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Skin discoloration - bluish

Alternative Names:

Lips - bluish; Fingernails - bluish; Cyanosis; Bluish lips and fingernails; Bluish skin

Home Care:

For cyanosis caused by exposure to cold, dress warmly when going outside or stay in a well-heated room.

Call your health care provider if:

Call your health care provider if you have any unexplained changes in the color of your skin or mucous membranes.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your health care provider will perform a physical examination, which includes listening to your breathing and heart sounds. In emergency situations (such as shock), the patient will be stabilized first.

Medical history questions may include:

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include: For shortness of breath and cyanosis, supplemental oxygen may be administered.

References:

Behrman RE, Kliegman RM, Jenson HB. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 17th ed. Philadelphia, Pa:Saunders; 2003.

Marx JA. Rosen's Emergency Medicine:Concepts and Clinical Practice . 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2005.

Woods WA, McCulloch MA. Cardiovascular emergencies in the pediatric patient. Emerg Med Clin North Am . November 2005;23:1233-1249.

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