Makindo Medical Notes"One small step for man, one large step for Makindo" |
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Central cyanosis with blue lips is a very worrying if a new acute sign suggests severe hypoxia and needs urgent assessment. In some, this may be a chronic problem in those with certain cardiac and lung disease
Feature | Central Cyanosis | Peripheral Cyanosis |
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Definition | Central cyanosis refers to a bluish discoloration of the central parts of the body, such as the lips, tongue, and mucous membranes, due to reduced oxygen saturation in the arterial blood. There is over 3.5-5.0 g/dl of reduced (deoxygenated) haemoglobin. | Peripheral cyanosis refers to a bluish discoloration of the extremities, such as the fingers, toes, and nail beds, due to reduced blood flow or increased oxygen extraction in peripheral tissues. |
Location | Centrally: Lips, tongue, oral mucosa, and sometimes the skin of the face. | Peripherally: Fingers, toes, nail beds, and sometimes the earlobes and tip of the nose. |
Cause | Low O₂ sats (<85%), commonly due to conditions like Severe asthma (very worrying), COPD, ARDS, Lung fibrosis, Pulmonary embolism, Pneumonia, Pulmonary oedema, High altitude, AV Fistulas | Normal arterial oxygen saturation but reduced sluggish blood flow or increased oxygen extraction in peripheral tissues, often due to cold exposure, shock, heart failure, or peripheral vascular disease. |
Response to Warming | Does not improve significantly with warming. | Often improves with warming as blood flow to the extremities increases. |
Oxygen Therapy Response | Improves with supplemental oxygen, as it addresses the underlying hypoxemia. | Usually does not improve significantly with supplemental oxygen alone, as the issue is with blood flow rather than oxygen saturation. |
Associated Conditions |
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