SOURCE: Below is a reproduction and translation of original article originally published in Harian Metro online in Bahasa Malaysia on 27-05-2021.
https://www.hmetro.com.my/mutakhir/2021/05/710914/awas-dengan-kemunculan-happy-hypoxia
Kuala Lumpur: The public is reminded to be more vigilant with the emergence of a complication of low oxygen content, ‘Happy Hypoxia’ among Covid-19 patients who are asymptomatic silent killers.
Consultant Medical and Lung Specialist at Sunway Velocity Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Dr Nurul Yaqeen Mohd Esa said, Hypoxia is caused by various diseases, especially the lungs and heart which cause damage to the brain, lungs and internal organs of the body and thus fatal if not treated immediately.
She said the condition occurs when individuals suffer from a lack of oxygen in the body of less than 95 percent.
“The respiratory rate of Hypoxia patients can reach up to 40 to 50 times per minute compared to the normal respiratory rate of between 12 to 20 times per minute.
“We will also see patients become more anxious and panicked as well as short of breath due to difficulty breathing,” she told Harian Metro.
Worryingly, she said, the opposite happened to Covid-19 patients who suffered from Hypoxia when they did not show any symptoms of difficulty breathing despite low oxygen levels in the body.
“They look calm, normal and cheerful as usual even though their oxygen levels are low which is why this group of Covid-19 patients is called‘ Happy Hypoxia ’.
“This causes confusion when doctors find it difficult to identify Covid-19 patients who are experiencing Hypoxia because their respiratory muscles show no signs of difficulty breathing.
“This Happy Hypoxia can be a silent killer because when this oxygen deficiency problem cannot be detected and treated early, Covid-19 patients can die,” she said.
According to him, every household is encouraged to have a device that detects oxygen levels in the blood, ‘Pulse Oximeter’ because early detection of these symptoms can prevent death among Covid-19 patients.
“For Covid-19 patients, Happy Hypoxia can occur when the patient is in categories four and five, ie the level of the virus begins to show its effects in the lungs.
“If this Covid-19 patient is in the hospital, then this Hypoxia can be detected early because the patient’s oxygen level is constantly monitored every four hours.
“So, to prevent death due to this ‘Happy Hypoxia’ phenomenon, Covid-19 patients quarantined at home are encouraged to buy a ‘Pulse Oximeter’ at the pharmacy to monitor their oxygen levels and immediately go to the hospital if the oxygen reading is less than 95 percent,” she said.
Recently, the Minister of Health, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba revealed that Happy Hypoxia was first detected in a handful of Covid-19 patients in the country as a result of recent clinical observations.
Not only in Malaysia, these symptoms which mostly affect Covid-19 patients among young individuals are also reported worldwide including the United States, India and Indonesia.
Awas dengan kemunculan ‘Happy Hypoxia’
Kuala Lumpur: Orang ramai diingatkan supaya lebih berwaspada dengan kemunculan komplikasi kandungan oksigen rendah, ‘Happy Hypoxia’ dalam kalangan pesakit Covid-19 yang menjadi pembunuh senyap tidak bergejala.
Pakar Perunding Perubatan dan Paru-Paru Pusat Perubatan Sunway Velocity, Kuala Lumpur, Dr Nurul Yaqeen Mohd Esa berkata, Hypoxia berpunca daripada pelbagai penyakit terutama paru-paru dan jantung yang menyebabkan kerosakan pada otak, paru-paru dan organ dalaman badan sekali gus membawa maut jika tidak dirawat segera.
Katanya, keadaan itu berlaku apabila individu mengalami masalah kekurangan oksigen dalam badan kurang daripada 95 peratus.
“Tahap pernafasan pesakit Hypoxia boleh menjangkau sehingga 40 hingga 50 kali seminit berbanding kadar pernafasan normal antara 12 hingga 20 kali seminit.
“Kita juga akan melihat pesakit akan menjadi semakin risau dan panik selain tercungap-cungap kerana kesukarannya bernafas,” katanya kepada Harian Metro.
Apa yang membimbangkan katanya, perkara sebaliknya berlaku kepada pesakit Covid-19 yang mengalami Hypoxia apabila tidak menunjukkan sebarang gejala sukar bernafas walaupun tahap oksigen dalam badan rendah.
“Mereka kelihatan tenang, normal dan ceria seperti biasa walaupun tahap oksigen mereka rendah maka sebab itulah golongan pesakit Covid-19 ini dipanggil ‘Happy Hypoxic’.
“Ini menyebabkan kekeliruan apabila doktor sukar mengenal pasti pesakit Covid-19 yang alami Hypoxia kerana otot pernafasan mereka tidak menunjukkan tanda sukar bernafas.
“Happy Hypoxia ini boleh menjadi pembunuh senyap kerana apabila masalah kekurangan oksigen ini tidak dapat dikesan dan dirawat lebih awal, pesakit Covid-19 boleh meninggal dunia,” katanya.
Menurutnya, setiap isi rumah digalakkan memiliki alat mengesan kadar oksigen dalam darah, ‘Pulse Oximeter’ kerana pengesanan awal gejala ini boleh mengelakkan kematian dalam kalangan pesakit Covid-19.
“Bagi pesakit Covid-19, Happy Hypoxia ini boleh berlaku apabila pesakit berada pada kategori empat dan lima iaitu tahap virus mula menunjukkan kesannya di paru-paru.
“Sekiranya pesakit Covid-19 ini berada di hospital, maka Hypoxia ini boleh dikesan awal kerana tahap oksigen pesakit sentiasa dipantau setiap empat jam.
“Jadi, bagi mencegah kematian disebabkan fenomena ‘Happy Hypoxia’ ini, pesakit Covid-19 yang dikuarantin di rumah digalakkan membeli ‘Pulse Oximeter’ di farmasi bagi memantau tahap oksigen mereka dan segeralah ke hospital jika tahap bacaan oksigen kurang daripada 95 peratus,” katanya.
Baru-baru ini, Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba mendedahkan, Happy Hypoxia mula dikesan menyerang segelintir pesakit Covid-19 di negara ini hasil pemerhatian klinikal yang dibuat kebelakangan ini.
Tidak hanya di Malaysia, gejala ini yang kebanyakannya menyerang pesakit Covid-19 dalam kalangan individu muda turut berlaku dilaporkan di seluruh dunia termasuk Amerika Syarikat, India dan Indonesia.
