Hypoxemia

Question 1

What is the definition of hypoxiema?

Answer 1

SaO2<90% or PaO2 <60%

Question 2

Hypoxia vs hypoxemia

Answer 2

Hypoxia-low o2 to tissues, hypoxemia-low O2 to blood

Question 3

Name a few causes of Hypoxemia

Answer 3

Lower FiO2, Hypoventilation (drugs, inadequate resp settings, bronchospasm, breath holding), V/Q Mismatch, as well as hypotension-perfusion is a thing for zone 3 of the West zone) breath holding/laryngospasm

Question 4

How would you manage hypoxemia? (first step), then-what? how do you check that?

Answer 4

FIRST ALWAYS INCREASE FIO2
Then check if ventilation is adequate-check ETCO2, hand ventilation to assess compliance, add PEEP, watch for symmetric rise fo the chest, give recruiting breaths to treat atelectasis check ABG -ask lab to check for abnormal hgb if indicated.

Question 5

In hypoxemia-check position of what? Later, what can you restore?

Answer 5

ETT-auscultate chest bilaterally , could use fiberoptic if necessary. you could pass suction catheter down, consider addition of PEEP
Restore adequate volume with RBC or crystalloid

Question 6

In hypoxemia, verify position of what monitor?

Answer 6

verify position of pulse oximeter-assumed real until proven otherwise.