Asphyxia

As asphyxia or Asphyxia (Greek ἀσφυξία asphyxia pulseless ') is generally to standstill denotes a state with poor circulation and respiratory depression, which is associated with hypoxia and hypercapnia. Causes can be a heart - circulatory failure, respiratory failure or airway obstruction.

The lack of gas exchange leads to the drop in blood oxygen ( hypoxemia ) and so to decrease the oxygen partial pressure in arterial blood and in tissues (hypoxia ), which is at the central cyanosis, the blueing of the skin and mucous membranes, visible. In addition, not abgeatmetes carbon dioxide accumulates in the tissues and blood ( hypercapnia ) resulting as a so-called Kohlenstoffdioxidnarkose lowering of consciousness and coma, if the causes are not eliminated.

Asphyxien in fetuses and births

As fetal intrauterine asphyxia or an insufficient supply of the fetus is known by insufficient oxygen supply through the umbilical vein, such as placental insufficiency or prolapse of the cord.

The Asphyxia neonatorum is described in the newborn. Depending on the duration and intensity differentiation is the livida asphyxia ( cyanosis, gasping, p21.1 ) or as a prognostically unfavorable asphyxia pallida ( "white suspended animation ", P21.0 ). Postnatal asphyxia represents a paroxysmal events in the newborn, which occurs particularly in preterm infants with insufficient lung maturation.

Traumatic asphyxia

The traumatic asphyxia or the Perthes syndrome is an injury with high mortality caused by a sudden over-compression of the chest - caused - for example by spillage. The pressure of blood is squeezed out of the chest in the head and neck. This can result in blue-red discoloration in the neck and head area, be bleeding under the skin and bloodshot eyes, blurred vision to blindness, brain hemorrhage or cerebral edema. Due to the massive violence often occurs further injury to the chest and stomach area.

Asphyxia is an emergency, the mandatory provisions of the initiation of resuscitation.