The Oxygen

One of the basic functions to sustain life is breathing. In humans and most living things above is done through the lungs, which function automatically. That means that we continue to breathe regularly during sleep and even in states of unconsciousness, only a serious brain injury can inhibit this automatic breathing.
The main function of breathing is an exchange of gases. Through the membrane of the alveoli, which are units of the lungs breathing, a few small bags to fill with air and are at the end of the bronchi, which are precisely those that are damaged if there is emphysema-enters oxygen, a gas vital for energy in all cells of the body. The energy maintains life as the electrical current stays on an outbreak if it is cut, the focus is turned off, if reconnects, the focus turns on again, but not cells, which, if left without power after a few minutes die and no longer return to work, which causes irreversible damage to tissues and organs and eventually causes the death of the whole organism.


Journey to the farthest corner
The oxygen travels through the blood into red blood cells, more specifically in their hemoglobin, which is why it is important to have the proper amount of hemoglobin. The shortcoming of this, which is called anemia, reduces the transport of oxygen.
The cells take oxygen and returned to the hemoglobin carbon dioxide (CO), which is the waste product of cellular respiration in the production of energy. Hence the great importance of oxygen for life
The oxygen gas is an odorless, tasteless and colorless, that the condensed (liquid made) acquires a bluish color. In the periodic table of elements found in the group of gases. Biatómico is, that is, is composed of two atoms, so its chemical name is O. As it triatómica (03) is called ozone and currently focuses attention around the world, as it is the element that forms a protective layer of our atmosphere, whose main function is to prevent the passage of harmful solar radiation, but because of pollution is deteriorating.

And chemical oxygen
Oxygen is one of the most abundant on our planet is the fifth of the air, almost half of the land and more than four-fifths of the water. It is essential to the life of plants and animals, as living beings (except for certain limited exceptions) derive their energy from respiration to some chemicals combine with oxygen. It is also one of the products of the plants that perform photosynthesis, the process by which renews the oxygen from the atmosphere.
To be a very negative for its electronic load, it is easy to merge it with most of the elements, which are oxides. Many metals are oxidized with just the air from the atmosphere, although that process has much to do moist air, since the water contains more oxygen than the air. The formula of water indicates that its components are two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen: H90. You can get so through two industrial processes:

1) distillation of liquid air by steps;
2) solutions alkaline electrolysis of water.
The oxygen has many applications, the most important are:
• Fuel for torches, steel production and processes
which require high temperatures.
• In the chemical industry, to obtain liquid substances such as acetylene, chlorine and sulfuric acid landlord, and to obtain explosives in liquid derived from nitrates.
• As space rocket fuel.
• Medical treatments, such as oxygen therapy.

Applications in medicine
In medicine, oxygen is a major part of treatments to sustain life in cases of extreme gravity. The oxygen therapy is a basic action that takes place in hospitals constantly, both in the emergency services in areas such as intensive therapy and even hospitalization normal. For example, a cardiac decompensation with acute pulmonary edema (swelling caused by accumulation of water on the walls lung) requires the early use of oxygen and is one of the main measures to save the life of the patient. Since its discovery, oxygen therapy has been a measure for acute cases, sudden and the aggravations of chronic diseases when there is danger of loss of life or serious deterioration of the function of one or more organs.
The oxygen is also used in therapy for chronic respiratory problems. Current mind is increasingly used in newborns or two with respiratory problems in children with diseases of the alveolar membrane, such as cystic fibrosis (which hardens the alveoli 'In some countries already manages an attachment in the form of a backpack containing oxygen to that the mother can be recharged while attending to the baby.
Oxygen tents are also often used, as they provide a rich environment that is beneficial in cases where the patient has difficulty in movement. This device works through an oxygen tube with an electrical switch that regulates the output of the gas saturation as required.
A baseline study to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood that there is evidence of the partial pressure of oxygen (Pa07). If the result of this is less than 60 mm of mercury, the patient had respiratory failure. This measurement must be performed in arterial blood, a procedure difficult and very annoying, for which it was required to place the patient.
The mask for oxygen is another very useful additions, this must cover both the mouth and nose and be connected to a tube with an oxygen bottle humidifier. In this way, the patient receives oxygen saturation with a greater than 21%.
Masks can be rubber, plastic or silicone, the latter are cheaper, and are transparent as we can see the face of the patient and monitor changes of coloration, especially on the lips.
There are special masks for serious cases, which allow to manage larger amount of oxygen (up 60%), whereas the normal troop between 25 and 35 of oxygen, and are used when the problem is more lenient.
A direct method Oxygenation which is widely used is the nasal catheter, a tube is separated into two smaller tubes and placed inside the nostrils (in some places it is called bigotera).
Other methods to get a patient to breathe are: the high-pressure oxygen, which is used in cases of severe COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), high-pressure chambers, which are used when the problem is not obstructive but because of paralysis the respiratory muscles, as in chronic patients, for example, those with the aftermath of childhood polio, Guillain-Barre syndrome or acute intoxication by drugs that paralyze the respiratory muscles, as some organophosphate poisons that are used in agricultural spraying.