Skin discoloration, bluish
Alternative names:
bluish lips and fingernails; bluish skin; cyanosis; fingernails, bluish; Lab findigns of hypoxemia; lips, bluish
Definition:
Bluish discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes caused by lack of oxygen in the blood. See also skin color, patchy.
Considerations:
Skin coloration is determined by the amount of pigment in the skin and the red blood flowing beneath it. Blood that is saturated with oxygen is bright red. Blood that has lost its oxygen is dark bluish-red. People who have a high percentage of their blood which is deficient in oxygen tend to take on a bluish discoloration called cyanosis.
Lack of oxygen (such as in suffocation or cyanotic heart disease), abnormal hemoglobin (such as methemoglobinemia) and toxins (such as cyanide) can all produce cyanosis. Most cyanosis is seen as a result of congenital heart disease, pulmonary disease, or as a terminal event as in cardiopulmonary arrest.
Mild cyanosis is difficult to detect. Usually the oxygen saturation of the blood has to drop below 80% before it can be detected.
Cyanosis is more obvious in the mucous membranes and nail beds, particularly for dark-skinned people. It can also appear on the feet, nose, and ears.
Common causes:
Note: There may be other causes of cyanosis. This list is not all inclusive, and the causes are not presented in order of likelihood. The causes of this symptom can include unlikely diseases and medications. Furthermore, the causes may vary based on age and gender of the affected person, as well as on the specific characteristics of the symptom such as location, quality, time course, aggravating factors, relieving factors, and associated complaints. Use the Symptom Analysis option to explore the possible explanations for cyanosis, occurring alone or in combination with other problems.
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