The body of any animal, including humans, is designed in such a way that it cannot directly use the energy of nutrients. To do this, he needs oxygen from the air (he is involved in the complex processes of converting the final products of the breakdown of food into macro-energy compounds - ATP and others). This complex of transformations is called biological oxidation and takes place in the mitochondria of every cell in the body. In conditions of oxygen deficiency, a pathological condition called hypoxia occurs.
What is hypoxia? It, in fact, is the
oxygen starvation of the body.
What is hypoxia and why does it occur
This is a condition of lack of oxygen. Its causes are various, it can be diseases of the heart and blood vessels, blood and respiratory systems, a decrease in the level of oxygen in the inhaled air, a violation of the tissue’s ability to biological oxidation, functional overload of working organs (for example muscles).
When it is important to determine the level of tissue hypoxia
This is of particular importance during operations under general anesthesia or in intensive care with mechanical ventilation. It is also important to determine the presence or absence of the indicated pathology in the fetus. After all, hypoxia is not only a decrease in oxygen intake, it also leads to the accumulation in the blood of an unborn baby of undeoxidized metabolic products. As a result of acidification of the blood, the respiratory center of the fetus is stimulated, and the latter begins to breathe through the mouth, swallowing amniotic fluid, blood and mucus.
What is fetal hypoxia?Such a question is of interest to an increasing number of expectant mothers, because more and more often these words are said by doctors who observe pregnancy. As mentioned above, an unborn baby may experience oxygen deficiency. What is the reason for this? Maternal diseases such as bronchial asthma, heart defects, anemia, leukemia, blood loss due to placenta previa or detachment of the placenta, shock, intoxication can become causes. In addition, pathologies of the fetus itself can cause inhibition of biooxidation in the tissues. These include genetic disorders, infections, hemolytic disease, malformations. Finally, disorders of the uterine and umbilical cord blood flow also underlie the insufficient supply of fetal tissues with blood, and hence oxygen.
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis is by external signs, such as a discoloration of the skin, depending on the cause of hypoxia. In addition, the symptoms are shortness of breath, an increase in the frequency and strength of heart contractions, and organ dysfunction.
Based on what hypoxia is and what are the mechanisms of its development, doctors treat it with special drugs and methods. The principles of therapy are as follows: to increase the flow of oxygen to tissues, improve the efficiency of its use, reduce the need for organs in oxygen.
Intrauterine hypoxia of the fetus is detected by some signs, such as changes in CTG (cardiotocogram), which shows the heart rate and heart rate. Changes in fetal movements are also taken into account. In case of severe hypoxia of the baby, appropriate drugs are used and an early delivery.