effect of spinal anesthesia;
a large child, especially in relation to the small birth canal of a woman in labor;
the use of medical instruments to remove the baby;
getting mucus or amniotic fluid into the child's respiratory tract.

Symptoms of hypoxia in newborns

Doctors evaluate signs of hypoxia immediately after childbirth, write down the readings on a card. Good condition is estimated at eight to ten points - this means that the child does not have hypoxia. The mild form or the first degree is indicated by six to seven points, it is not dangerous, the condition of the newborn can immediately improve. The second degree is indicated by four to five points, and it will take several days to normalize the baby's body. A score of zero or three is a severe form, third degree, and the child will need full treatment, if necessary, resuscitation, follow-up care and observation. The consequences of hypoxia can be serious: disruption of the brain, physical and mental development, convulsions, anxiety, lack of oxygen can be fatal if not taken in time.

Symptoms and signs of hypoxia in babies:

bluish skin tone;
breathing is difficult or absent at all;
faint cry of a newborn;
heart murmurs;
heart rhythms are disturbed;
the presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid;
blood clots may form in the vessels;
a small volume of blood - hypovolemia.

If the oxygen starvation of the brain did not last long, doctors may not immediately determine hypoxia, which is more dangerous for the child, since treatment is prescribed much later than required. Such hypoxia is called latent and is manifested by the fact that:

the child trembles when crying;
the baby is sensitive, restlessly sleeping;
the baby is naughty, freezes, cries while swimming;
the child's muscles are tense.

If hypoxia is not detected and treated in time, subsequently the child experiences a delay in mental and physical development.

Treatment

Treatment of hypoxia in newborns should be started immediately after birth. If there is mucus or amniotic fluid in the baby's mouth or nose, doctors suck them off, if the baby does not breathe normally, they use an oxygen mask. A newborn with a severe form of hypoxia is transferred to intensive care. Treatment for brain hypoxia depends on its degree. With a mild form of the disease, the child is given physical therapy, special massage, and physiotherapy. Warm baths with herbal decoctions, which have soothing properties, and aromatherapy with lavender, tea tree, chamomile oils are useful.

With an average degree of cerebral hypoxia, the administration of sedatives is additionally prescribed, as well as drugs that improve metabolic processes in tissues, cerebral circulation. The child is under the supervision of a neonatologist.

Hypoxia in newborns, which is severe, requires special monitoring and, if necessary, additional procedures. If the baby has muscle tension, cramps, he is prescribed drugs that have anticonvulsant properties. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe a blood transfusion. At the first signs of cerebral edema, diuretics are administered to the child.

After a child has suffered such a disease, he needs special care and constant supervision:

The baby should be in a calm environment and receive more oxygen.
Walk more often in the fresh air.
Good nutrition and healthy sleep will help your baby recover faster.
The child is shown a therapeutic massage, which should be done by a specialist.
Fitovatki will help to calm the baby.
Aromatherapy.
Constantly monitored by a pediatrician and a neurologist.

Hypoxia in newborns can greatly affect his health, so treatment should be started immediately. Modern drugs can help a baby in the very first minutes of his life, prevent further complications.

During pregnancy, women should remember about the prevention of the disease: walk a lot in the fresh air, monitor nutrition and health, avoid stress, get rid of bad habits, visit a gynecologist on time. Hypoxia is the result of the work of the mother's body. Take care of yourself and your baby!

Hypoxia in newborns is a pathological effect on the body that occurs with acute or chronic oxygen deficiency in the tissues.

Hypoxia manifests itself in metabolic disorders, problems in the functioning of organs and systems, and especially severe damage to the nervous tissue.

Symptoms of hypoxia can still appear in utero in the fetus, during childbirth and in the postpartum period.

Severe manifestations of hypoxia threaten the child with serious health problems, up to deep disability and even death.

What is called hypoxia of newborns

What is hypoxia in a newborn baby can help to understand the role of oxygen in the metabolic processes of the baby.

Oxygen is needed by all cells of the body for normal metabolic processes, both in adults and in childhood. The fetus developing in the womb especially needs oxygen, since its metabolic processes are especially intense.

The most active and a lot of oxygen is consumed by the child's nervous system and his brain.

In children from birth and adults, the functions of delivering oxygen to the blood are performed by the lungs, and the fetus cannot breathe with the lungs in utero, it receives oxygen through the placenta from the mother's body.

The fetal brain and its tissues are actively developing and growing, they need more oxygen than normal tissues. For this, nature has come up with protective mechanisms:

frequent fetal heartbeat,
the presence of a special fetal hemoglobin, which carries more oxygen,
an increase in the amount of blood pushed out by the fetal heart into the vessels.

That all together allows the fetus to receive the maximum amount of oxygen from the placental blood and the mother's body and develop normally.

But, if, for some reason or pathology, oxygen is not supplied for a long time, or the flow of oxygen into the blood stops abruptly, and the death of brain cells occurs.

Some parts of the child's brain experience ischemia (exsanguination), in others hemorrhages occur.

Places of dead nerve tissue die off and dead cells are removed. Small cysts (fluid-filled cavities) develop in these areas.

Depending on where such cavities are present in the brain, different symptoms of cerebral hypoxia can occur in newborns.

These departments cannot be restored, and therapy is directed so that neighboring areas of the brain can take over the functions of the lost ones, if possible, and can restore the work of the nervous system to the maximum.

Causes of hypoxia in newborns

The reasons for the development of hypoxia can be divided into three large groups:

1. Intrauterine hypoxia and asphyxia of the newborn that occurs during pregnancy.

It includes:

taking medications and spasm of the arteries of the uterus;
smoking pregnant;
prolongation of pregnancy;
toxicosis and gestosis;
compression of the aorta and inferior vena cava by the growing uterus;
placental abruption;
heart and lung defects in the mother;
intrauterine infections;
the impact of harmful working living conditions, carbon monoxide poisoning;
pneumonia, asthma, or bronchitis of the mother;
severe maternal anemia;
change in the amount of amniotic fluid;
rhesus conflict or antiphospholipid syndrome.

2. Hypoxia of the newborn during childbirth. Its main reasons include:

hypotension during childbirth, sharply reduced blood pressure during anesthesia;
hypoxia with general anesthesia;
head trauma in childbirth with cephalohematomas;
protracted labor;
oxytocin overdose;
nodes of the umbilical cord, compression of the dropping out loops of the umbilical cord with the head;
placental abruption before the baby is born.

3. Postpartum causes of neonatal hypoxia.

These are processes that occur immediately after childbirth and affect the delivery of oxygen to the tissues by the blood. These include:

fetal anemia due to blood loss or hemolysis
congenital heart or lung defects
shock state
hemorrhage in the brain or adrenal glands
birth trauma
overdose of drugs for general anesthesia

Hypoxia in newborns is divided into two large types:

Chronic with a constant reduced oxygen supply to the fetus.
Acute, it is called asphyxia or suffocation - a sharp cessation of oxygen supply to the fetus. But can hypoxia of newborns pass without consequences? It is possible, but it is important to monitor the condition of the fetus and provide assistance in time. Short-term acute hypoxia is less dangerous if it is quickly eliminated than chronic - in which the tissues have suffered for a long time.

Hypoxia in newborns: symptoms

The main signs of hypoxia in newborns are usually determined using a special Apgar scale, which is designed to assess the newborn.

Evaluations are carried out at the time of birth and after five minutes. She indicates whether the child suffers from oxygen deficiency, and whether he needs resuscitation and other measures.

Signs of hypoxia will be the following symptoms:

cyanosis of the skin in the area of the nasolabial triangle;
pallor of the skin;
irregular breathing or no breathing at all;
the baby has sluggish or no limb movements at all;
the heart rate is less than 100 beats per minute.

Signs are assessed in children immediately and after five minutes, healthy children gain 8-10 points, with moderate hypoxia they usually give 4-7 points, with asphyxia 0-3 points and the child requires resuscitation.

Signs of cerebral hypoxia in newborns indicating that the fetus was experiencing intrauterine hypoxia, which led to circulatory disorders in the brain tissue, may be as follows:

constant whims;
unreasonable crying;
severe drowsiness of the child;
flinching in a dream;
harsh reactions to touch;
tremor (trembling) of the chin when crying or at rest;
restless sleep;
marbling of the skin and coldness of the limbs when changing clothes, freezing of the child.

Brain damage in newborns can be divided into three degrees of severity:

drowsiness of the child or his excitement passing after five to seven days at the first degree;
in addition to drowsiness or excitement, which has been observed for a long time in a child, there are unreasonable crying, refusal to carry on the hands, convulsions, rapid freezing - in the second degree;
with the third degree of damage, the child is very drowsy and inhibited, he develops either a coma or psychomotor agitation, convulsions may develop that last without stopping. Then resuscitation assistance will be needed.

Cerebral hypoxia in newborns: consequences

Severe hypoxia of the brain in children cannot go unnoticed, it can threaten with serious disorders of the central nervous system:

it can be the formation of hydrocephalus (dropsy of the brain);
forced torticollis due to headaches;
intracranial pressure;
brain cysts;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
the development of epilepsy or
lesions of the cranial nerves with a loss of their function.

All this threatens with serious delays in the child's psychomotor development and disruption of his social adaptation, the formation of disability.

Treatment of hypoxia in newborns

The basis for the treatment of hypoxia is made up of measures for the delivery of oxygen to the tissues and the elimination of the consequences of metabolic disorders and tissue ischemia. In the presence of acute asphyxia, it is necessary:

Immediate release of mucus, meconium or water from the respiratory tract. This is done once after the birth of the head with a special aspirator with a tube and suction. Thoroughly cleanse the baby's mouth and nose from mucus and amniotic fluid.
Provide oxygen with a mask, nasal catheter, or ventilator. In severe hypoxia, the child is immediately placed in an incubator, intubated and connected to a ventilator. It can be supplied with both pure oxygen and a mixture with air. The device can breathe completely for the child, or it can only inhale, with a passive exhalation by the baby himself. As the child's condition improves, he is transferred from the apparatus to a mask with oxygen and spontaneous breathing.
Warming the newborn under a heat source or placing in an incubator.
Connection of medicines to increase blood pressure. Glucose with B vitamins, saline, camphor subcutaneously, intravenous dopamine are introduced.
Transfusion of blood or blood components, if necessary. Transfused only one-group plasma or blood, erythrocyte mass.
Anticonvulsants (phenazepam, lorazepam).
Drugs to reduce intracranial pressure (diacarb, veroshpiron).

Further treatment is carried out depending on the degree of impairment during asphyxiation of the functions of the respiratory and vascular systems, the work of internal organs. The child is monitored by a neurologist, and the delayed lesions of the brain tissue are corrected according to the results of examinations. Can be assigned:

Massage and remedial gymnastics in a polyclinic to normalize muscle tone.
Preparations for improving cerebral circulation and brain nutrition (pantogam, nootropil, aminalon, encephabol).
Drugs to reduce intracranial pressure (diacarb with asparkam, potassium preparations).
With nervous excitability, the drug Pantogam and Phenibut are prescribed in courses.

Also, to eliminate the effects of hypoxia, the child needs full care and the creation of a therapeutic and protective regime, good nutrition, preferably long-term breastfeeding, frequent walks, bathing in baths with sedative broths, swimming and gradual hardening.

Usually, the consequences of not severe hypoxia are eliminated during the first months of life and in the future, the development of the child does not suffer.

It is important to remember that the treatment of fetal hypoxia, both in the hospital, immediately after birth, and in the future, should be carried out only by a doctor.

It is forbidden to use drugs independently or to cancel those drugs that are prescribed by a doctor.

Symptoms and Signs

tachycardia (heart contraction occurs with an increased frequency);
bradycardia (the opposite indicator is a significant decrease in the frequency of contraction of the heart muscle);
arrhythmia (violation of the rhythm of heart contractions);
the presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid;
heart murmurs;
hypovolemia (small blood volume);
the formation of blood clots in the vessels, which entail tissue hemorrhage.

Doctors distinguish between several degrees of hypoxia, using a special Apgar scale. She assesses how fully the systems of a small organism function:

8-10 points- excellent condition of the newborn, which is not threatened by any hypoxia;
7-6 points- hypoxia of the 1st degree, a mild form of the disease;
5-4 points- hypoxia of the 2nd degree, medium form;
3–0 points- hypoxia of the 3rd degree, severe form.

Treatment of hypoxia in infants

The further recovery of the baby will depend on the sequence of medical actions and the professionalism of doctors. Correct treatment of hypoxia in newborns involves the following set of measures:

restoration of normal breathing: cleansing the airways, mouth and nasal cavities from mucus;
warming the child with heating pads and a special table;
the use of drugs to stimulate blood circulation and restore breathing;
using an oxygen mask if the baby's breathing could not be restored;
in a serious condition, the child is placed in a pressure chamber.

Why hypoxia is dangerous in newborns

anxiety;
sleep disturbance;
muscle cramps;
retardation in mental and physical development;
disturbances in the work of the brain;
death.

thanks

Hypoxia is a pathological condition characterized by a deficiency of oxygen in the body, which occurs due to its insufficient supply from the outside or against the background of a violation of the utilization process at the cellular level.

The term "hypoxia" comes from the addition of two Greek words - hypo (little) and oxigenium (oxygen). That is, the literal translation of hypoxia is little oxygen. In common parlance, the term hypoxia is usually deciphered as oxygen starvation, which is quite fair and correct, since, ultimately, during hypoxia, all cells of various organs and tissues suffer from a lack of oxygen.

General characteristics of hypoxia

Definition

Hypoxia refers to typical pathological processes that can occur in the body in various diseases and conditions. This means that hypoxia is not specific, that is, it can be caused by various factors, and accompany a wide variety of diseases, and be a key link in the development of pathological changes in various ailments. That is why hypoxia belongs to typical general pathological processes, such as inflammation or dystrophy, and, accordingly, is neither a diagnosis nor even a syndrome.

It is the essence of hypoxia as a typical pathological process that makes it difficult to understand it at the everyday level, at which a person is used to dealing with specific diseases that manifest themselves with clear signs and main symptoms. In the case of hypoxia, a person, as a rule, also considers the pathological process to be a disease and begins to look for its main manifestation and symptoms. But such a search for the main manifestation of hypoxia as a disease interferes with understanding the essence of this pathological process. Let's consider the difference between a general pathological process and a disease with examples.

Each person, faced with some kind of diagnosis, tries to find out what it means, that is, what exactly is wrong in the body. For example, hypertension is high blood pressure, atherosclerosis is the deposition of fatty plaques on the walls of blood vessels, narrowing their lumen and impairing blood flow, etc. In other words, each disease is a certain set of symptoms that result from damage to a particular organ or tissue. But the totality of symptoms inherent in each disease does not appear just like that, but is always due to the development of some general pathological process in a particular organ. Depending on what kind of general pathological process is taking place and which organ is affected, this or that disease develops. For example, at the onset of a general pathological inflammatory process in the lungs, a person can develop a wide variety of diseases caused precisely by inflammation of the lung tissue, such as, for example, pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, tuberculosis, etc. With a dystrophic general pathological process in the lungs, a person may develop pneumosclerosis, emphysema, etc.

In other words, the general pathological process determines the type of disorders occurring in an organ or tissue. And the emerging disorders, in turn, cause characteristic clinical symptoms from the affected organ. That is, the same general pathological process can affect different organs and is the main mechanism for the development of various diseases. That is why the concepts of "symptoms" are not used to characterize general pathological processes, they are described from the standpoint of disorders arising at the level of cells.

And hypoxia is just such a general pathological process, and not a symptom, not a syndrome, and not a disease, as a result of which the essence of disorders arising at the cellular level, and not symptoms, are cited to describe it. Changes at the cellular level that occur during hypoxia can be conditionally divided into two groups - these are adaptive reactions and decompensation. Moreover, first, the body, in response to hypoxia, activates adaptive reactions that can maintain relatively normal functioning of organs and tissues under conditions of oxygen starvation for some time. But if hypoxia continues for too long, then the body's resources are depleted, adaptive reactions are no longer supported and decompensation sets in. The stage of decompensation is characterized by the appearance of irreversible changes in organs and tissues, which in any case manifest themselves with negative consequences, the severity of which varies from organ failure to death.

Development of hypoxia

Compensatory reactions during hypoxia are due to oxygen deficiency at the cell level, and therefore their effects are aimed at improving the supply of oxygen to tissues. In the cascade of compensatory reactions to reduce hypoxia, mainly the organs of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are involved, and there is also a change in biochemical processes in the cells of tissues and organ structures, which are most severely affected by a lack of oxygen. Until the potential of compensatory reactions is completely wasted, organs and tissues will not suffer from oxygen deficiency. But if, by the time the compensatory mechanisms are depleted, adequate oxygen supply is not restored, then a slow decompensation will begin in the tissues with damage to cells and disruption of the functioning of the entire organ.

In acute and chronic hypoxia, the nature of compensatory reactions is different. So, in acute hypoxia, compensatory reactions consist in increased breathing and blood circulation, that is, blood pressure rises, tachycardia occurs (heart rate is more than 70 beats per minute), breathing becomes deep and frequent, the heart pumps a larger volume of blood per minute than normal ... In addition, in response to acute hypoxia from the bone marrow and spleen, all "reserves" of erythrocytes, which are necessary for transporting oxygen to the cells, enter the systemic circulation. All these reactions are aimed at normalizing the amount of oxygen delivered to the cells by increasing the volume of blood passing through the vessels per unit of time. In very severe acute hypoxia, in addition to the development of these reactions, the centralization of blood circulation also occurs, which consists in redirecting all available blood to vital organs (heart and brain) and a sharp decrease in the blood supply to the muscles and organs of the abdominal cavity. The body directs all oxygen to the brain and heart - organs that are critical for survival, and, as it were, “deprives” those structures that are currently not needed for survival (liver, stomach, muscles, etc.).

If acute hypoxia is eliminated within a period of time during which compensatory reactions do not deplete the body's reserves, then the person will survive, and all his organs and systems after a while will work perfectly normal, that is, oxygen starvation will not leave serious disorders. If hypoxia continues longer than the period of effectiveness of compensatory reactions, then by the time of its elimination, irreversible changes will occur in organs and tissues, as a result of which, after recovery, a person will have various disruptions in the work of the most affected organ systems.

Compensatory reactions in chronic hypoxia develop against the background of severe long-term diseases or conditions, therefore, they also have the character of constant changes and deviations from the norm. First of all, to compensate for the oxygen deficiency in the blood, the number of erythrocytes increases, which makes it possible to increase the volume of oxygen carried by the same volume of blood per unit of time. In addition, the activity of the enzyme increases in erythrocytes, which facilitates the transfer of oxygen from hemoglobin directly to the cells of organs and tissues. New alveoli are formed in the lungs, breathing deepens, the volume of the chest increases, additional vessels are formed in the lung tissue, which improves the flow of oxygen into the blood from the surrounding atmosphere. The heart, which has to pump a greater volume of blood per minute, hypertrophies and increases in size. In tissues suffering from oxygen starvation, changes also occur, which are aimed at more efficient use of a small amount of oxygen. Thus, the number of mitochondria (organelles that use oxygen to ensure cellular respiration) increases in cells, and many new small vessels are formed in the tissues, which ensure the expansion of the microvasculature. It is due to the activation of microcirculation and a large number of capillaries during hypoxia that a person develops a pinkish color of the skin, which is mistaken for a "healthy" blush.

Adaptive reactions during acute hypoxia are exclusively reflexive, and therefore, when oxygen starvation is eliminated, they cease their effect, and the organs completely return to the mode of functioning in which they existed before the development of an episode of hypoxia. In chronic hypoxia, adaptive reactions are not reflex, they develop due to the restructuring of the mode of functioning of organs and systems, and therefore their action cannot be quickly stopped after the elimination of oxygen starvation.

This means that during chronic hypoxia, the body can change its mode of functioning in such a way that it will fully adapt to the conditions of oxygen deficiency and will not suffer from it at all. In acute hypoxia, complete adaptation to oxygen deficiency cannot occur, since the body simply does not have time to restructure the modes of functioning, and all its compensatory reactions are designed only to temporarily maintain the functioning of organs until adequate oxygen delivery is restored. That is why the state of chronic hypoxia can be present in a person for many years without interfering with his life and work quite normally, and acute hypoxia in a short period of time can lead to death or irreversible damage to the brain or heart.

Compensatory reactions during hypoxia always lead to a change in the mode of functioning of the most important organs and systems, which causes a wide range of clinical manifestations. These manifestations of compensatory reactions can be conditionally considered symptoms of hypoxia.

Types of hypoxia

The classification of hypoxia has been carried out several times. However, practically all classifications do not differ in any fundamental way from each other, since the varieties of hypoxia, once identified on the basis of the causal factor and the level of damage to the oxygen transfer system, are justified. Therefore, we present a relatively old classification of hypoxia into species, which, nevertheless, is accepted in the modern scientific community as the most complete, informative and justified.

So, at present, according to the most complete and reasonable classification, hypoxia, depending on the mechanism of development, is divided into the following types:

1. Exogenous hypoxia (hypoxic hypoxia) - caused by environmental factors.

2. Endogenous hypoxia - due to various diseases or disorders that a person has:

Respiratory (respiratory, pulmonary) hypoxia.
Circulatory (cardiovascular) hypoxia:
- Ischemic;
- Stagnant.
Hemic (blood) hypoxia:
- Anemic;
- Due to the inactivation of hemoglobin.
Tissue (histotoxic) hypoxia.
Substrate hypoxia.
Overload hypoxia.
Mixed hypoxia.

Depending on the rate of development and course, hypoxia is divided into the following types:

Lightning (instant) - develops within a few seconds (no longer than 2 - 3 minutes);
Acute - develops within a few tens of minutes or hours (no longer than 2 hours);
Subacute - develops within a few hours (no longer than 3 - 5 hours);
Chronic - develops and lasts for weeks, months or years.

Depending on the prevalence of oxygen deprivation, hypoxia is divided into general and local.

Let's consider the various types of hypoxia in detail.

Exogenous hypoxia

Exogenous hypoxia, also called hypoxic, is caused by a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the inhaled air. That is, due to the lack of oxygen in the air, with each inhalation, less oxygen enters the lungs than normal. Accordingly, blood is released from the lungs, saturated with oxygen is insufficient, as a result of which a small amount of gas is brought to the cells of various organs and tissues, and they experience hypoxia. Depending on atmospheric pressure, exogenous hypoxia is subdivided into hypobaric and normobaric.

Hypobaric hypoxia due to the low oxygen content in rarefied air with low atmospheric pressure. Such hypoxia develops when climbing to great heights (mountains), as well as when lifting into the air on open aircraft without oxygen masks.

Normobaric hypoxia develops at a low oxygen content in air with normal atmospheric pressure. Normobaric exogenous hypoxia can develop while being in mines, wells, on submarines, in diving suits, in tight spaces with a lot of crowded people, with general air pollution or smog in cities, as well as during an operation with a malfunctioning anesthetic and respiratory equipment.

Exogenous hypoxia is manifested by cyanosis (cyanosis of the skin and mucous membranes), dizziness and fainting.

Respiratory (respiratory, pulmonary) hypoxia

Respiratory (respiratory, pulmonary) hypoxia develops in diseases of the respiratory system (for example, bronchitis, pulmonary hypertension, any pathology of the lungs, etc.), when the penetration of oxygen from the air into the blood is difficult. That is, at the level of the pulmonary alveoli, there is a difficulty in quickly and efficiently binding hemoglobin with oxygen that has entered the lungs with a portion of the inhaled air. Against the background of respiratory hypoxia, complications such as respiratory failure, cerebral edema and gas acidosis can develop.

Circulatory (cardiovascular) hypoxia

Circulatory (cardiovascular) hypoxia develops against the background of various circulatory disorders (for example, a decrease in vascular tone, a decrease in total blood volume after blood loss or dehydration, an increase in blood viscosity, increased coagulation, centralization of blood circulation, venous stasis, etc.). If a circulatory disorder affects the entire network of blood vessels, then systemic hypoxia. If blood circulation is disturbed only in the area of any organ or tissue, then hypoxia is local.

With circulatory hypoxia, a normal amount of oxygen enters the blood through the lungs, but due to circulatory disorders, it is delivered to organs and tissues with a delay, as a result of which oxygen starvation occurs in the latter.

According to the mechanism of development, circulatory hypoxia is ischemic and stagnant. Ischemic form hypoxia develops with a decrease in the volume of blood passing through organs or tissues per unit of time. This form of hypoxia can occur with left ventricular heart failure, heart attack, cardiosclerosis, shock, collapse, vasoconstriction of some organs and other situations when blood, sufficiently saturated with oxygen, for some reason is passed through the vascular bed in a small volume.

Stagnant form hypoxia develops with a decrease in the speed of blood flow through the veins. In turn, the speed of blood flow through the veins decreases with thrombophlebitis of the legs, right ventricular heart failure, increased intrathoracic pressure and other situations when blood stagnation occurs in the venous bed. With a stagnant form of hypoxia, venous, rich in carbon dioxide, blood does not return to the lungs in time to remove carbon dioxide and saturate with oxygen. As a result, there is a delay in the delivery of the next portion of oxygen to organs and tissues.

Hemic (blood) hypoxia

Hemic (blood) hypoxia develops when quality characteristics are violated or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood decreases. Hemic hypoxia is divided into two forms - anemic and due to changes in the quality of hemoglobin... Anemic hemic hypoxia is caused by a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood, that is, anemia of any origin or hydremia (dilution of blood due to fluid retention in the body). And hypoxia, caused by a change in the quality of hemoglobin, is associated with poisoning with various toxic substances, which lead to the formation of forms of hemoglobin that are unable to carry oxygen (methemoglobin or carboxyhemoglobin).

With anemic hypoxia oxygen is normally bound and carried by the blood to organs and tissues. But due to the fact that there is too little hemoglobin, an insufficient amount of oxygen is brought to the tissues and hypoxia occurs in them.

When the qualities of hemoglobin change its amount remains normal, but it loses its ability to carry oxygen. As a result, when passing through the lungs, hemoglobin is not saturated with oxygen and, accordingly, the blood flow does not deliver it to the cells of all organs and tissues. A change in the qualities of hemoglobin occurs when a number of chemicals are poisoned, such as carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide), sulfur, nitrites, nitrates, etc. who are experiencing a state of hypoxia.

Acute hypoxia

Acute hypoxia develops quickly, within several tens of minutes and lasts for a limited period of time, ending either with the elimination of oxygen starvation, or with irreversible changes in the organs, which will ultimately lead to serious illness or even death. Acute hypoxia usually accompanies conditions in which the blood flow, the quantity and quality of hemoglobin change sharply, such as, for example, blood loss, cyanide poisoning, heart attack, etc. In other words, acute hypoxia occurs in acute conditions.

Any variant of acute hypoxia must be eliminated as soon as possible, since the body will be able to maintain the normal functioning of organs and tissues for a limited period of time until the compensatory-adaptive reactions are depleted. And when the compensatory-adaptive reactions are completely exhausted, under the influence of hypoxia, the most important organs and tissues (primarily the brain and heart) will begin to die off, which, ultimately, will lead to death. If it is possible to eliminate hypoxia, when tissue death has already begun, then a person can survive, but at the same time he will have irreversible dysfunctions of the organs most affected by oxygen starvation.

In principle, acute hypoxia is more dangerous than chronic hypoxia, since it can quickly lead to disability, organ failure or death. And chronic hypoxia can exist for years, giving the body the opportunity to adapt and to live and function quite normally.

Chronic hypoxia

Chronic hypoxia develops over several days, weeks, months or even years, and occurs against the background of long-term current diseases, when changes in the body occur slowly and gradually. The body "gets used" to chronic hypoxia by changing the structure of cells under existing conditions, which allows organs to function quite normally, and a person to live. In principle, chronic hypoxia is more favorable than acute, since it develops slowly, and the body is able to adapt to new conditions with the help of compensation mechanisms.

Fetal hypoxia

Fetal hypoxia is a state of oxygen starvation of a child during pregnancy, which occurs when there is a lack of oxygen supplied to him through the placenta from the mother's blood. During pregnancy, the fetus receives oxygen from the mother's blood. And if a woman's body, for some reason, cannot deliver the required amount of oxygen to the fetus, then it begins to suffer from hypoxia. As a rule, the cause of fetal hypoxia during pregnancy is anemia, diseases of the liver, kidneys, heart, blood vessels and respiratory organs in the expectant mother.

A mild degree of hypoxia does not adversely affect the fetus, while moderate and severe hypoxia can have a very negative effect on the growth and development of the baby. So, against the background of hypoxia, necrosis (dead tissue) can form in various organs and tissues, which will lead to congenital malformations, premature birth or even intrauterine death.

Fetal hypoxia can develop at any gestational age. Moreover, if the fetus suffered from hypoxia in the first trimester of pregnancy, then there is a high likelihood of developmental abnormalities incompatible with life, as a result of which its death and miscarriage occurs. If hypoxia affects the fetus during 2 - 3 trimesters of pregnancy, then the central nervous system may be damaged, as a result of which the born child will suffer from developmental delay and low adaptive abilities.

Fetal hypoxia is not a separate independent disease, but only reflects the presence of any serious disturbances in the work of the placenta, or in the mother's body, as well as in the development of the child. Therefore, when signs of fetal hypoxia appear, doctors begin to search for the cause of this condition, that is, find out what disease led to oxygen starvation of the child. Further, the treatment of fetal hypoxia is carried out in a complex manner, while simultaneously using drugs that eliminate the underlying disease that caused oxygen starvation, and drugs that improve the delivery of oxygen to the child.

Like any other, fetal hypoxia can be acute and chronic. Acute hypoxia occurs in case of sharp disruptions in the work of the mother's body or the placenta and, as a rule, needs urgent treatment, since otherwise it quickly leads to the death of the fetus. Chronic hypoxia can exist throughout pregnancy, negatively affecting the fetus and leading to the fact that the child is born weak, lagging behind in development, possibly with malformations of various organs.

The main signs of fetal hypoxia are a decrease in its activity (the number of tremors is less than 10 per day) and bradycardia is below 70 beats per minute according to the results of CTG. It is by these signs that pregnant women can judge the presence or absence of fetal hypoxia.

For accurate diagnosis of fetal hypoxia, Doppler examination of the placenta vessels, CTG (cardiotocography) of the fetus, ultrasound (ultrasound) of the fetus, non-stress test are performed and the child's heartbeat is listened to with a phonendoscope.

Hypoxia in newborns

Hypoxia in newborns is a consequence of the oxygen deprivation of the baby during childbirth or during pregnancy. In principle, this term is used exclusively at the household level and it means the condition of the child, either born in a state of hypoxia (for example, due to entanglement of the umbilical cord), or suffering from chronic hypoxia during pregnancy. In fact, there is no such condition as hypoxia of newborns in its everyday, everyday understanding.

Strictly speaking, there is no such term in medical science, and the condition of a newborn child is assessed not by speculative assumptions of what happened to him, but by clear criteria that allow one to say for sure whether the baby suffers from hypoxia after birth. So, the assessment of the severity of hypoxia in a newborn child is carried out according to Apgar scale, which includes five indicators that are recorded immediately after the birth of the child and after 5 minutes. The assessment of each indicator of the scale is set in points from 0 to 2, which are then summed up. As a result, the newborn receives two Apgar scores - immediately after birth and after 5 minutes.

A completely healthy child who does not suffer from hypoxia after childbirth receives an Apgar score of 8-10 points either immediately after childbirth or after 5 minutes. A child suffering from moderate hypoxia receives an Apgar score of 4 - 7 points immediately after birth. If after 5 minutes this child received an Apgar score of 8 - 10 points, then hypoxia is considered eliminated, and the baby has fully recovered. If the child in the first minute after birth receives 0 - 3 points on the Apgar scale, then he has severe hypoxia, for the elimination of which he must be transferred to intensive care.

Many parents are interested in how to treat hypoxia in a newborn, which is completely wrong, because if the baby 5 minutes after giving birth received an Apgar score of 7-10, and after discharge from the maternity hospital develops and grows normally, then nothing needs to be treated, and he successfully survived all the consequences of oxygen starvation. If, as a result of hypoxia, the child has any disorders, then it will be necessary to treat them, and not to give the baby prophylactically various drugs to eliminate the mythical "hypoxia of newborns".

Hypoxia during labor

During childbirth, the child may suffer from a lack of oxygen, which leads to negative consequences, up to the death of the fetus. Therefore, during all childbirth, doctors monitor the baby's heartbeat, since it is from it that you can quickly understand that the child has begun to suffer from hypoxia and urgent delivery is needed. In case of acute hypoxia of the fetus during childbirth, an urgent cesarean section is performed to save the woman, since if the child continues in a natural way, the baby may not live to see birth, but die from oxygen starvation in the womb.

The reasons for fetal hypoxia during labor can be the following factors:

Preeclampsia and eclampsia;
Shock or cardiac arrest in a woman in labor;
Rupture of the uterus;
Severe anemia in a woman in labor;
Bleeding with placenta previa;
Umbilical cord entanglement of a child;
Prolonged labor;
Vascular thrombosis of the umbilical cord.

In practice, fetal hypoxia during labor is very often provoked by intense contractions of the uterus caused by the administration of oxytocin.

Consequences of hypoxia

The consequences of hypoxia can be different, and depend on during what period of time oxygen starvation was eliminated and how long it lasted. So, if hypoxia was eliminated during the period when the compensatory mechanisms were not depleted, then there will be no negative consequences, after a while the organs and tissues will completely return to their normal mode of operation. But if hypoxia was eliminated during the period of decompensation, when the compensatory mechanisms were depleted, then the consequences depend on the duration of oxygen starvation. The longer the period of hypoxia turned out to be against the background of decompensation of adaptive mechanisms, the stronger and deeper the damage to various organs and systems. Moreover, the longer hypoxia lasts, the more organs are damaged.

During hypoxia, the brain suffers the most, since it can withstand 3 - 4 minutes without oxygen, and from 5 minutes necrosis will begin to form in the tissues. The heart muscle, kidneys and liver are able to withstand a period of complete absence of oxygen for 30 to 40 minutes.

The consequences of hypoxia are always due to the fact that in the absence of oxygen, the process of anoxic oxidation of fats and glucose begins in cells, which leads to the formation of lactic acid and other toxic metabolic products that accumulate and ultimately damage the cell membrane, leading to its death. When hypoxia lasts long enough from poisonous products of improper metabolism, a large number of cells die in various organs, forming whole areas of dead tissue. Naturally, such areas sharply worsen the functioning of the organ, which is manifested by the corresponding symptoms, and in the future, even with the restoration of the flow of oxygen, will lead to a persistent deterioration in the work of the affected tissues.

The main consequences of hypoxia are always caused by a malfunction of the central nervous system, since it is the brain that suffers primarily from oxygen deficiency. Therefore, the consequences of hypoxia are often expressed in the development of neuropsychiatric syndrome, including parkinsonism, psychosis and dementia. In 1/2 - 2/3 of cases, neuropsychiatric syndrome can be cured. In addition, the consequence of hypoxia is intolerance to physical exertion, when, with minimal stress, a person develops palpitations, shortness of breath, weakness, headache, dizziness and pain in the region of the heart. Also, the consequences of hypoxia can be hemorrhages in various organs and fatty degeneration of muscle cells, myocardium and liver, which will lead to disruptions in their functioning with clinical symptoms of insufficiency of one or another organ, which will no longer be possible to eliminate in the future.

Hypoxia - causes

The reasons for exogenous hypoxia can be the following factors:

Dense atmosphere at altitude (altitude sickness, altitude sickness, pilot illness);
Being in tight spaces with a large crowd of people;
Being in mines, wells or in any enclosed spaces (for example, submarines, etc.) with no communication with the external environment;
Poor ventilation of premises;
Working in diving suits or breathing through a gas mask;
Strong air pollution or smog in the city of residence;
Malfunctioning anesthesia and respiratory equipment.

The reasons for various types of endogenous hypoxia can be the following factors:

Respiratory diseases (pneumonia, pneumothorax, hydrothorax, hemothorax, destruction of alveolar surfactant, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism, tracheitis, bronchitis, emphysema, sarcoidosis, asbestosis, bronchospasm, etc.);
Foreign bodies in the bronchi (for example, accidental ingestion of various objects by children, depression, etc.);
Asphyxia of any origin (for example, when the neck is compressed, etc.);
Congenital and acquired heart defects (non-closure of the foramen ovale or Batalov's duct of the heart, rheumatism, etc.);
Damage to the respiratory center of the central nervous system during injuries, tumors and other brain diseases, as well as when it is suppressed by toxic substances;
Violation of the mechanics of the act of breathing due to fractures and displacements of the bones of the chest, damage to the diaphragm or muscle spasms;
Disorders of the heart, provoked by various diseases and pathologies of the heart (heart attack, cardiosclerosis, heart failure, electrolyte imbalance, cardiac tamponade, pericardial obliteration, blockade of electrical impulses in the heart, etc.);
A sharp narrowing of blood vessels in various organs;
Arteriovenous shunting (transfer of arterial blood to veins through vascular shunts before it reaches organs and tissues and gives oxygen to cells);
Stagnation of blood in the inferior or superior vena cava system;
Thrombosis;
Poisoning with chemicals that cause the formation of inactive hemoglobin (for example, cyanide, carbon monoxide, lewisite, etc.);
Anemia;
Acute blood loss;
Disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome (hypoxia, clinical symptoms do not have time to appear, since death occurs within a very short period of time (up to 2 minutes). Acute form hypoxia lasts up to 2 - 3 hours, and during this period there is a failure of all organs and systems at once, primarily the central nervous system, respiration and heart (heart rate decreases, blood pressure drops, breathing becomes irregular, etc.). If hypoxia is not eliminated during this period, then organ failure turns into coma and agony, followed by death.
Subacute and chronic forms hypoxia is manifested by the so-called hypoxic syndrome. Against the background of hypoxic syndrome, symptoms from the central nervous system appear first of all, since the brain is most sensitive to oxygen deficiency, as a result of which foci of necrosis (dead areas), hemorrhages and other variants of cell destruction quickly appear in its tissues. Due to necrosis, hemorrhages and death of brain cells against the background of oxygen deficiency at the initial stage of hypoxia, a person develops euphoria, he is in an excited state, he is tormented by motor restlessness. One's own state is not critically assessed.
In addition to symptoms of suppression of the cerebral cortex, a person also develops pain in the region of the heart, irregular breathing, shortness of breath, a sharp decrease in vascular tone, tachycardia (an increase in the heart rate of more than 70 beats per minute), a drop in blood pressure, cyanosis (cyanosis of the skin), decrease in body temperature. But when poisoned with substances that inactivate hemoglobin (for example, cyanides, nitrites, nitrates, carbon monoxide, etc.), human skin becomes pinkish.
With prolonged hypoxia with the slow development of CNS damage, a person may develop mental disorders in the form of delirium ("delirium tremens"), Korsakov's syndrome (loss of orientation, amnesia, replacement by fictional events with real ones, etc.) and dementia.
With further progression of hypoxia, blood pressure drops to 20-40 mm Hg. Art. and there is a coma with the extinction of brain functions. If the blood pressure drops below 20 mm Hg. Art., then death occurs. In the period before death, a person may experience agonizing breathing in the form of rare convulsive attempts to inhale.
Altitude hypoxia (mountain sickness) - causes and mechanism of development, symptoms, manifestations and consequences, the opinion of the master of sports in mountaineering and physiologists - video

Degrees of hypoxia
Depending on the severity of the course and the severity of oxygen deficiency, the following degrees of hypoxia are distinguished:
- Easy(usually detected only during physical exertion);
- Moderate(the phenomena of hypoxic syndrome appear at rest);
- Heavy(the phenomena of hypoxic syndrome are strongly pronounced and there is a tendency to go into a coma);
- Critical(hypoxic syndrome has resulted in coma or shock, which can be fatal in agony).
Oxygen deprivation treatment
In practice, mixed forms of hypoxia usually develop., as a result of which the treatment of oxygen deficiency in all cases should be comprehensive, aimed at simultaneously eliminating the causative factor and maintaining an adequate supply of cells of various organs and tissues with oxygen.
To maintain a normal level of oxygen supply to cells in any type of hypoxia, hyperbaric oxygenation is used. This method involves pumping oxygen into the lungs under pressure. Due to the high pressure, oxygen dissolves directly in the blood without binding to erythrocytes, which allows its delivery to organs and tissues in the required amount, regardless of the activity and functional usefulness of hemoglobin. Thanks to hyperbaric oxygenation, it is possible not only to supply the organs with oxygen, but also to expand the vessels of the brain and heart, thanks to which the latter can work in full force.
In addition to hyperbaric oxygenation, cardiac drugs and drugs that increase blood pressure are used for circulatory hypoxia. If necessary, a blood transfusion is performed (if there is a blood loss that is incompatible with life).
With hemic hypoxia, in addition to hyperbaric oxygenation, the following therapeutic measures are carried out:
- Transfusion of blood or red blood cells;
- Introduction of oxygen carriers (Perftoran, etc.);
- Hemisorption and plasmapheresis in order to remove toxic metabolic products from the blood;
- The introduction of substances capable of performing the functions of enzymes of the respiratory chain (vitamin C, methylene blue, etc.);
- The introduction of glucose as the main substance that gives cells energy for the implementation of vital processes;
- The introduction of steroid hormones to eliminate pronounced oxygen starvation of tissues.
In principle, in addition to the above, to eliminate hypoxia, any methods of treatment and drugs can be used, the action of which is aimed at restoring the normal functioning of all organs and systems, as well as maintaining the vital functions of the body.
Prevention of hypoxia
An effective prevention of hypoxia is to prevent conditions in which the body can experience oxygen starvation. To do this, you need to lead an active lifestyle, be in the fresh air every day, exercise, eat well and treat existing chronic diseases in a timely manner. When working in an office, you need to periodically ventilate the room (at least 2 - 3 times during the working day) in order to saturate the air with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from it.

Causes of hypoxia in newborns

Symptoms of hypoxia in newborns

Consequences of hypoxia in newborns

Treatment of hypoxia in newborns

Causes of hypoxia

Symptoms and Signs

Treatment of hypoxia in infants

Why hypoxia is dangerous in newborns

Causes of hypoxia in newborns

Symptoms of hypoxia in newborns

Treatment

What is called hypoxia of newborns

Causes of hypoxia in newborns

Hypoxia in newborns: symptoms

Cerebral hypoxia in newborns: consequences

Treatment of hypoxia in newborns

Other information on the topic

Symptoms and Signs

Treatment of hypoxia in infants

Why hypoxia is dangerous in newborns

General characteristics of hypoxia

Definition

Development of hypoxia

Types of hypoxia

Exogenous hypoxia

Respiratory (respiratory, pulmonary) hypoxia

Circulatory (cardiovascular) hypoxia

Hemic (blood) hypoxia

Acute hypoxia

Chronic hypoxia

Fetal hypoxia

Hypoxia in newborns

Hypoxia during labor

Consequences of hypoxia

Hypoxia - causes

Altitude hypoxia (mountain sickness) - causes and mechanism of development, symptoms, manifestations and consequences, the opinion of the master of sports in mountaineering and physiologists - video

Degrees of hypoxia

Oxygen deprivation treatment

Prevention of hypoxia