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Alt. of Asphyxy

Alt. of Asphyxy

A pathological condition caused by lack of oxygen, manifested in impending or actual cessation of life.

A stopping of the pulse; the lifeless condition caused by the stopping of the breath, as in choking, drowning, etc.; suffocation.

Suffocation.

Suffocation.

1. Unconsciousness due to suffocation or interference of any kind with oxygenation of the blood. 2. Absence of the pulse-beat. 3. Cyanosis, local or general, through interference with the circulation.

Literally without pulse due to lack of oxygen in the blood.

Suspended animation, suffocation.

ASPHYXIATED.

For a long time, Asphyxia was confined to the sense of 'suspension of circulation or syncope;' Pulselessness. It now generally means suspended animation, produced by the nonconversion of the venous blood of the lungs into arterial,-Apnoea, Apneustia, Apnoeasphyxia, Anhaematosia, Eclysis pneumo-cardiaca, Anoxemie, Hypoxemie,-Piorry. Owing to the supply of air being cut off, the unchanged venous blood of the pulmonary artery passes into the minute radicles of the pulmonary veins, but their peculiar excitability requiring arterial blood to excite them, stagnation takes places in the pulmonary radicles, and death occurs chiefly from this cause,-not owing to venous blood being distributed through the system, and 'poisoning' it, as was the idea of Bichat. Several varieties of Asphyxia have been designated.

Suspended, animation as from suffocation, or carbon monoxid in inhalation.

A state of suspended animation caused by impeded respiration, as by strangulation, smothering, submersion, or the inhalation of an irrespirable gas.

n. [Greek] Apparent death, or suspended animation.