COVID CITIZEN

Happy Hypoxia

There is the concept of happy hypoxia in covid where pts are tolerating very low oxygen levels in their blood without realising it and they suddenly detoriate. This underlying infection or pneumonia is picked up by CT. At home when pt is at rest they are comfortable with saturation above 94% but when they go to the bathroom or walk a bit their saturation drops below 94%, thus exposing the underlying infection. This can be detected initially by doing a 6 min walk test.

Check baseline saturation. Walk for 6 mins at a steady pace. Recheck. If Spo2 < 94 or drop of saturation more than 3% from baseline then it indicates underlying pneumonia For elders make them do a 3 min walk test. Of course they should have been comfortable enough to do this steady pace walking before covid. If they are already frail and weak before covid don't do the test.

Dr Roshan Adappa
Associate Consultant Anaesthesia
Sakra World Hospital