This Is What Happens To A COVID-19 Patient's Body When Oxygen Saturation Decreases And The First Aid Guide

JAKARTA - Deaths due to decreased oxygen saturation in COVID-19 patients have occurred in a number of places. How serious is the lack of oxygen for a person, especially a COVID-19 patient? Is there any help that can be done?

General practitioner, Nadia Hambali explains what oxygen saturation is. Oxygen saturation is the concentration of oxygen levels in the blood.

At normal levels, a person's oxygen saturation rate ranges from 95 to one hundred percent. If the condition of oxygen saturation drops, the cells and tissues of the body will be slowly damaged.

"Oxygen is needed by the body to maintain its function properly", said Nadia Hambali to VOI, Monday, July 5.

Decreased oxygen saturation in COVID-19 patients?

Health workers treat a COVID-19 patient (Source: Antara)

Decreased oxygen saturation makes COVID-19 patients more vulnerable. Usually, COVID-19 patients experience permanent damage to lung tissue.

This causes a decrease in the ability of the lungs to absorb oxygen. Not to mention the presence of thick mucus that blocks the airways and air exchange.

When oxygen saturation decreases, a condition known as hypoxia occurs. In that situation, the body will send a signal to the brain to seek more oxygen.

This causes the breathing cycle to be faster and shorter. In further conditions, body tissues will be damaged one by one.

"In conditions of severe hypoxia, brain tissue will be disturbed so that the patient's consciousness will also decrease".

What can be done at home?

The existence of oxygen cylinders is very important in the management of hypoxic patients. But there are several ways that can be done even if you don't have an oxygen cylinder.

If this happens to you, take a sleeping position on your stomach. Place pillows to support the neck, lower abdomen, and legs.

"It can be done in several positions, such as proning, a proven technique to help with hypoxic conditions".

Another position that can be done is lying in a semi-sitting position or lying to the right with a pillow supporting the head, waist, and between the legs. Switch from one position to another at the top every 30 minutes.

In addition, it is also important to ensure that the ventilation of the room is functioning properly and there is a fresh air supply. "If after taking self-care but the oxygen saturation still drops below 90 percent, take him to the hospital immediately".

Oxygen cylinder crisis

The most terrible news about the decrease in oxygen saturation had covered the Sardjito Hospital in Yogyakarta. It was reported that 33 patients died due to not getting oxygen supply.

However, this news was denied by the President Director of RSUP Dr. Sardjito Yogyakarta Dr. Rukmono Siswishanto. He explained that the hospital had run out of central liquid oxygen.

But according to Rukmono, patients in need still receive oxygen assistance when the situation occurs. "So it is not true that (a patient) dies without receiving oxygen assistance", he said.

"But the process of death was due to his deteriorating clinical condition", added Rukmono in a written statement quoted by Antara, Sunday, July 4.

Rukmono explained that an accumulation of 36 patients at Sardjito Hospital who died from Saturday, July 3 morning to Sunday, July 4 morning. Of that number, 33 patients died after the oxygen ran out at 20.00 WIB.

"This number of patients are not just COVID patients who need oxygen assistance, but there are other patients as well", he said.

Rukmono said the central oxygen supply at Dr. Sardjito Yogyakarta began to run low on Saturday, July 3 at 16.00 p.m. until the oxygen was completely depleted at 20.00 p.m. When they run out of central liquid oxygen, patient care switches to using oxygen cylinders or backup oxygen, including loans from the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Academic Hospital and the UGM RSGM/FKG, and the DIY Police.

"At 00.15 a.m. the DIY Police assistance of 100 tubes (oxygen) came and was immediately distributed to treatment wards while waiting for the arrival of supplies from oxygen providers", he said.

Regarding the scarcity of oxygen, according to Rukmono, his party has made anticipatory efforts in advance. One of them is coordinating with oxygen suppliers including PT. Samator and PT. Surya Gas to get oxygen supply on a regular basis to meet the needs and additionally in case of patient escalation.

The oxygen cylinder crisis is in the spotlight in the context of the national COVID-19 handling. Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that he would soon form a special task force.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan will import gas cylinders. As of Monday afternoon, July 5, the death toll from COVID-19 stood at 61.140.

*Read other information about COVID-19 or read other interesting articles from Diah Ayu Wardani, Wardhany Tsa Tsia, and Yudhistira Mahabharata.