Oxygen starvation of the brain symptoms treatment. Oxygen starvation of the brain: symptoms, causes, consequences

There are several forms of hypoxia: fulminant, acute, chronic. In the first case, the disease develops rapidly, in a few minutes. Acute hypoxia is observed after a heart attack, poisoning, blood loss. Blood simply cannot deliver oxygen to organs and tissues. The chronic form of the disease develops with heart defects, heart failure. Lack of oxygen can occur when climbing to a height, with increased physical activity, with violations in the respiratory system. Particularly sensitive to lack of oxygen are the kidneys, heart, brain, and liver.

Symptoms of the disease

The first stage of hypoxia is marked by the following symptoms: increased excitability, inability to control one's movements, unsteady gait, cyanosis of the skin or vice versa, their redness, cold sweat. During the second stage, visual impairment occurs, in, nausea and vomiting appear. The person may lose consciousness. Severe cases of the disease are accompanied by swelling of the brain, loss of conditioned and unconditioned reflexes, the skin becomes insensitive, the person falls into a coma.

Treatment of oxygen starvation

Hypoxia can be detected through laboratory tests. There is a device - a pulse oximeter. It is put on the finger and after a couple of minutes you can see the percentage of oxygen in the blood. This indicator should not be lower than 95%. Capnography allows you to study the exhaled air.

Before starting the treatment of hypoxia, the cause of its occurrence should be identified. Perhaps the disease developed due to alcohol abuse or due to a long stay in a stuffy room. Depending on the severity of the patient's condition, inpatient or home treatment will be prescribed. Doctors prescribe drugs, the action of which is aimed at normalizing the work of the whole organism. Vitamins are needed to restore brain tissue. If hypoxia was caused by a malfunction of the internal organs, then the treatment will be aimed at restoring the proper functioning of organs and systems.

The lack of oxygen when climbing to a height can be compensated by the use of masks, oxygen bags and canisters. Bronchodilators, antihypoxanes are prescribed for respiratory hypoxia. If oxygen starvation took place in a mild form, and treatment was started on time, then the body will recover soon. In severe forms, irreversible processes that cannot be treated can begin in the brain tissues.

Doctors call oxygen starvation hypoxia. This is a condition in which the cells of the human body do not receive enough oxygen. Hypoxia is short-term, but most often this phenomenon lasts long enough that it can lead to pathological changes.

Causes of oxygen starvation

The causes of oxygen starvation of the body are different. This condition may occur:

• with a decrease in the volume of oxygen in the air that a person inhales (this phenomenon is observed during climbing mountains or when staying in poorly ventilated rooms);
• when there is a mechanical interference with the flow of air into the lungs of a person (observed when the airways are closed with water or vomit, when the nasal passages are narrowed as a result of an allergic reaction);
• at ;
• with a large loss of blood;
• when taking certain medications;
• with a lack of vitamin B2 as a result of cirrhosis of the liver or hepatitis.

In addition, a condition in which there is oxygen starvation of the brain, as well as the heart, causes coronary disease, thrombosis, vasospasm and smoking.

Symptoms of oxygen starvation

The first symptoms of oxygen starvation of the brain are excitation of the nervous system, cold sweat, dizziness and a strong heartbeat. In some people, the state of euphoria can be replaced by severe fatigue and even lethargy. Signs of oxygen starvation of the brain include:

• convulsions;
• change in unconditioned reflexes (for example, skin or visual);
• erratic muscle activity.

If hypoxia occurs very quickly, then a person may lose consciousness, and in some cases even fall into a coma.

Diagnosis and treatment of oxygen starvation

To identify oxygen starvation of the brain, several studies are needed. These include an electrocardiogram, a blood test, magnetic resonance imaging, an electroencephalogram, and a CT scan of the brain.

A person who suffers from oxygen starvation needs emergency treatment. When the first signs of this pathological condition appear, you should immediately call an ambulance, and before it arrives, provide the patient with fresh air. To do this, it is necessary to unbutton tight clothing, remove an ode from the lungs, perform artificial respiration, or take a person out of an enclosed space. In the future, health workers provide saturation of the body with oxygen.

In severe cases of cerebral anoxia, treatment should include blood transfusions and decongestants.

Prevention of oxygen starvation

Oxygen starvation is a dangerous condition that can be the root cause of serious health problems, because cells without oxygen simply die after a while. The negative consequences of hypoxia are frequent fainting, fatigue, convulsions, stroke, metabolic disorders. Therefore, you should try to prevent the development of oxygen starvation.

To do this, you need to be in the fresh air as much as possible, regularly examined by a doctor and make sure that the blood supply to the brain is good. In order to prevent hypoxia, the inhalation of so-called oxygen cocktails is indicated. They can be enriched with eucalyptus, lavender and mint fragrances. If you suffer from coronary heart disease or vascular diseases, then in order to prevent oxygen starvation, it is worth periodically undergoing a procedure.

The lack of oxygen entering the brain is the cause of pathological disorders, coma. The most serious consequence is death. Severe hypoxia of the brain leads to death in just a few minutes.

Hypoxia of the brain - what is it

In simple terms, hypoxia is oxygen starvation. The human brain has a large number of blood vessels that supply various departments with nutrients. Brain tissues are sensitive to oxygen loss.

There are three types of hypoxia: fulminant, acute, subacute and chronic.

• Lightning oxygen starvation - develops quickly, lasts only a few minutes or seconds.
• Acute insufficiency - develops due to severe poisoning, blood loss, heart attacks. With this diagnosis, the blood loses its ability to transport oxygen.
• Chronic hypoxia - the cause of hypoxia is heart failure, heart defects, cardiosclerotic changes.

The negative effect of hypoxia on the brain is the death of tissues and loss of functionality. The consequences of oxygen starvation depend on the duration of the violations, as well as the complications caused by them.

Causes of oxygen starvation of the brain

Symptoms of cerebral hypoxia depend on the causes of oxygen starvation. The etiology of disorders includes several main factors that provoke pathological changes:

Hypoxic changes in the brain in newborns are manifested due to injuries during pregnancy, developmental abnormalities and insufficient supply of nutrients to the developing fetus.

How is the lack of oxygen in the brain manifested?

Symptoms of oxygen starvation of the brain allow you to accurately determine the presence of violations. The attending physician will pay attention to the following deviations:

In a normal state, the human brain consumes 25% of the total amount of oxygen and glucose absorbed by the body. Any deviations lead to hypoxia and serious, often irreversible consequences.

What is dangerous hypoxia of the brain

Oxygen starvation is a dangerous condition that leads to pathological changes that affect brain activity, as well as a violation of its basic functions. The prognosis of the disease depends on the degree of damage and the time during which hypoxia was observed.

With a short-term coma, the chances of rehabilitation are quite high. Recovery of brain cells after hypoxia takes a long time, but in the end, a patient who has not fallen into a coma has a good chance of recovery.

A prolonged vegetative state with the preservation of the basic functions of the body leads to serious disorders. Patients in a coma usually live no more than a year, after which they die.

In addition, oxygen starvation manifests itself in the following clinical symptoms:

1. Bedsores.
2. infectious diseases.
3. Malnutrition.
4. Thrombogenesis.

The consequences in adults are associated with the difficulty of restoring even minimal motor and speech functions. Prolonged oxygen starvation leads to coma and death.

Posthypoxic brain changes

The consequences of cerebral hypoxia after clinical death are the loss of neurological functions. After the patient returns to life, the doctor's task is to determine the presence of irreversible changes.

After clinical death, coma or prolonged oxygen starvation, the predicted results of therapy may differ.

Treatment of cerebral hypoxia is fraught with difficulties. Full recovery is extremely rare, but with proper therapy, stable remission can be achieved.

Does the brain recover after hypoxia

Brain cells do not regenerate after hypoxia. But with properly prescribed therapy, it is possible to provide the proper conditions for the normalization of the daily functions of the body.

Brain tissues have the ability to take over the functions of neighboring cells. In this case, any restoration is carried out partially.

It is necessary for an adult to fight brain hypoxia from the first manifestations of the disease. All violations in the work of cells are critical and lead to serious and often irreversible consequences.

Brain hypoxia in newborns

The share of congenital pathologies, hypoxia accounts for about 30-35%. This pathology occurs due to oxygen starvation of the fetus during development in the womb. Lack of oxygen in the brain of a newborn leads to abnormalities in the development of internal organs: lungs, liver, cardiovascular and central nervous system.

Why does a baby's brain lack oxygen?

As already noted, it is the blood that supplies oxygen to the brain. Responsible for the transport of the nutrient - hemoglobin. To create a sufficient amount of this substance, a large amount of iron elements is required.

With anemia, iron deficiency is observed, respectively, the speed and intensity of oxygen supply to body tissues decreases. Mild minor hypoxia in newborns usually manifests itself if the mother suffers from anemia.

The second of the main causes is associated with placental insufficiency. Through the placenta, the mother nourishes the embryo and supplies it with oxygen. Metabolic disorders block normal metabolism.

Insufficient oxygen saturation of the brain vessels of a developing fetus, due to placental insufficiency, occurs for the following reasons:

1. Bad habits.
2. Cardiovascular diseases.
3. Stress.
4. In premature babies.
5. Multiple pregnancy.
6. intrauterine infections.
7. Prolonged compression of the fetal head.
8. Birth trauma.

The diagnosis of fetal hypoxia is made in approximately 10-15% of pregnancies. The attending physician will pay attention to the condition of the newborn. The prerequisite for cardiac monitoring and additional examination is:

1. Turbid waters with a greenish tint.
2. Entanglement of the fetus by the umbilical cord.
3. Premature detachment of the placenta.

Signs of posthypoxic changes in the brain in a newborn are manifested in characteristic symptoms: neurological seizures, disruption of life rhythms, irritability and tearfulness. In combination with the results of the ultrasound of the brain of the newborn and the anamnesis, an accurate diagnosis of the presence of oxygen starvation can be made.

What are the consequences of hypoxia in infants?

The consequences of neonatal hypoxia depend on the degree of damage and the presence of irreversible changes in the central nervous system. With a mild degree of damage, complications are manifested in the development of perinatal encephalopathy.

Cerebral edema in a newborn with hypoxia leads to disability and, unfortunately, death. With a favorable outcome, it is possible to partially restore the main functions. Developmental problems are possible: restlessness, hyperactivity, low concentration of attention, speech disorders.

What and how can hypoxia be treated

The main task of the medical staff is to restore the normal supply of oxygen to the brain, as well as to stabilize the patient's condition. To ensure proper treatment, it is required to recognize violations, provide first aid and prescribe adequate therapy.

How to identify hypoxia

Medical personnel are armed with various research methods that allow diagnosing disorders even at an early stage.

The following types of laboratory and instrumental methods are traditionally used:

To get rid of oxygen starvation, it is necessary to accurately determine the catalyst for violations. If the cause of hypoxia is not eliminated, a relapse of the disease is sure to occur.

First aid for lack of oxygen in the brain

Oxygen starvation is manifested in fainting, loss of consciousness. When the first symptoms of disorders appear, it is necessary to provide the patient with unhindered access to fresh air.

In medical conditions (for example, with intrauterine vascular hypoxia), an oxygen mask is immediately used after childbirth. If this is not possible, you should ventilate the room, free the patient from clothing that interferes with the full implementation of the respiratory function. Immediately after this, the patient should be hospitalized in the nearest hospital.

Medicines for oxygen starvation of the brain of the head

Drug therapy is aimed at eliminating the causes of hypoxia. In any case, iron preparations and a vitamin complex are prescribed that improve tissue metabolism and hematopoiesis.

In severe cases, with cerebral hypoxia, the following drugs are prescribed:

1. Bronchodilators.
2. Respiratory analeptics.
3. Antihypoxanes.

Along with drug treatment, blood transfusion and artificial lung ventilation are used. In some cases, surgery is indicated.

Breathing exercises for hypoxia

One of the most effective means of increasing the resistance of the brain to hypoxia is the use of breathing exercises. Several types of different techniques have been developed to combat pathological abnormalities.

Popular are:

1. Strelnikova's method.
2. Gymnastics Bodyflex.
3. Oriental gymnastics.
4. The principle of oxygen starvation or the system of healthy breath holding.

The selection of the method of health-improving gymnastics should be carried out together with the attending physician, depending on the patient's diagnosis. Breathing exercises serve as a good preventive measure to prevent complications from hypoxia.

Folk remedies for hypoxia

Folk remedies are aimed at saturating the cerebral cortex affected by hypoxia with nutrients, by improving metabolism and blood formation.

The following recipes are considered effective:

• Birch sap - drink 1 liter per day. If necessary, you can use tinctures from birch leaves or buds.
• Hawthorn - insist on cognac. Tincture is made at the rate of 70 gr., hawthorn buds per ½ of an alcoholic drink. The composition is defended for 2 weeks. Take 1 tbsp. l. before every meal.
• Lingonberries - tinctures from leaves, berries have a positive effect. Lingonberry leaves are poured with boiling water and infused like tea.
  Lingonberry decoction is taken after each meal. Fresh or soaked cranberries are consumed on an empty stomach or at bedtime.

Alternative treatment does not replace traditional methods of therapy and the need to consult a doctor.

Oxygen starvation of the brain or hypoxia occurs due to a violation of the supply of oxygen to its tissues. The brain is the organ most in need of oxygen. A quarter of all inhaled air goes to serve the needs of the brain in it, and 4 minutes without it become critical for life. Oxygen enters the brain through a complex system of blood supply, then it is utilized by its cells. Any disturbances in this system lead to oxygen starvation.

, , , ,

ICD-10 code

G93 Other disorders of brain

I67.3 Progressive vascular leukoencephalopathy

Epidemiology

Due to the variety of forms of pathological conditions inherent in oxygen starvation, it is difficult to determine its prevalence. Based on the reasons that give rise to it, the number of people who have experienced this state is very large. But the statistics of oxygen starvation in newborns are more definite and disappointing: fetal hypoxia is observed in 10 cases out of 100.

, , ,

Causes of oxygen starvation of the brain

There are various reasons for the occurrence of oxygen starvation of the brain. These include:

• decrease in oxygen in the environment (when climbing mountains, indoors, in spacesuits or submarines);
• disruption of the respiratory organs (asthma, pneumonia, chest trauma, tumors);
• failure in blood circulation in the brain (atherosclerosis of the arteries, thrombosis, embolism);
• violation of oxygen transport (lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin);
• blockade of enzyme systems involved in tissue respiration.

Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis of oxygen starvation consists in a change in the structure of the vascular walls, a violation of their permeability, which leads to cerebral edema. Depending on the causes that caused hypoxia, the pathogenesis develops according to a different algorithm. So, with exogenous factors, this process begins with arterial hypoxemia - a decrease in the oxygen content in the blood, which leads to hypocapnia - a lack of carbon dioxide, which disrupts the biochemical balance in it. The next chain of negative processes is alkalosis - a failure of the acid-base balance in the body. At the same time, blood flow in the brain and coronary arteries is disturbed, and blood pressure drops.

Endogenous causes due to pathological conditions of the body cause arterial hypoxemia along with hypercapnia (increased carbon dioxide content) and acidosis (increased products of oxidation of organic acids). Different types of hypoxia have their own scenarios of pathological changes.

, , , , , ,

Symptoms of oxygen starvation of the brain

The first signs of oxygen deficiency are manifested in the excitation of the nervous system: breathing and heart rate increase, euphoria sets in, cold sweat appears on the face and limbs, motor anxiety. Then the state changes dramatically: lethargy, drowsiness, headache, darkening of the eyes, depression of consciousness appear. A person develops dizziness, constipation develops, muscle cramps and fainting, the onset of coma are possible. The most severe degree of a coma is a deep violation of the central nervous system: lack of brain activity, muscle hypotension, respiratory arrest with a beating heart.

Oxygen starvation of the brain in adults

Oxygen starvation of the brain in adults can develop as a result of a stroke, when the blood supply to the brain is disturbed, hypovolemic shock - a significant decrease in the volume of circulating blood that occurs with a large loss of blood, uncompensated loss of plasma during burns, peritonitis, pancreatitis, accumulation of a large volume of blood during injuries, dehydration during diarrhea. This condition is characterized by a decrease in pressure, tachycardia, nausea and dizziness, loss of consciousness.

Oxygen starvation of the brain in children and newborns

Analyzing various factors in the occurrence of oxygen starvation and the fact that it can accompany many diseases, it becomes clear that children are also in the affected area. Anemia, burns from fire and chemicals, gas poisoning, heart failure, various injuries, laryngeal edema due to an allergic reaction, etc. can lead to a state of oxygen starvation of the brain in children. But most often such a diagnosis is made to children at birth.

Diagnosis of oxygen starvation of the brain

Diagnosis of oxygen starvation of the brain is carried out on the basis of complaints from patients, if possible, data from the words of relatives, laboratory and instrumental studies are carried out.

The patient's condition is assessed on the basis of indicators of a general blood test. Analyzed indicators such as erythrocytes, ESR, hematocrit, leukocytes, platelets, reticulocytes. An analysis of the composition of the blood will also determine the acid-base balance of the body, the gas composition of the venous and arterial blood, and therefore indicate the diseased organ.

The most accessible methods of instrumental diagnostics include pulse oximetry - a special device worn on a finger measures the level of oxygen saturation in the blood (the optimal content is 95-98%). Other means are electroencephalogram, computer and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, electrocardiogram, rheovasography, which determines the volume of blood flow and its intensity in arterial vessels.

Differential Diagnosis

Treatment of oxygen starvation of the brain

Treatment of oxygen starvation of the brain consists in etiotropic therapy (treatment of the cause). Thus, exogenous hypoxia requires the use of oxygen masks and pillows. For the treatment of respiratory hypoxia, drugs that dilate the bronchi, analgesics, antihypoxanes that improve oxygen utilization are used. In case of hemic (reduced oxygen in the blood), a blood transfusion is carried out, antidote drugs are prescribed for histoxic or tissue, circulatory (heart attacks, strokes) - cardiotropic. If such therapy is not possible, actions are aimed at eliminating symptoms: they regulate vascular tone, normalize blood circulation, prescribe drugs for dizziness, headache, blood-thinning, restorative, nootropic drugs and lowering bad cholesterol.

Medications

Metered aerosols are used as bronchodilators: truvent, atrovent, berodual, salbutamol.

Truvent is an aerosol can, when using it is necessary to remove the protective cap, shake it several times, lower the spray head down, take it with your lips and press on the bottom, inhaling deeply and holding the breath for a few moments. One push equals a serving. The effect comes in 15-30 minutes. Every 4-6 hours, the procedure is repeated, making 1-2 clicks, this is how long the effect of the drug lasts. Do not prescribe during pregnancy, angle-closure glaucoma, allergies. The use of the drug can reduce visual acuity, increase intraocular pressure.

Analgesics include a large list of drugs from the well-known analgin to completely unfamiliar names, each of which has its own pharmacological effect. The doctor will determine what is necessary in a particular situation. Here is a list of some of them: acamol, anopyrin, bupranal, pentalgin, cefecon, etc.

Bupranal is a solution in ampoules for intramuscular and intravenous injections, in syringe tubes for intramuscular injection. The maximum daily dose is 2.4 mg. The frequency of administration is every 6-8 hours. Possible side effects in the form of nausea, weakness, lethargy, dry mouth. Contraindicated in children under 16 years of age, during pregnancy and lactation, increased intracranial pressure, alcoholism.

The list of antidote drugs includes atropine, diazepam (mushroom poisoning), eufillin, glucose (carbon monoxide), magnesium sulfate, almagel (organic acids), unithiol, cuprenil (heavy metal salts), naloxone, flumazenil (drug poisoning), etc. .

Naloxone - available in ampoules, there is a special form for newborns. The recommended dose is 0.4-0.8 mg, it may be necessary to increase it to 15 mg. With increased sensitivity to the drug, an allergy occurs; in drug addicts, taking the drug causes a specific attack.

For strokes, cerebrolysin, actovegin, encephabol, papaverine, no-shpa are used.

Actovegin - exists in various forms: dragees, solutions for injections and infusions, gels, ointments, creams. Doses and method of application are prescribed by the doctor depending on the severity of the disease. Burn wounds, bedsores are treated externally. The use of the drug can cause hives, fever, sweating. It has contraindications for pregnant women, during breastfeeding, with allergies.

vitamins

A number of vitamins in tissue oxygen starvation are antidotes of toxic substances. So, vitamin K1 blocks the action of warfarin - an antithrombotic agent, vitamin B6 - poisoning with anti-tuberculosis drugs, vitamin C is used for damage by carbon monoxide, anilines used in dyes, medicines, chemicals. To maintain the body, it is also necessary to saturate it with vitamins.

Physiotherapy treatment

With general or local hypoxia of various nature, a physiotherapeutic treatment method such as oxygen therapy is used. The most common indications for its use are respiratory failure, circulatory disorders, cardiovascular diseases. There are various ways of oxygen saturation: cocktails, inhalations, baths, cutaneous, subcutaneous, intraband methods, etc. Oxygenobarotherapy - breathing compressed oxygen in a pressure chamber relieves hypoxia. Depending on the diagnosis that led to hypoxia, UHF, magnetotherapy, laser therapy, massage, acupuncture, etc. are used.

Alternative treatment

One of the recipes for alternative treatment is breathing exercises according to the following method. Inhale slowly and deeply, hold for a few seconds and exhale slowly. Do several times in a row, increasing the duration of the procedure. Count to 4 on the inhale, to 7 on the breath hold, and to 8 on the exhale.

Garlic tincture will help strengthen blood vessels, reduce their spasms: fill a third of the jar with chopped garlic, filling it with water to the brim. After 2 weeks of infusion, start taking 5 drops per spoon of water before meals.

A prepared mixture of buckwheat, honey and walnuts, taken in equal proportions, is able to raise hemoglobin: grind cereals and nuts to a state of flour, add honey, mix. Take on an empty stomach in a tablespoon half an hour before meals. Fresh beet juice is also effective, which must be allowed to stand for some time before taking it so that volatile substances come out.

Ginger can help with asthma attacks. Combining its juice with honey and pomegranate juice, drink a spoonful 3 times a day.

, , ,

Herbal treatment

It is effective to take decoctions, infusions, herbal teas with antispasmodic action during oxygen starvation: chamomile, valerian, St. John's wort, motherwort, hawthorn. For problems with the respiratory system, take decoctions of medicinal preparations from coltsfoot, pine buds, plantain, licorice root, elder flowers. Hemoglobin levels can be raised with herbs such as nettle, yarrow, dandelion, wormwood.

Homeopathy

In combination with the main treatment, homeopathic remedies are increasingly present. Here are some of the remedies that can be prescribed for oxygen starvation and are aimed at the causes of its occurrence.

• Accardium - granules, which include metallic gold, mountain arnica, coculus-like anamyrta. It is aimed at the treatment of angina pectoris, cardiovascular failures caused by heavy physical exertion. Twice a day, 10 granules for half an hour before meals or one hour after, keep under the tongue until completely resorbed. The average course of treatment lasts 3 weeks. The drug has no contraindications and side effects. For use during pregnancy and children, a doctor's consultation is necessary.
• Atma® - drops, a complex drug for the treatment of bronchial asthma. The dose for children under one year is 1 drop per teaspoon of water or milk. Under the age of 12, 2 to 7 drops per tablespoon. After 12 years - 10 drops in pure form or in water. Continue treatment up to 3 months. Side effects were not observed.
• Vertigocheel - oral drops, used for dizziness, atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, strokes. Drops are dissolved in water, when swallowed, they are retained for some time in the mouth. Recommended from the age of the child. Up to 3 years - 3 drops, at the age of 3-6 years - 5, the rest - 10 drops 3-4 times a day for a month. Hypersensitivity reactions are possible. Contraindicated in children under one year old, during pregnancy and lactation - with the permission of a doctor.
• Hawthorn compositum - homeopathic cardiological remedy, liquid. Adults are prescribed 15-20 drops three times a day, children - 5-7 drops. The drug has contraindications in case of allergy to components.
• Aesculus-compositum - drops, are used for post-embolic circulatory disorders, post-infarction and post-stroke conditions. Single dose - 10 drops in water, holding in the mouth. Frequency - 3 times a day. The duration of treatment is up to 6 weeks. Side effects are unknown. Contraindicated in pregnant women and hypersensitive to the components of the drug.

Surgery

Surgical treatment on the heart or blood vessels may be needed in the circulatory form of oxygen starvation, the development of which occurs rapidly and is associated with violations of their functions.

Prevention

Prevention of oxygen starvation primarily consists in organizing a daily healthy well-established life, which provides for normal nutrition, moderate physical activity, good sleep, lack of stressful situations, quitting smoking and alcohol, finding enough time in the fresh air. It is necessary to monitor blood pressure, timely take preventive courses of existing diseases.

With insufficient oxygen supply to the brain, hypoxia develops. Tissue starvation occurs due to a lack of oxygen in the blood, a violation of its utilization by peripheral tissues, or after the cessation of blood flow to the brain. The disease leads to irreversible changes in brain cells, disruption of the central nervous system and other serious consequences.

Causes of oxygen starvation

At the initial stages, dysfunction of the microcirculation of the brain, a change in the state of the walls of blood vessels, neurocytes, and degeneration of parts of the brain tissue are observed. In the future, there is a softening of the cells or their gradual recovery with timely treatment.

The main causes of acute cerebral hypoxia:

• asphyxia;
• transverse heart block;
• traumatic brain injury;
• atherosclerosis;
• undergone heart surgery;
• carbon monoxide poisoning;
• thromboembolism of cerebral vessels;
• stroke;
• diseases of the respiratory system;
• anemia.

Chronic hypoxia develops when working in adverse conditions, living in mountainous areas where the air is rarefied. The gradual deposition of atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of blood vessels leads to a decrease in the lumen of the arteries, slowing down blood flow. If there is a complete blockage of the vessel, the brain tissue dies, a heart attack develops, which can cause severe complications, death.

Symptoms of hypoxia

Signs of oxygen starvation vary depending on the form of pathology. In acute hypoxia, patients experience motor and psycho-emotional arousal, increased heart rate and respiration, pale skin, increased sweating, "flies" before the eyes. Gradually, the state changes, the patient calms down, becomes lethargic, sleepy, his eyes darken, tinnitus appears.

At the next stage, the person loses consciousness, clonic convulsions, chaotic muscle contractions may occur. Motor disorders are accompanied by spastic paralysis, an increase, and then the extinction of muscle reflexes. The attack develops very quickly, within 1-2 minutes a coma may occur, so the patient needs urgent medical attention.

Hypoxia of the brain of a chronic form proceeds slowly. It is characterized by constant fatigue, dizziness, apathy, depression. Hearing and vision often deteriorate, performance decreases.

Neurological signs of hypoxia in adults:

• With diffuse organic damage to the brain, posthypoxic encephalopathy develops, accompanied by visual, speech disorders, impaired coordination of movements, tremor of the limbs, twitching of the eyeballs,.
• With a partial impairment of consciousness, the symptoms of hypoxia are manifested by lethargy, stupor, and stunning. A person is in a depressed state, from which he can be brought out with persistent treatment. Patients retain protective reflexes.
• Asthenic condition: increased fatigue, exhaustion, deterioration of intellectual abilities, motor restlessness, low efficiency.

Hypoxia of the brain is fulminant, acute and chronic. In the acute stage, signs of oxygen deficiency develop rapidly, and the chronic disease proceeds, gradually progressing, with less pronounced signs of malaise.

Acute hypoxia is accompanied by cerebral edema, degenerative changes in neurons. Even after normalization of oxygen delivery to brain cells, degenerative processes persist and progress, leading to the formation of softened foci. Chronic hypoxia of brain tissues does not cause pronounced changes in nerve cells, therefore, when the causes of pathology are eliminated, patients fully recover.

Types of hypoxia

Depending on the reasons that caused oxygen starvation:

• The exogenous form of the disease develops with a lack of oxygen in the air.
• Respiratory hypoxia of brain tissue occurs when the upper respiratory tract is disrupted (asthma, pneumonia, tumors), overdose of narcotic drugs, mechanical injuries of the chest.
• Hemic hypoxia of the brain is diagnosed when there is a violation of the transport of oxygen by blood cells. Pathology develops with a lack of hemoglobin, red blood cells.
• Circulatory develops when the blood circulation of the brain is disturbed due to heart failure, atherosclerosis.
• Tissue hypoxia is caused by a violation of the process of oxygen utilization by cells. Blockade of enzyme systems, poisoning with poisons, medicines can lead to this.

hypoxia

Coma

When the O₂ supply is stopped, the brain tissues can live for 4 seconds, after 8-10 seconds the person loses consciousness, after another half a minute the activity of the cerebral cortex disappears and the patient falls into a coma. If blood circulation is not restored within 4-5 minutes, the tissues die.

Symptoms of acute oxygen starvation of the brain, that is, coma:

• Subcortical coma causes inhibition of the cerebral cortex and subcortical formations. The patient is disoriented in space and time, reacts badly to speech, external stimuli, does not control urination and defecation, he has increased muscle tone, depressed reflexes, and increased heart rate. Breathing is independent, the reaction of pupils to light is preserved.
• Hyperactive coma causes dysfunction of the anterior parts of the brain, symptoms are manifested by convulsions, lack of speech, reflexes, hyperthermia, jumps in blood pressure, respiratory depression, weak pupillary response to light.
• With a "flaccid coma" the medulla oblongata is affected. Reactions to external stimuli completely disappear, reflexes are absent, muscle tone is reduced, shallow breathing, blood pressure indicators decrease, pupils are dilated and do not respond to light, convulsions periodically occur.
• Terminal coma is a complete cessation of the brain. A person cannot breathe on his own, blood pressure and body temperature drop sharply, there are no reflexes, muscle atony is observed. The patient is on artificial life support.

Prolonged oxygen starvation of the brain, stage 4 coma has a high risk of death, death occurs in more than 90% of cases.

Hypoxic form of hypoxia

With low oxygen pressure in the air, hypoxic hypoxia develops. The cause of the pathology is:

• breathing in confined spaces: tanks, submarines, bunkers;
• during rapid ascent on aircraft;
• during a long climb or stay in the mountains.

The lack of oxygen in the air leads to a decrease in its concentration in the alveoli of the lungs, blood and peripheral tissues. As a result, the level of hemoglobin decreases, chemoreceptors are irritated, the excitability of the respiratory center increases, hyperventilation, alkalosis develop.

The water-salt balance is disturbed, vascular tone decreases, blood circulation in the heart, brain and other vital organs worsens.

Symptoms of hypoxic hypoxia:

• A surge of energy, acceleration of movements and speech.
• Tachycardia and dyspnea on exertion.
• Violation of coordination of movements.
• Rapid breathing, shortness of breath at rest.
• Decreased performance.
• Deterioration of short-term memory.
• Lethargy, drowsiness;
• Paresis, paresthesia.

At the last stage, brain hypoxia is characterized by loss of consciousness, the appearance of convulsions, muscle rigidity, involuntary urination, defecation, and coma occurs. When rising to a height of 9-11 km above sea level, cardiac activity is sharply disturbed, oppressed, and then breathing completely disappears, coma and clinical death occur.

Therapy Methods

If a patient is diagnosed with acute cerebral hypoxia, it is important for the attending physician to ensure the maintenance of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, normalize metabolic processes, and prevent acidosis, which worsens the state of brain tissues.

How to treat hypoxia in violation of cerebral circulation? Patients are prescribed vasodilators, anticoagulants, blood thinners. Medications are selected taking into account the causes of the development of pathology.

For the treatment of hypoxia, methods are also used:

• craniocerebral hypothermia;
• hyperbaric oxygenation;
• extracorporeal circulation.

Neuroprotectors, nootropics and antihypoxants protect nerve cells and promote their recovery. Decongestants are used for cerebral edema. Therapy of the consequences of hypoxia is carried out with narcotic drugs, neuroleptics.

If cerebral hypoxia has led to a coma, the patient is connected to a ventilator, intravenously administered drugs that increase blood pressure, normalize heart rate and circulating blood volume. Symptomatic treatment is also applied, the causes of oxygen deficiency are eliminated.

Acute or chronic hypoxia of the brain occurs when there is a violation of the oxygen supply of the brain structures. The disease can lead to irreversible changes in the cells of the organ, nerve trunks, severe disability and death of the patient. With timely assistance, it is possible to minimize the pathological process and restore the functioning of the brain.

Video: Hypoxia Oxygen starvation