What causes Anoxic Brain Damage?

Anoxic brain damage may occur when:

• Oxygenated blood cannot reach the brain (eg, when a clot prevents blood flow to the brain)
• Blood that reaches the brain does not carry enough oxygen (eg, when lung disease prevents oxygen from crossing from the lungs into the blood for transport)
• Exposure to poisons or other toxins that keep oxygen in the blood from being used by the cells in the brain (eg, carbon monoxide poisoning)