From the Guidelines
Consumer oxygen is essential for individuals with certain medical conditions, and its use should be guided by a healthcare provider to ensure safe and effective treatment. When considering the use of consumer oxygen, it's crucial to prioritize medical purposes, particularly for conditions like COPD, severe asthma, pneumonia, heart failure, cystic fibrosis, or sleep apnea, where blood oxygen levels fall below normal 1, 2, 3.
Medical Uses of Consumer Oxygen
- Supplemental oxygen is typically prescribed as oxygen therapy, delivered through nasal cannulas, masks, or oxygen concentrators at flow rates determined by a healthcare provider (usually 1-5 liters per minute) 1.
- Oxygen therapy requires a prescription for medical use, and improper use can pose safety risks as oxygen supports combustion 3.
Non-Medical Uses of Consumer Oxygen
- Consumer oxygen is used for high-altitude activities like mountain climbing to prevent altitude sickness.
- It is also used in recreational settings like oxygen bars claiming to reduce stress, and in emergency preparedness kits.
Safety Considerations
- The major hazard associated with long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is fires or explosions, which is why prescribing LTOT for current smokers is controversial 3.
- LTOT incurs cost but has few adverse clinical effects, making it a crucial treatment option for patients with severe hypoxemia 2, 3.
Recommendation
The use of consumer oxygen should be guided by a healthcare provider, and patients should adhere to the prescribed treatment plan to ensure safe and effective treatment. In cases where medical conditions require supplemental oxygen, oxygen therapy should be used as prescribed, and patients should be aware of the potential risks and benefits associated with its use 1, 2, 3.
From the Research
Uses of Consumer Oxygen
- Consumer oxygen is used to treat hypoxaemia, a condition where there is not enough oxygen in the blood 4, 5.
- Long-term home oxygen therapy can improve survival in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and persistent, severe hypoxaemia 4.
- Oxygen therapy can also improve exercise capacity and reduce dyspnoea (breathlessness) in patients with COPD 5, 6.
- Ambulatory oxygen therapy, which involves providing oxygen therapy during exercise and daily activities, can improve dyspnoea and quality of life in patients with COPD who are not hypoxaemic at rest 6.
Benefits and Risks
- The benefits of oxygen therapy include improved survival, exercise capacity, and quality of life 4, 5, 6.
- However, there are also risks associated with oxygen therapy, such as worsening carbon dioxide retention and increased oxidant injury 5.
- Additionally, oxygen therapy can be costly, with estimated annual costs of approximately $1.8 billion in the United States 5.
Patient Education and Usage
- Patients using domiciliary oxygen therapy often have ambivalent views about oxygen use, with some seeing it as a way to maintain mastery and self-control over their illness, while others worry about dependency 7.
- Patient education is important to ensure that patients understand the benefits and risks of oxygen therapy and use it appropriately 4, 7.
- Patients should be educated on how to use oxygen therapy safely and effectively, including how to manage their oxygen supply and monitor their oxygen levels 4.