Inert gas asphyxiation Inert gas asphyxiation Inert gas asphyxiation is a form of asphyxiation which results from breathing a physiologically inert gas in the absence of oxygen, or a low amount of oxygen, rather than atmospheric air (which is largely composed of nitrogen and oxygen). Examples of physiologically inert gases, which have caused accidental or deliberate death by this mechanism, are argon, helium, nitrogen and methane. The term "physiologically inert" is used to indicate a gas which has no toxic or anesthetic properties and does not act upon the heart or hemoglobin. Instead, the gas acts as a simple diluent to reduce oxygen
Multiple inert gas elimination technique Multiple inert gas elimination technique The multiple inert gas elimination technique (MIGET) is a medical technique used mainly in pulmonology that involves measuring the concentrations of various infused, inert gases in mixed venous blood, arterial blood, and expired gas of a subject. The technique quantifies true shunt, physiological dead space ventilation, ventilation versus blood flow (V/Q) ratios, and diffusion limitation. Hypoxemia is generally attributed to one of four processes: hypoventilation, shunt (right to left), diffusion limitation, and ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) inequality. Moreover, there are also "extrapulmonary" factors that can contribute to fluctuations in arterial PO. There are several measures of hypoxemia