Pickwick's syndrome - a breathing disorder which happens in some people with obesity. Meaning that their blood oxygen becomes scarce, but a lot of carbon dioxide. Without treatment these people is getting worse and there is a chance to die.
No one so far and did not understand why some people with obesity is Pickwick syndrome, while others - not.
Weight is usually assessed by body mass index. That is, divide weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. Obesity is considered a body mass index greater than 30. Among people with a body mass index of 30 - 35 Pickwick syndrome occurs somewhere in the 8 - 12% of cases.
If there is no place to weigh in, it is possible to calculate the index waist \ thigh. To do this, measure the measuring tape abdomen and thighs. Abdominal obesity is considered an index waist \ hips higher than 0.9 for men and greater than 0.85 for women.
When the fat is deposited on the neck, thorax and abdomen, it begins to mechanically interfere with breathing. Man simply can not take a deep breath. Besides fat secretes hormones that disrupt the regulation of breathing.
Most people with Pickwick syndrome is snoring and pauses in breathing during the night.
To you it has not happened Pickwick syndrome, need to maintain a healthy weight.
Pickwick Syndrome detect the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.
In people with the syndrome of Pickwick can be lethargy and drowsiness during the day, headache, and feeling short of breath.
Spouse usually indicates that the patient is snoring at night, and he had come in sleep apnea.
Over time, the symptoms worsen. Can join pulmonary hypertension (this is an increase in pressure in the lung vessels) right ventricular cardiac insufficiency and erythrocytosis (compensatory increase in the amount red blood cells).
If the doctor confirms Pickwick syndrome, you probably need to use CPAP. This ventilation mode lung continuous positive airway pressure. It sounds scary, but really it's just a compact device, which stands next to the bed and through a small mask continuously purged into the air nose. Since the airway remains open, and breathing stops.
Weight loss is also very important, but quickly people can not lose weight. It is therefore important to establish breathing at night using CPAP to stop the progression of the disease. The main thing - do not die, and then you can lose weight.
It happens that people with the syndrome of Pickwick except CPAP still have to add and breathing oxygen. It is worse and more complicated.
How not to get poisoned
People with the syndrome of Pickwick very weak breathing that stops many times a day. If breathing is there anything else to slow down, then the person can die. There are many different drugs and other substances that violate the breath:
- alcohol;
- hypnotics;
- strong painkillers;
- barbiturates (hello korvalola with valokordin!);
- muscle relaxants (not those used during surgery, and those who assigns neurologist from back pain).
If you are overweight, dizziness, sleepiness during the day, snoring and pauses in breathing at night, I always tell your doctor. Now sometimes prescribe drugs without looking at the patient. Of some popular drugs for people with the syndrome of Pickwick could become very bad.
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