Word parts
What it means
A bluish color that appears when the blood carries too little oxygen. Central cyanosis shows on the lips, tongue and mouth; peripheral cyanosis shows on the fingers and toes and can come from poor circulation or cold. In darker skin it is easier to see on the lips, gums, tongue and nail beds, and may look gray rather than blue.
For the nurse
Cyanosis is a late finding: restlessness, a fast heart rate and a falling oxygen saturation often come first. Check the airway, breathing and pulse oximetry, raise the head of the bed and give oxygen as ordered.
In a chart
"Circumoral cyanosis noted, SpO2 84% on room air; oxygen applied."
At a glance
| Spanish | cianosis |
|---|---|
| Also written | cyanotic |
Related terms
pulse oximetry
A painless test that uses light through a finger, toe or earlobe to estimate how much oxygen the blood is carrying.
oxygenation
The process of getting oxygen into the blood and delivering it to the body's tissues.
hypoxia
A lower than normal level of oxygen in the body's tissues.
hypoxemia
A level of oxygen in the blood below normal.