Reference: TC 3-04.93 Aeromedical Training for Flight Personnel (2009) - heloip

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Reference: TC 3-04.93 Aeromedical Training for Flight Personnel (2009)

Classes > Aeromedical

2-63. Hypoxia results when the body lacks oxygen. It generally is associated with flights at high altitude. However, other factors such as alcohol abuse, heavy smoking, and various medications can interfere with blood’s ability to carry and absorb oxygen, thereby reducing the body’s tolerance to hypoxia.

TYPES
Hypoxic
Hypemic
Histotoxic
Stagnent

STAGES
Indifferent
Compensatory
Disturbance
Critical

2-65. Hypoxic hypoxia occurs when there is not enough oxygen in the air or when decreasing atmospheric pressure prevents diffusion of oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream.

As we increase in altitude, the amount of air molecules decreases because the pressure decreases. If we stay above certain altitudes for a certain amount of time, the amount of oxygen in the blood decreases.

With the lack of oxygen to the brain, the body wants to sleep. With the lack of oxygen to the body tissues, a discoloration will occur. In the early stages of hypoxia, the body will show symptoms and signs of hypoxia. We will discuss this in detail during the "Stages of Hypoxia"

So remember, the higher we go in altitude, the less dense the air is, the amount of oxygen decreases.

2-66. Hypemic, or anemic, hypoxia is caused by a reduction in blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity. Anemia and blood loss are the most common causes of this type of hypoxia. Other possible causes include exposure to carbon monoxide, nitrites, and sulfa drugs. A common way to get carbon monoxide into your body is to smoke or exposure to engine exhaust.