Even people far from mountain climbing and diving know that it becomes difficult for a person to breathe in certain conditions. This phenomenon is associated with a change in the partial pressure of oxygen in the environment, as a result, in the blood of the person himself.
Mountain sickness
When a flatlander goes on vacation to the mountains, it seems that the air there is especially clean and impossible to breathe.
In fact, such reflex urges for frequent and deep breathing are caused by hypoxia. In order for a person to equalize the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveolar air, he needs to ventilate his own lungs as best as possible at first. Of course, staying in the mountains for several days or weeks, the body begins to get used to the new conditions by adjusting the work of internal organs. So the situation is saved by the kidneys, which begin to secrete bicarbonate to increase ventilation of the lungs and increase the number of red blood cells in the blood that can carry more oxygen.
Thus, the inhabitants of the highlandsthe hemoglobin level is always higher than that of the plains.
Sharp shape
Depending on the characteristics of the body, the norm of partial pressure of oxygen may differ for each person at a certain age, state of he alth, or simply from the ability to acclimatize. That is why not everyone is destined to conquer the peaks, because even with a great desire, a person is not able to completely subjugate his body and make it work differently.
Very often, untrained climbers may develop various symptoms of hypoxia during high-speed ascent. At an altitude of less than 4.5 km, they are manifested by headaches, nausea, fatigue and a sharp change in mood, since the lack of oxygen in the blood strongly affects the functioning of the nervous system. If such symptoms are ignored, then swelling of the brain or lungs will form, each of which can lead to death.
Thus, it is strictly forbidden to ignore the change in the partial pressure of oxygen in the environment, because it always affects the performance of the entire human body.
Dive underwater
When a diver dives into conditions where atmospheric pressure is below the usual level, his body also faces a kind of acclimatization. The partial pressure of oxygen at sea level is an average value and also changes with immersion, but nitrogen is a particular danger to humans in this case. On the surface of the earth in a flat area, it does not affectpeople, but after every 10 meters of diving, it gradually shrinks and provokes various degrees of anesthesia in the diver's body. The first signs of such a violation can appear already after 37 meters underwater, especially if a person spends a long time at depth.
When atmospheric pressure exceeds 8 atmospheres, and this figure is reached after 70 meters underwater, divers begin to feel nitrogen narcosis. This phenomenon is manifested by a feeling of intoxication, which disrupts the coordination and attentiveness of the submariner.
To avoid consequences
In the event that the partial pressure of oxygen and other gases in the blood is abnormal and the diver begins to feel signs of intoxication, it is very important to ascend as slowly as possible. This is due to the fact that with a sharp change in pressure, nitrogen diffusion provokes the appearance of bubbles with this substance in the blood. In simple terms, the blood seems to boil, and the person begins to feel severe pain in the joints. In the future, he may develop impaired vision, hearing and the functioning of the nervous system, which is called decompression sickness. To avoid this phenomenon, the diver should be lifted very slowly or replaced with helium in his breathing mixture. This gas is less soluble, has a lower mass and density, so the cost of external respiration decreases.
If a similar situation has occurred, then the person must be urgently placed back in a high-pressure environment and wait for a gradualdecompression, which can last up to several days.
Partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood
In order to change the gas composition of the blood, it is not necessary to conquer peaks or descend to the seabed. Various pathologies of the cardiovascular, urinary and respiratory systems can also affect the change in gas pressure in the main fluid of the human body.
Appropriate tests are taken from patients to accurately determine the diagnosis. Most often, doctors are interested in the partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide, since they provide full breathing of all human organs.
Pressure in this case is a process of gas dissolution, which shows how efficiently oxygen works in the body and whether its performance is in line with the norms.
The slightest deviation indicates that the patient has an abnormality that affects the ability to use the gases in the body to the maximum.
Pressure standards
The norm of the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood is a relative concept, since it can vary depending on many factors. In order to correctly determine your diagnosis and receive treatment, it is necessary to contact a specialist with the results of the tests, who can take into account all the individual characteristics of the patient. Of course, there are reference norms that are considered ideal for a he althy adult. So, in the patient's blood without deviationsavailable:
- carbon dioxide in the amount of 44.5-52.5%;
- his pressure is 35-45mmHg. Art.;
- saturation of the liquid with oxygen 95-100%;
- O2 in the amount of 10, 5-14, 5%;
- partial pressure of oxygen in the blood 80-110 mm Hg. st.
In order for the results to be true during the analysis, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors that can affect their correctness.
Patient dependent causes of abnormality
The partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood can change very quickly depending on various circumstances, therefore, in order for the result of the analysis to be as accurate as possible, the following features should be considered:
- pressure rate always decreases with the patient's age;
- when hypothermia decreases the pressure of oxygen and the pressure of carbon dioxide, and the pH level increases;
- when overheating, the situation is reversed;
- The actual gas partial pressure will only be visible when blood is taken from a patient with a body temperature within the normal range (36, 6-37 degrees).
Causes of deviation from the norm depending on he alth workers
In addition to taking into account such features of the patient's body, specialists must also comply with certain norms for the correctness of the results. First of all, the presence of air bubbles in the syringe affects the partial pressure of oxygen. In general, any contact of the assay with ambient air is capable ofchange results. It is also important to gently mix the blood in the container after taking the blood so that the erythrocytes do not settle at the bottom of the tube, which can also affect the results of the analysis, demonstrating the level of hemoglobin.
It is very important to adhere to the norms of the time allotted for the analysis. According to the rules, all actions must be carried out within a quarter of an hour after sampling, and if this time is not enough, then the blood container must be placed in ice water. This is the only way to stop the process of oxygen consumption by blood cells.
Specialists should also calibrate the analyzer in a timely manner and take samples only with dry heparin syringes, which are electrolytically balanced and do not affect the acidity of the sample.
Test results
As already clear, the partial pressure of oxygen in the air can have a noticeable effect on the human body, but the level of pressure of gases in the blood can be disturbed for other reasons. To determine them correctly, decoding should be trusted only by an experienced specialist who can take into account all the features of each patient.
In any case, hypoxia will be indicated by a decrease in the level of oxygen pressure. A change in blood pH, as well as carbon dioxide pressure or a change in bicarbonate levels, may indicate acidosis or alkalosis.
Acidosis is a process of acidification of the blood and is characterized by an increase in carbon dioxide pressure, a decrease in blood pH and bicarbonates. In the latter casethe diagnosis will be announced as metabolic acidosis.
Alkalosis is an increase in the alkalinity of the blood. It will be indicated by an increased pressure of carbon dioxide, an increase in the number of bicarbonates, and, consequently, a change in the pH level of the blood.
Conclusion
The performance of the body is affected not only by high-quality nutrition and physical activity. Each person gets used to certain climatic conditions of life in which he feels as comfortable as possible. Their change provokes not only poor he alth, but also a complete change in certain blood parameters. To determine the diagnosis from them, you should carefully select a specialist and monitor compliance with all the norms for taking tests.
