Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Sep;43(3):469-83.
doi: 10.1016/j.clp.2016.04.006. Epub 2016 Jun 22.

Cardiovascular Alterations and Multiorgan Dysfunction After Birth Asphyxia

Graeme R Polglase  1 , Tracey Ong  2 , Noah H Hillman  3
Affiliations
Review

Cardiovascular Alterations and Multiorgan Dysfunction After Birth Asphyxia

Graeme R Polglase et al. Clin Perinatol. 2016 Sep.

Abstract

The cardiovascular response to asphyxia involves redistribution of cardiac output to maintain oxygen delivery to critical organs such as the adrenal gland, heart, and brain, at the expense of other organs such as the gut, kidneys and skin. This redistribution results in reduced perfusion and localized hypoxia/ischemia in these organs, which, if severe, can result in multiorgan failure. Liver injury, coagulopathy, bleeding, thrombocytopenia, renal dysfunction, and pulmonary and gastrointestinal injury all result from hypoxia, underperfusion, or both. Current clinical therapies need to be considered together with therapeutic hypothermia and cardiovascular recovery.

Keywords: Asphyxia; Cardiovascular; Kidneys; Liver; Multiorgan failure.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of cardiac output in the fetus; GIT = gastrointestinal tract. Data from 36, 37, 101]
Figure 2
Figure 2
Change in cardiac output (%) from control values during reduction in uterine blood flow resulting in hypoxemia in fetal sheep. Illustrates the redistribution of cardiac output to the brain, adrenals and heart at the expense of other organs. Data from Jensen, A., C. Roman, and A.M. Rudolph, Effects of reducing uterine blood flow on fetal blood flow distribution and oxygen delivery. J Dev Physiol., 1991. 15(6): p. 309–23.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Dawes GS. Foetal and neonatal physiology: a comparative study of the changes at birth. Year Book Medical Publishers; 1968.
    1. Cross KW. Resuscitation of the asphyxiated infant. British Medical Bulletin. 1966;22(1):73–78. - PubMed
    1. Dawes GS, et al. Some observations on foetal and new-born rhesus monkeys. The Journal of physiology. 1960;152:271–298. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wyllie J, et al. Part 7: Neonatal resuscitation: 2015 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science with Treatment Recommendations. Resuscitation. 2015;95:e169–201. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2015.07.045. Epub 2015 Oct 15. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Peeters LL, et al. Blood flow to fetal organs as a function of arterial oxygen content. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1979;135(5):637–46. - PubMed

MeSH terms