Find out what are the possible causes and complications of hypoxemiaso if it is pertinent to go to the hospital, all this with information from Mayo Clinic, a non-profit organization specialized in health.
Hypoxemia is a low blood oxygen level. It originates in blood vessels called arteries.
It is not a disease or a condition. It is a sign of a problem related to breathing or blood flow. It can lead to symptoms such as the following:
- Shortness of breath.
- Fast breathing.
- The heart beats strongly or quickly.
- Confusion.
A healthy level of oxygen in the arteries is approximately 75 to 100 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Hypoxemia is any value below 60 mm Hg.
Levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide, a waste gas, are measured with a blood sample taken from an artery. This is known as arterial blood gas.
Most often, the amount of oxygen carried by red blood cells is first measured, called oxygen saturation. It is measured with a pulse oximeter, which is a medical device that attaches to your finger. Normal pulse oximeter values usually range from 95% to 100%. Values less than 90% are considered low.
Often, treatment for hypoxemia involves receiving extra oxygen. This is known as supplemental oxygen or oxygen therapy. Other treatments focus on the cause of the hypoxemia.
You may find out that you have hypoxemia by seeing a doctor for shortness of breath or another breathing-related problem, or by showing the results of a home pulse oximetry test.
If you use a pulse oximeter at home, you should be aware of the factors that can reduce the accuracy of the results:
- Bad circulation.
- Black or brown skin.
- Skin thickness or temperature.
- Tobacco consumption.
- Nails with polish.
If you have hypoxemia, the next step is to determine the cause.
Hypoxemia can be a sign of problems such as:
- Less oxygen in the air you breathe, as happens at high altitudes.
- Breathing that is too slow or shallow for the lungs to get the oxygen they need.
- Poor blood circulation to the lungs or insufficient oxygen to the lungs.
- Problems getting oxygen into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide, the waste gas, out.
- Blood circulation problem in the heart.
- Unusual changes in the protein hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in red blood cells.
Some causes of hypoxemia that are related to blood or blood circulation problems are:
- Anemia – A condition in which the body does not receive oxygen due to a lack of healthy red blood cells.
- Congenital heart defects in children – Heart conditions that children were born with.
- Congenital heart disease in adults – heart problems that adults were born with.
These are some respiratory conditions that can lead to hypoxemia:
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (acute respiratory distress syndrome): shortness of breath due to fluid buildup in the lungs.
- Asthma – A long-term condition of the airways in the lungs.
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease): A general term for a group of diseases that block the flow of air to the lungs, such as emphysema.
- Interstitial lung disease: The general term for a broad group of conditions that form scarring in the lungs.
- Pneumonia An infection in one or both lungs.
- Pneumothorax: lung collapse.
- Pulmonary edema: excess fluid in the lungs.
- Pulmonary embolism – a blood clot in an artery in the lungs.
- Pulmonary fibrosis: a disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred.
- Sleep apnea A condition in which breathing stops and starts many times during sleep.
Some medications that can cause breathing to become slow and shallow can lead to hypoxemia. These include certain opioid pain relievers and other medications, called anesthetics, that prevent pain during surgeries and other procedures.
- It comes on quickly, affects your ability to function, or presents with symptoms such as chest pain.
- It occurs when you are above 8,000 feet (about 2,400 meters) and presents with cough, tachycardia, or weakness. These are symptoms of fluid leaking from the blood vessels into the lungs, known as high-altitude pulmonary edema. This condition can be fatal.
- You feel short of breath after mild physical exertion or when you are at rest.
- You have shortness of breath that you would not expect from a certain activity and your current physical condition and health.
- You wake up at night with a gasping or choking sensation. These may be symptoms of sleep apnea.
These tips could help you cope with continuous shortness of breath:
- If you smoke, stop. This is one of the most important things you can do if you have an illness that causes hypoxemia. Smoking makes medical problems worse and makes treatment more difficult. If you need help quitting smoking, talk to your healthcare provider.
- Stay away from secondhand smoke. It can cause more lung damage.
- Exercise regularly. Ask your healthcare provider what activities are safe for you. Exercising regularly can increase strength and endurance.
