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Asphyxia
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from abnormal breathing. An example of asphyxia is choking. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which affects primarily the tissues and organs. There are many circumstances that can induce asphyxia, all of which are characterized by an inability of an individual to acquire sufficient oxygen through breathing for an extended period of time. Asphyxia can cause coma or death.
In 2015 about 9.8 million cases of unintentional suffocation occurred which resulted in 35,600 deaths. The word asphyxia is from Ancient Greek α- “without” and σφύξις sphyxis, “squeeze” (throb of heart).
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Hypoxia (noun)
A condition in which tissues (especially the blood) are deprived of an adequate supply of oxygen; anoxia from 1940s
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Hypoxia (noun)
A reduced concentration of dissolved oxygen in an aquatic environment.
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Asphyxia (noun)
Loss of breathing and consequent anoxia.
“Asphyxia may result from choking, drowning, electric shock, or injury.”
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Asphyxia (noun)
Loss of consciousness due to the body’s inability to deliver oxygen to its tissues, either by the breathing of air lacking oxygen or by the inability of the blood to carry oxygen.
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Asphyxia (noun)
A condition in which an extreme decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the body leads to loss of consciousness or death. Replaced in the mid-20th century by the more specific terms anoxia, hypoxia, hypoxemia and hypercapnia.