The Asphyxiation Process

Identification

Asphyxiation occurs when the body's oxygen supply is cut off and vital functions begin to shut down. This typically happens when a person is unable to breathe for a prolonged period of time. A person's ability to breathe can be hampered by choking, drowning, inhaling poisonous gas, smoke inhalation or a blocked airway. Airway obstructions involve the trachea, the larynx or the throat areas. Brain damage or death can result if a person remains asphyxiated for longer than four minutes.

Symptoms of this condition include an inability to breathe, skin discoloration, wheezing and unconsciousness. Immediate care is required in order to prevent the person from dying. The type of care needed will depend on the cause of the airway obstruction.

Function

The respiratory system is responsible for providing needed oxygen supplies to all areas of the body. Oxygen is delivered via the bloodstream through the lungs. The blood then delivers needed oxygen supplies to the cells, tissues and organs. The act of inhaling sends oxygen into the lungs, and exhaling expels carbon dioxide gases from the body. Inhaling involves drawing air in through the mouth or nose, down through the larynx and trachea areas and into the lungs. When exhaling, the diaphragm muscle pushes the air back out of the lungs. Any obstruction, be it food or an external pressure applied to the throat, can lead to asphyxiation. Air flow can also be blocked when the body closes off its airway in response to an allergen, or toxic gas. Serious conditions--like heart attacks, strokes and brain damage--can also cause respiratory airways to shut down.

Treatment

Because airway blockages are the most common cause of asphyxiation, reopening the airway is of primary importance when treating this condition. The Heimlich maneuver is an intervention used on a person who has an object lodged in his throat. It works by applying pressure to the diaphragm area so that the object becomes dislodged from the airway.

In cases where respiration is hampered by an allergic reaction, medication is typically used to reopen the airway passages.

Asphyxiation caused by breathing in toxic gases can be treated with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, although high concentrations of toxic gas may require administering oxygen. High concentrations of toxic gases infiltrate the body's cells and vital processes. Pure oxygen is needed to restore the body's cells and tissues to normal levels.

References

• The Respiratory System

Resources

• Death by Asphyxia