aetiology of hypoxaemia

Last reviewed 10/2020

Possible causes of hypoxaemia include:

• cardio-respiratory disorders
• hypoventilation
• a mismatch of ventilation-perfusion
• venous to arterial shunt
• diffusion impairment

• low inspired O2 e.g. high altitude

• a pathological desaturation of venous blood e.g. may rarely be caused by carboxyhaemoglobin