Asphyxia (from
Greek a-, "without" and σφυγμός (sphygmos), "pulse, heartbeat") is a condition of severely deficient supply of
oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to
breathe normally. Asphyxia causes
generalized hypoxia, which primarily affects the tissues and organs most sensitive to
hypoxia first, such as the
brain, hence resulting in
cerebral hypoxia. Asphyxia is usually characterized by
air hunger, but this is not always the case; the urge to breathe is triggered by rising
carbon dioxide levels in the blood rather than diminishing oxygen levels. Sometimes there is not enough carbon dioxide to cause air hunger, and victims become hypoxic without knowing it. In any case, the absence of effective remedial action will very rapidly lead to
unconsciousness,
brain damage, and death. The time to death is dependent on the particular mechanism of asphyxia.
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