Overview
Lack of oxygen in the blood causes a bluish discoloration in the skin or mucous membranes called cyanosis. Most cyanosis is seen as a result of congenital heart disease, pulmonary disease, or as a terminal event as in cardiopulmonary arrest.
Review Date 5/21/2017
Updated by: Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, MHS, Paul F. Harron Jr. Associate Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.