Medicine Hack

Respiratory failure may be classified as hypercapnic or hypoxemic. Hypercapnic respiratory failure is defined as an arterial PCO2 (PaCO2 ) greater than 45mmHg. Hypoxemic respiratory failure is defined as an arterial PO2 (PaO2 ) less than 55 mmHg when the fraction of oxygen in inspired air (FiO2) is 0.60 or greater. In many cases, hypercapnic and hypoxemic respiratory failure coexist. Distinctions between acute and chronic respiratory failure are summarized in the table below. In general, acute hypercapnic respiratory failure is defined as a PaCO2 greater than 45 mmHg with accompanying acidemia (pH less than 7.30). The physiological effect of a sudden increase in PaCO2 depends on the prevailing level of serum bicarbonate anion. In patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure e.g. COPD, a long-standing increase in PaCO2 results in renal compensation and an increased serum bicarbonate concentration. A superimposed acute increase in PaCO2 has a less dramatic effect th

As seen in the diagram above, the left common iliac vein is predisposed to be compressed by the right common iliac artery. This can lead to stasis and eventually causing thrombosis. Another effect is that the pulsatile nature of the artery over the vein leads to turbulence in the blood flow, thereby favouring thrombosis.  Because of this anatomical predisposition, most Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) seen during pregnancy occur in the left iliac vein system. All the classic investigations done for cases of DVT should be performed here also.