| Adults with cystic fibrosis are susceptible to hypoxemia, hypercapnia, arousal from sleep, and neurobehavioral impairment. |
| Adverse outcomes during sedation usually have hypoxemia as a common pathway after hypoventilation or apnea leading to brain injury or death. |
| Arterial hypoxemia, a frequent complication of lung disease, can lead to pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale. |
| Progressive pulmonary fibrosis occurs in 10 percent of patients and, along with myositis of the respiratory muscles, may lead to hypoxemia. |
| In addition to the effects of hypoxemia, a major factor is excessive loading of the inspiratory muscles. |
| As hypoxemia supervenes, the patient becomes comatose and death may result from ventricular fibrillation or asystole. |
