CYANOSIS

Course overview

CYANOSIS IS CHARACTERIZED BY A BLUEISH DISCOLORATION OF THE SKIN OR MUCOUS MEMBRANES. CYANOSIS IS FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, AND THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF CAN BE CHALLENGING AS THERE ARE MANY CONDITIONS THAT CAN CAUSE CYANOSIS. DIAGNOSIS OF CYANOSIS IS BASED ON A CAREFUL HISTORY, THOROUGH PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, AND THE USE OF ANCILLARY STUDIES. SINCE IN MOST INSTANCES, THE CARDIOPULMONARY SYSTEM IS INVOLVED, A FOCUSED ASSESSMENT OF BOTH SYSTEMS IS WARRANTED. IF A CONGENITAL HEART CONDITION IS SUSPECTED, TRANSTHORACIC AND TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY CAN BE USED TO EVALUATE THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM. TO ASSESS BLOOD FLOW AND SHUNTING, CARDIAC DOPPLER IS AN IMPORTANT DIAGNOSTIC TOOL. PULMONARY CAUSES OF CYANOSIS LIKE PNEUMONIA, PLEURAL EFFUSION, AND PULMONARY EMBOLISM CAN BEST BE EVALUATED WITH IMAGING STUDIES LIKE RADIOGRAPHS, COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY SCANS, AND ULTRASOUNDS OF THE CHEST. IF HYPOXEMIA IS SUSPECTED AS A CAUSE OF CYANOSIS, THE PRIMARY ASSESSMENT SHOULD INCLUDE PULSE OXIMETRY AND ARTERIAL BLOOD GAS. IF CONGENITAL HEMOGLOBIN M IS SUSPECTED, HEMOGLOBIN ELECTROPHORESIS CAN BEST DETECT THIS. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT OF CYANOSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING TEAM-BASED INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE TO AFFECTED PATIENTS.