2023-05-17 15:15:57
Definition: What is cyanosis?
The cyanosis is a symptom, it is characterized by a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes. She translates a lack of oxygen in the blood or hypoxemia. It most often affects extremities (like fingers, feet, lips…), nevertheless the cyanosis can be generalized and affect the whole body. Cyanosis can result from heart, lung, vascular disease or simply from exposure to cold.
What triggers cyanosis?
Cyanosis can have several causes:
The cyanose centrale results from a lack of oxygen in the blood (hypoxemia or even hypoxia in severe cases). This alteration of oxyhemoglobin can be explained by a more or less serious lung or heart disease. The entire body is usually affected.
THE lung diseases in question are in particular:
- pulmonary embolism ;
- pulmonary edema ;
- acute respiratory failure which may result from bronchial asthma;
- hematosis disorder (gas exchange: passage of oxygen into the blood and rejection by it of carbon dioxide).
THE heart damage that can explain cyanosis are:
- a congenital cardiovascular defect (blue blood disease) ;
- heart failure ;
- myocardial infarction ;
- cardiac arrest.
On another side, peripheral cyanosis is not linked to hypoxia, but to a circulatory slowdown most often localized. It can be the consequence of:
- Raynaud’s disease (temporary blood circulation disorder, mainly in the fingers);
- local traffic disruption (withers, thrombosisischemia, etc.);
- a blood circulation disorder ;
- exposure to cold.
Other causes of central cyanosis:
- methemoglobinemia level (a specific form of hemoglobin that does not allow oxygen transport) too high;
- severe bleeding ;
- severe anemia ;
- an intoxication (especially at cyanide).
Hands, fingers, toes, face, tongue: why do we turn blue in case of cyanosis?
The color blue in case of cyanosis is explained by a darker blood. Indeed, cyanosis is the consequence of a lack of oxygen in the blood. But it is oxygen (carried by hemoglobin) that gives blood its bright red color. THE the deoxygené is therefore of a darker color which gives this blue color to the skin.
What level of oxygen causes cyanosis?
Cyanosis results in the presence of more than 5 g/100 ml of deoxygenated hemoglobin in the blood from subject.
It can thus correspond to a decrease in blood oxygen levels (hypoxemia or even hypoxia). The amount of oxygen in the blood can be estimated using a pulse oximetry (below 90%the oxygen level is abnormally low) or by blood gas analysis.
Sometimes cyanosis can result in a elevated hemoglobin (polyglobulie) in the blood.
What are the symptoms of cyanosis?
Cyanosis is characterized by a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes. It preferentially affects the extremities (hands, fingers, feet, lips, etc.) but can affect any member of the body and sometimes the entire body can turn blue.
Depending on the cause of the cyanosis, other manifestations may be associated, such as:
- a fever, great fatigue ;
- of the respiratory disorders ;
- a angina pectoris (angina) ;
- of the somnolences ;
- of the tingling ;
- of the numbness ;
- and hippocratisme digital in the case of certain heart or lung conditions (deformation of the finger and the nails. We also speak of “fingers in drumsticks” or “clubbing”. The nails are curved towards the palmar surface, rounded towards the dorsal surface, we note hypertrophy of the last phalanges).
in case of Raynaud’s phenomenonthe fingers turn white to blue and insensitive sometimes swollen before resuming their normal aspect.
Attention, cyanosis is the sign of a decrease in the quantity of oxygen in the blood, it can therefore testify to a major health problem likely to lead to complications (malaise, syncope, coma, death, etc.) . Any sign of hypoxemia should alert and presents a health risk. It is therefore preferable to consult a doctor in the event of cyanosis in order to ensure its management.
Care and treatment: what remedies for cyanosis?
If during the clinical examination the doctor notes a decrease in the oxygen level in the blood, additional examinations are necessary to identify the cause, define and set the objectives of the treatment. These may include chest x-rays, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, lung function tests, and sometimes other tests.
The treatment depends on the origin of the cyanosis. Some cyanosis is benign and heals spontaneously. Others constitute a medical emergency that must be taken care of quickly.
- A surgical intervention may be necessary in the event of a heart defect, for example;
- oxygenation can be used in case of respiratory disorders;
- Medication like the diuretics in case of cardiac arrest or icalcium channel blockers or some vasodilators in the event of Raynaud’s disease (or phenomenon)…;
- The wearing warmer clothes or putting the blue member under hot water.
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