What is obesity hypoventilation?

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome, also known as Pickwickian syndrome, is a breathing disorder that affects some people who have been diagnosed with obesity. Normally, you exhale carbon dioxide, a by-product of breaking down food for energy.

How is obesity hypoventilation diagnosed?

The traditional criteria for OHS diagnosis include the presence of daytime alveolar hypoventilation (awake, sea-level, arterial PCO2>45 mm Hg) among patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 in the absence of other causes of hypoventilation, and incorporating finger pulse oximetry and serum bicarbonate screening will likely aid in …

Can obesity hypoventilation be cured?

htm. Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), can be a serious, but treatable, complication of being obese. dioxide) in the blood.

What happens if hypoventilation is left untreated?

If left untreated, hypoventilation can cause life-threatening complications, including death. Respiratory depression occurring from a drug overdose can lead to respiratory arrest. This is when breathing completely stops, which is potentially fatal.

How does hypoventilation affect the heart?

There was a significant rise in pulse rate accompanied by minimal changes in blood pressure during hypoventilation. The blood pressure and pulse rate in response to adrenaline were significantly reduced.

What are the dangers of hypoventilation?

Common symptoms of hypoventilation will include headaches, heart problems, stomach problems and faintness. It may also lead to poor sleep due to common awakenings, and daytime sleepiness as a result.

What are the symptoms of hypoventilation?

The symptoms of hypoventilation vary depending on the severity of the condition….Respiratory Depression Symptoms

• Lethargy and tiredness.
• Daytime sleepiness.
• Slow and shallow breathing.
• Depression.
• Shortness of breath.

What happens to the heart rate during hypoventilation?

What is the scale of severity of hypoventilation in obesity?

Notwithstanding the proposed, although not widely adopted, staging of hypoventilation in obesity (table 1), there is no extant scale of severity in OHS.

What is the role of non-invasive ventilation in obesity-hypoventilation syndrome (OHS)?

Redolfi S, et al. Long-term non-invasive ventilation increases chemosensitivity and leptin in obesity-hypoventilation syndrome. Respir Med. 2007;101(6):1191–5. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 81.

Does supplemental oxygen worsen hypercapnia in obesity hypoventilation syndrome?

Hollier CA, et al. Moderate concentrations of supplemental oxygen worsen hypercapnia in obesity hypoventilation syndrome: a randomised crossover study. Thorax. 2014;69(4):346–53.

Which medications are used in the treatment of obesity hypoventilation syndrome?

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome: bicarbonate concentration and acetazolamide. Respir Care. 2010;55(11):1504–5. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]