Definition

Hypoxia generally refers to a lack of oxygen in any part of the body. In a neurological context, it refers to a reduction of oxygen to the brain despite adequate amounts of blood.

Description

A decrease in oxygen supply to the brain can occur due to choking, strangling, suffocation, head trauma, carbon monoxide poisoning, cardiac arrest, and as a complication of general anesthesia. A failure to deliver oxygen and glucose to the brain causes a cascade of abnormal events. The extent of damage is directly proportional to the severity of the injury. The severity of cerebral ischemia, a low-oxygen state caused by arterial obstruction or lack of blood supply, and the duration of blood-flow loss in the brain determine the extent of brain damage. The neurons can suffer temporary dysfunction, or there may be irreversible damage to nerve cells that are sensitive to minute changes in oxygen levels. Severe damage...