Cyanosis – Definition, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis

Cyanosis – Definition, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis






Cyanosis is a condition and not a disease. The skin color of the fingertips and the lips becomes light bluish in color during cyanosis. This is indicative of the low oxygen levels in the blood. Blood takes a bluish tint if it does not have sufficient levels of oxygen. Blood under normal condition is bright red in color owing to the protein molecules called hemes. However when the oxygen levels in the RBC reduce it can cause bluish coloration on the limbs and lips. This condition is known as cyanosis. Cyanosis is a symptom indicating the body cannot deliver sufficient levels of oxygenated blood.

Very cold weather can narrow the blood vessels reducing the oxygen supply causing bluish tint temporarily. But that is not cyanosis and can be resolved by gentle massaging of affected areas.

Types :

Cyanosis is of two type namely central cyanosis and peripheral cyanosis.

Central cyanosis is caused by internal factors like abnormally low levels of Hb and any specific diseases in the heart or lungs. Peripheral cyanosis occurs due to decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood which is supplied to the peripheral tissues. This can occur due to varying temperatures also temporarily.

Causes :

Lowered oxygen level in the blood is the major cause for cyanosis. Some diseases like congestive heart failure, Sepsis shock, narrowing of blood vessels, pneumonia">Pneumonia, and carbon monoxide Poisoning, peripheral vascular disease, exposure to cold temperature, Pulmonary embolism, COPD and high respiratory tract infections can cause cyanosis. Lung diseases and infection, cardiac shunt, Polycythemia Vera, and Beta blocking drugs can also trigger cyanosis in adults.

Symptoms :

Blue coloration of the lips and fingertips are the major signs of cyanosis. However there can be accompanied symptoms if there is underlying cause. Patients with lungs and Heart diseases can develop cyanosis gradually. Similarly people who are taking drugs that contain nitrates and dapsone can develop cyanosis over years. Other symptoms related to cyanosis include rapid heartbeat, palpitation, chest pain (ranging from dull to severe chest tightening), dyspnea and blue discoloration of the skin on the extremities.

Diagnosis :

Based on the symptoms of blue discoloration of nails and lips, the doctor would first complete physical examination. He would measure the carbon dioxide levels and oxygen levels in the blood using noninvasive pulse oximeter. Chest X-ray, ECG or echo test and hemoglobin levels and arterial blood gas test may also be done.

Treatment :

Emergency treatment is to be given if the patient condition is not stable. Oxygen therapy is started immediately to restore the oxygen levels in blood. Treatment for cyanosis involves finding the underlying factors or disease causing it. Lungs and heart problems should be addressed and promptly treated.

Outlook :

Majority of the cases of peripheral cyanosis would recover shortly. If the patient develops cyanosis due to progressing internal diseases death can occur.

Cyanosis

Cyanosis






It is a condition in which the skin, gums and fingernails turns blue due to shortage of oxygen in the blood. Any body part turning blue indicates lack of oxygen supply in blood. Cyanosis is considered to be a symptom of serious medical condition which needs immediate medical care. This condition, if accompanied by difficulty in breathing is definitely critical and life threatening.

Symptoms that accompany cyanosis :

A child or adult having blue coloration in finger nails, skin is indicative of cyanotic condition. In addition, he may have difficulty in breathing, chest pain, and shortness of breath and sometimes loss of consciousness.

Causes :

It is believed that cyanosis is caused by lack of oxygen in the blood that circulates in your body. It can be due to abnormal hemoglobin level in oxygen or any other disorder. If cyanosis is due to cardiovascular disorder, then the person may have congenital heart problem, heart failure, Blood Clots and blood related disorders. In case it is due to respiratory cause, then the patient may have symptoms of Asthma, bronchiolitis, COPD, pulmonary Hypertension and viral illness called Croup. If it is due to problem in central nervous system, he may have cerebral anoxia or intracranial hemorrhage.

Sometimes, cyanosis is also caused by overdose of drugs, climbing high altitudes, exposure to extreme cold and erratic seizures. Again cyanosis is indicative of life threatening condition if the patient has choking, breathless feeling and history of cardiac problem.

Potential complications :

A patient if left untreated with cyanosis symptoms may develop acute heart failure, respiratory problem, Sepsis and loss of limb.

Types :

Cyanosis is of two type namely central cyanosis and peripheral cyanosis. The former occurs in the central part and the latter on the extremities of the body.

Pictures of Cyanosis :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Cyanosis

Treatment :

Treatment depends on the condition of the patient and the actual cause that is responsible for cyanosis. In case of infants, they need to be hospitalized to pump out extra fluids from the heart and to keep the blood vessels open. Children with cyanosis and heart problem should be given antibiotics before and after dental procedures.

If the condition of the patient is critical, then he may undergo surgery on his heart for fixing the defect. Further the child will have to be on diuretics to flush out extra fluids from the heart. Sometimes, the patient has to live with the pacemaker permanently after surgery. It is essential to monitor the growth of the child after surgery taking care and precautions for not getting bacterial infection.

Cyanosis – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Cyanosis – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

What is Cyanosis?

This is a circumstance where the fingers, toes as well as lips look blue. It occurs in a number of individuals who have heart defects which are normally congenital and affects the blood with abnormal circulation.

With normal circulation, blood which is low in oxygen enters the heart on the right side. It is this side of the heart where the blood is propelled to the lungs where the blood gathers oxygen. From there, the blood enters the left side of the heart, which sends the blood which is now oxygen-rich to the tissues of the entire body.

In individuals with heart defects which are congenital, cyanosis happens when the defect allocates oxygen-poor blood from the heart’s right side to enter the left side in a straight line, rather than first going to the lungs to become oxygenated. While the blood is in the left area of the heart, the blood which is oxygen-poor becomes mixed with blood which is oxygen-rich to be pumped to the rest of the body.

Even though the blood which is oxygen-poor is not really blue, it is not the rich bright red color of the blood which is rich with oxygen. The oxygen-low blood is what gives the fingers, toes, as well as the lips blue color.

Cyanosis can be harmless – as in acrocyanosis of babies who are newborn – but it is normally a bad sign. Cyanosis can be caused by problems with the lungs so that not enough oxygen is reaching into the blood stream or by other problems with circulation. Circulation problems involve abnormal mixing of unoxygenated blood with blood which is carrying oxygen. Cyanosis is normally at first noted around the mouth and lips as well as perhaps the nail beds.

Cyanosis Symptoms

As already mentioned, the main symptom of cyanosis is usually seen as the bluish discoloration of the fingers, toes as well as lips.

Some children do have problems with breathing – known as dyspnea – and will assume a squatting type position after any physical activity in order to relieve the breathlessness.

Others often have spells where their bodies become all of a sudden starved for oxygen. During one of these sudden spells, the symptoms can include:

• Anxiety


• Sudden cyanosis increase


• Over breathing – known as hyperventilation

With infants, they may get tired or begin sweating while feeding and also may not gain the amount of weight that they should.

Fainting or Syncope and pains in the chest can also occur.

Other symptoms may depend on the type of cyanotic heart disease and can involve:

• Grayish or bluish skin


• Reduced appetite or problems with feeding


• Puffy face or eyes


• Being tired all the time

Cyanosis Causes

When functioning normally, blood will return from the body and then flows thru the heart as well as the lungs. The blood then leaves the heart with the needed oxygen to provide oxygen to the tissues of the body’s.

You're reading Cyanosis – Pictures, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment posted by minhhai2d, the information is for reference only.

Any type of heart defects will change this path which the blood normally flows thru the lungs and heart. This blood flow which is atypical – known as “right-to-left shunt” – will cause the blood to have less oxygen while moving thru the remainder of the body.

Heart conditions caused by cyanosis cause the skin of a child to appear blue – mostly on the fingers, toes as well as lips especially when exercising. Other heart defects can cause key problems directly after birth. Others have few problems, if any, until later in life.

Heart defects which are congenital and might cause cyanosis include:

• Coarctation of the aorta


• Critical pulmonary valvular stenosis


• Ebstein’s anomaly


• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome


• Pulmonary valve atresia


• Interrupted aortic arch


• Pulmonic stenosis with an atrial or ventricular septal defect


• Some forms of total anomalous pulmonary venous return


• Total anomalous pulmonary venous return


• Tetralogy of Fallot


• Tricuspid atresia which is a deformity of the tricuspid heart value


• Transposition of the great vessels


• Truncus arteriosus

Diseases of the heart which are cyanotic can be caused by:

• Genetic and chromosomal syndromes, such as Down syndrome, Turner Syndrome, Trisomy 13, Noonan Syndrome, Marfan Syndrome, and Ellis-van Creveld syndrome.


• Chemical exposure.


• Blood sugar levels which are poorly controlled in women who have diabetes while pregnant.


• Some prescriptions as well as OTC drugs and street meds used while pregnant.

Cyanosis can as well be caused by some situations other than those which are congenital. These conditions can include:

• Lung disease.


• Abnormal forms of hemoglobin.


• Dehydration.


• Hypoglycemia.

Cyanosis Treatment

Many infants may have to remain hospitalized after delivery in order that they can be given oxygen or put on a breathing machine. They may also receive medications to:

• Help the pump of the heart


• Get rid of extra fluids


• Keep some blood vessels open


• Treat atypical rhythms or heartbeats

The treatment which is normally used for most congenital heart disease is a surgery procedure to fix the defect. There are multiple kinds of surgical procedures which depend on the type of birth defect. This surgery might need to be immediately following birth or the surgery may be able to be postponed for months or for years.

The child might need to be prescribed water pills known as diuretics as well as other heart medications before or after surgery. It is important to follow the correct dosage. Regular follow-up with the physician is important.

Most of the children who need this heart surgery will need to receive antibiotics before as well as often after getting dental work or other medical methods. It is important that the child’s parents have clear instructions from the child’s heart physician. It is vital to have the child’s teeth regularly cleaned.

Ask the child’s physician before receiving any required immunizations. However, generally, children need to get a flu shot each year as well as maintain all other immunizations.

A number of people with these defects may require a pacemaker which is permanent.

Cyanosis Pictures