Why Happy Hypoxia is a 'silent' killer in COVID patients? Here's what you should know

KUALA LUMPUR: Some COVID-19 patients might present with happy hypoxia, a condition where patients have low oxygen saturations.

But with patients often appear clinically well, how to identify silent hypoxia before it is too late?

What is Happy Hypoxia?

Happy Hypoxia or ‘silent hypoxia’ is a disorder in which the body's oxygen levels fall far below normal

in which COVID-19 patients are unaware they have low oxygen levels in the body causing difficulty breathing

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO). people are considered hypoxic when they have an oxygen saturation level of 90 percent or below’.

This happens when the lungs are incapable to fully absorb and send oxygen throughout the body.

It may also occur if the blood vessels are unable to adequately pump blood due to a blockage.

This can result in a negative impact on the body's vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain, as the condition affects the respiratory system, which includes the lungs and blood vessels.

Due to inflammation in the blood vessels, it can also induce blood clotting and the patients will not be aware and be impacted by what is a dangerous situation.

What are the symptoms?

Cough, fever, sore throat, and headache are all typical COVID-19 symptoms but there are a few other symptoms as well that should be closely observed to detect Happy Hypoxia.

Patients with Happy Hypoxia frequently suffer a sudden imbalance, reaching a critical state that can be fatal, which can cause shortness of breath and a higher respiratory rate that may increase the body’s absorption of oxygen.

Symptoms that may indicate low oxygen in the blood such as:

1. Severe lethargy

2. Sweating a lot even without doing any physical activity

3. Changes in the color of the lips or skin to bluish

4. Shortness of breath

According to WHO, patients may have signs of lip discolouration to a blue hue, skin discolouration to a red or purple tone, or excessive sweating even when not doing exhausting physical activity.

This is usually not an early symptom that occurs, as it is common for patients to have other symptoms of the pandemic virus (muscle aches, fatigue, fever and cough) and may already be in a critical condition.

However, in the aftermath of the pandemic, the use of an oximeter which has now become a vital household medical item is one option to monitor closely.

What you need to do?

If the person's oxygen saturation falls below 94%, he or she should seek medical help right away.

Meanwhile, if the oxygen level drops below 90%, patients may need medical oxygen supply or ventilator assistance, which requires hospitalisation.

Apart from frequently monitoring oxygen saturation levels using an oximeter, one can look out for the obvious symptoms such as discolouration of skin and lips and excessive sweating to identify Happy Hypoxia.

In a post via Facebook yesterday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) advises COVID-19 patients undergoing quarantine at home should immediately go to the hospital if they have difficulty breathing or symptoms related to happy hypoxia or pulse oximeter readings become low.

MOH advises for people to get proper consultation or immediate attention if anyone is having any severe or mild symptoms, instead of solely relying on the pulse oximeter reading.

Call the 999 emergency line for an ambulance or use your own vehicle. Companions or drivers must wear double protection (double face mask and face shield) as well as gloves.