Asphyxia 03
Asphyxia 03 : (Med; Path) Suffocation resulting from lack of oxygen. A state of deficiency of oxygen in the blood and an excess of carbon dioxide caused by mechanical interference with respiration or by inhalation of oxygen-deficient gases. Note: The lowest life-safety limit of oxygen in the air for extended exposure is about 16-17%. Simple asphyxiants act mechanically by excluding oxygen from the lungs when breathed in high concentrations (examples: nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide). Chemical asphyxiants act through chemical action, preventing oxygen from reaching the tissue or preventing the tissue from using it. Carbon monoxide is a common example. It combines with hemoglobin to reduce the blood's capacity to transport oxygen. Other examples of chemical asphyxiants are hydrogen cyanide and aniline. Hydrogen cyanide destroys enzymes and thus inhibits oxygen intake on the cellular level. Local asphyxia results from interruption of the blood supply to a part of the body and, if prolonged, allows gangrene to develop. Syn: Suffocation. See: First Aid. Cf: anoxia; hypoxia
No records Found