(hī‵poks'ē-ă , hip-ok'sē-ă)

[hypo- + [2]oxy- + -ia]

1. An oxygen deficiency in body tissues.
2. A decreased concentration of oxygen in inspired air.

   SEE: anoxia; hypoxemia; posthypoxia syndrome.

altitude h.Hypoxia due to insufficient oxygen content of inspired air at high altitudes.

anemic h.Hypoxia due to a decrease in hemoglobin concentration or in the number of erythrocytes in the blood.

anoxic h.Hypoxia due to disordered pulmonary mechanisms of oxygenation; may be due to reduced oxygen supply, respiratory obstruction, reduced pulmonary function, or inadequate ventilation.

autoerotic h.Cerebral oxygen deprivation that a person self-induces (such as by hanging oneself or by tying a constricting device around the neck) during masturbation. The practice of limiting cerebral blood flow during masturbation has been thought to intensify pleasure during orgasm. It has occasionally resulted in brain damage or death from hypoxia. SYN: autoerotic asphyxia; sexual asphyxia.

SEE: asphyxiophilia.

cerebral h.Lack of oxygen supply to the brain, usually as a result of either diminished blood flow (such as in traumatic childbirth or cardiopulmonary arrest) or diminished oxygenation of the blood (such as in high-altitude exposures or patients with advanced cardiopulmonary disease). If nothing is done to treat this condition, irreversible anoxic damage to the brain begins after 4 to 6 min and sooner in some cases. If basic resuscitation measures are begun before the end of this period, the onset of cerebral death may be postponed.

SEE: cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

fetal h.Low levels of oxygen in the fetus, commonly as a result of diminished placental perfusion, uteroplacental insufficiency, or compression of the umbilical cord. The condition is often accompanied by acidosis and is life-threatening unless prompt interventions are undertaken to restore well-oxygenated blood to the fetus. Signs of early fetal hypoxia include tachycardia and increased variability of the fetal heart rate; profound fetal hypoxia is characterized by bradycardia and a sinusoidal fetal heart rate pattern.

histotoxic h.Hypoxia due to inability of the tissues to use oxygen.

SEE: cyanide.

hypokinetic h.Stagnant hypoxia.

posttraumatic h.Secondary hypoxic injury.

soft lens-associated corneal h.

ABBR: SLACH

stagnant h.Hypoxia due to insufficient peripheral circulation, as occurs in cardiac failure, shock, arterial spasm, and thrombosis. SYN: hypokinetic hypoxia.

hypoxic,

(hī‵pok'sik, hip-ok'sik)