Excess Oxygen and toxicity

Excess Oxygen can cause pulmonary oxygen toxicity which results in a lot of damage to the body tissues. To summarize briefly, the excess oxygen can cause, pulmonary toxicity, Acute respiratory distress syndrome, rertolental fibroplasia, convulsions and Paul burt effect.

Here we will be dicussing the mechanisms of these tissue injuries that occur with use of excess oxygen.

The following the changes at the tissue level that can happen with excessive oxygen usage:

• Mitochondrial damage due to enzyme malfunction. This is the main reason for the different problems occurring with excess oxygen.

• Surfactant production is impaired, and the lung tends to collapse.

• Histological changes such as atelectasis, pulmonary capillary congestion, interstitial and alveolar edema, capillary degeneration and hemorrhage, etc.

• There is fall in heart rate and cardiac output, causing mild to severe hemodynamic derangement.

• Generalized increase in the peripheral vascular resistance and systemic pressure resulting in hypertension.

These were a few important changes occurring in the body with excess oxygen use. Hence,it is not advisable to use oxygen in excess of more than what is required to maintained oxygen saturation above 92-95 %.

You can read further about Oxygen toxicity, to know the effects of over usage of oxygen on the different body systems.

If you have any more questions on this topic or any other health related topic ask a Doctor here.

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