How do the factors of age, environmental and lifestyle factors and disease processes affect oxygenation?
The age of the client can affect the process of oxygenation as elderly clients have reduced ability to fight off respiratory infections as a result of diminished cilia activity and structural changes of the chest leading to decreased gas exchange. Environmental and lifestyle factors can affect the process of oxygenation due to exposure of potential allergens, occupational exposure to allergens, smoking and second hand smoke, emotional as well as physiological stress and weight issues such as malnutrition (obesity as well as underweight). Disease processes can dramatically affect the process of oxygenation as a result of defects in ventilation (obstructive and restrictive pulmonary disease), gas exchange (ventilation-perfusion mismatch), circulation (atherosclerosis, heart failure and anemia) and oxygen uptake (sepsis).
