Why develop hypercapnia

At long stay in a small enclosed area people often a headache - it is a sign that the air has accumulated a lot of carbon dioxide. If a person is in such circumstances all the time, then he developed chronic fatigue Chronic fatigue - if life is not a pleasant experience   and depression.

Hypercapnia - a high content of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood and tissues of the body. Hypercapnia condition can be caused by internal or external causes. Hypercapnia external origin (extrinsic) occurs by inhalation of air containing an increased amount of carbon dioxide. This may be due to a stay in a small, isolated areas, mines, wells, in submarines, in the autonomous diving suits, as well as in violation of the respiratory equipment during anesthesia.

Hypercapnia domestic origin (endogenous) observed in various pathological conditions involving respiratory failure and is always combined with a lack of oxygen (hypoxia).

How does the high content of carbon dioxide in the blood vase on the human body

Effect of hypercapnia on the human body depends on the duration, rate of rise and degree of increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood and tissues. With increasing hypercapnia occur in the body shifts in the physical and chemical composition of the internal environment in metabolism Metabolism: The basis of life of all living things Violated many physiological processes. Under the influence of the increased carbon dioxide there is an increased acidity of the internal environment (acidosis), resulting in disturbed intracellular metabolism Improves metabolism and losing weight without dieting . The consequence of these disorders is a decrease in the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen (hemoglobin transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues) thereby fabrics begin to suffer from a lack of oxygen in spite of the fact that the air entering the lungs, a sufficient amount of oxygen.

Because inhibition of metabolism decreased body temperature. Carbon dioxide is a stimulant effect on the respiratory center, so breathing becomes more frequent. But with an increase of hypercapnia stimulating effect of carbon dioxide is stopped and there comes depression of the respiratory center, until the complete cessation of breathing.

Moderate hypercapnia frequently observed in patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency. This hypercapnia tends to reduce efficiency. Hypercapnia has a significant effect on the cardiovascular system: a slight increase in carbon dioxide in the blood increases the blood supply to the heart, brain and kidney, with significant hypercapnia blood pressure drops dramatically down to collapse.

In the nervous system, causing hypercapnia mainly inhibition which can be replaced by bursts of dramatic excitement with cramps, and then again to go in hard braking.

How does hypercapnia

Signs of hypercapnia variable. In chronic hypercapnia with a moderate increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood change in the patient's condition are rare due to the fact that such a condition develops gradually and the body gets used to it. Sometimes there comes a temporary excitement, which is replaced by depressed mood, a moderate but constant headache, nausea, severe fatigue and a persistent reduction in blood pressure.

In acute poisoning with carbon dioxide alone dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, cyanosis of the skin, heavy sweating, disturbed vision. The most important sign of hypercapnia - depression Depression - a little more than a bad mood   (depressed mood), increasing with the growth of the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. Gradually impaired ability to concentrate, there drowsiness, confusion (and then losing) consciousness.

One of the serious complications of hypercapnia may be a coma, the development of which is observed in the transition from breathing air with a high concentration of carbon dioxide in the breath of oxygen. In this case may develop a deep hypoxia (oxygen starvation), which can cause loss of life.

Human performance can be maintained, changed, but not losing, when the content of the inhaled air 1% carbon dioxide for a month or more at 2-3% - a few days, 4-5% - a few hours. 6% of carbon dioxide is the limit when the rapidly deteriorating condition of the person is violated and performance. When the concentration of carbon dioxide and 10% human condition is broken after 10 - 15 minutes, at 15% - clouding of consciousness occurs within two minutes. Thus a person's life at a concentration of 15-20% of carbon dioxide can be maintained for many hours or even several days. Lethal concentration - 30-35%, while the death does not occur immediately, but after a few hours.

Treatment and prevention

If signs of acute hypercapnia exogenous (external) origin of the victim must be put out of the atmosphere with a high content of carbon dioxide, the gas composition of the air to restore and to inhale oxygen-nitrogen mixture (40% oxygen). Of coma victim may bring only ventilation. There are cases when using an intensive treatment of patients out of the coma, which were for a few days.

Endogenous hypercapnia, which arose on the background of chronic respiratory insufficiency, passes only after the treatment of the underlying disease.

Galina Romanenko

It has been known that sleep possesses therapeutic properties, restoring force and energy of the body. One of the most common causes of loss of sleep - snoring, sleep deprivation, and a man and his partner. Considered frivolous disorder, snoring could later lead to quite unpleasant health problems.

Snoring and sleep apnea

Although snoring and is considered one of the symptoms of sleep apnea (temporary cessation of breathing during sleep), two of these disorders can not be considered the same. Snoring is due to the formation of any obstruction in the respiratory tract, and much less harmful than sleep apnea, leading to complete blockage of breathing. Snoring can be one of the first signs of a more serious disorder - such as sleep apnea, so the doctors recommend to resort to a full examination at regular snoring.

And snoring and sleep apnea affect retrolingual and subesophageal area. Due to the current standard of sleep disorders Dreams: how to understand our dreams   a person suffering from snoring, waking up feeling tired and sleepy during the day. Furthermore, because there snoring morning headaches, irritability observed Irritability - you try to control my temper .

Snoring Causes

As a rule, the first cause of snoring becomes uncomfortable posture that a person takes in a dream. In this case, correct the situation can only change the posture - for example, raised a few centimeters head or turned over on the other side. Change of posture and in some cases can help even a special pillow that supports a certain height of the head.

In order to stop snoring, sleep habits need to change: go to bed and get up at the same time. Maintaining a special journal later sleep disorders will help to diagnose the cause. As a rule, the first diagnostic method becomes polysomnography - the procedure is performed in a hospital.

Snoring can cause a variety of reasons - stuffy nose, age, menopause, decreased thyroid function, alcohol before going to bed, smoking, various kinds of allergies. In most cases, snoring is a consequence of a combination of different factors.

Tiredness and irregular work schedule is likely to disrupt sleep. In order to avoid sleep problems in the future, you must learn to relax - for example, to resort to meditation Meditation - treats the body and the spirit , Yoga and special breathing techniques.

In some cases, the cause of snoring can become enlarged tonsils, adenoids, or excess tissue of the soft palate, blocking the path of the air. In these cases, to get rid of snoring or apnea require surgery.

Snoring

• In some cases, for the treatment of snoring prescribed medications - such as acetazolamide, help to reduce the pH level in the blood and normalize breathing.
• Uvulopalatofaringoplastika - one of the methods of getting rid of sleep apnea, the effectiveness of which, however, is estimated only 40-50%. In the case of snoring uvulopalatofaringoplastiki efficiency is estimated at 80%. Surgery affects various organs, affecting breathing - base of the tongue, larynx, pharynx, nasal septum.
• In order to normalize the function of the soft palate and uvula to remove the used laser therapy. This procedure takes from 20 to 30 minutes.
• One of the most common methods of getting rid of snoring - installation of a special device that provides continuous positive airway pressure. This method, however, is not considered definitive, because it allows to eliminate only the primary symptoms.
• One of the unconventional methods of getting rid of snoring is the practice of special vocal exercises that result in the tone of the throat, soft palate, tongue and throat.
• In the United States to address problems with snoring used drugs on the basis of medicinal herbs. Lobelia extracts and other herbs facilitate breathing and eliminate nausea.
• The most common methods of getting rid of snoring that do not require surgical intervention - a variety of nasal sprays, hormone replacement therapy, drugs with thyroxine Thyroxine - the main thyroid hormone .