Cardiologist on important sign of oxygen deprivation
Hypoxia is a condition in which the body is deprived of oxygen. It can be caused by external factors, but in some cases hypoxia indicates serious pathologies and requires careful examination and treatment. Russian cardiologist Anna Korenevich spoke about an important sign of oxygen deprivation in the body.
As the doctor noted, fingers can tell you about oxygen deprivation, “If the fingers at the end phalanges have become thicker and look like drumsticks, and the nails have become convex and round, like watch glasses, then they can be called ‘Hippocratic fingers’. It was Hippocrates who, in the 5th century BC, was the first physician to notice such changes in the fingers caused by lack of oxygen.”
Ms. Korenevich explained that such fingers indicate that the body has been chronically deprived of oxygen for a long time, so it has switched to a mode of forced economy and redistribution of resources, “Most of the oxygen goes to the heart and brain, and the fingers receive it on a residual basis. The result is fibrosis and overgrowth of the soft tissues of the fingers, while the bones remain unchanged. Fingers of this type are usually the result of long-term problems with the heart or lungs: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis, lung and bronchial tumours. They are also common in people with severe heart defects and heavy smokers.”
The cardiologist pointed out that it is necessary to consult a doctor with ‘Hippocratic fingers’ in order to start timely detection and treatment of concomitant diseases. It is necessary to stop smoking in any form in order to stop the progression of the disease.
