Oxygen therapy involves administering oxygen to more oxygen in the normal environment to ensure oxygenation of the body’s tissues. Certain conditions can lead to a reduction in oxygen supply to the lungs and tissues, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma attack, apnea skin, and pneumonia: for this reason, it may be necessary to do so in these cases. Oxygen therapy.
This therapy should be indicated by a generalist or pneumonologist after determining a low level of oxygen in the blood, by performing arterial gasometry, which is a blood test extracted from the woman’s artery; and pulse oximetry, which is achieved by observing oxygen saturation, although it should be greater than 90%. Learn more about how oxymetry is performed.
- The type of oxygen therapy depends on the degree of difficulty in breathing of the person and the signs of hypoxia.
- And the use of a nasal catheter.
- A face mask or a Venturi mask may be recommended.
- In some cases.
- CPAP may be indicated to facilitate the entry of oxygen into the airways.
There are several types of oxygen therapy, classified according to the concentrations of oxygen released. Then the doctor indicates the type according to the needs of the person, as well as the level of difficulty in breathing and if the person has any signs of hypoxia, such as mouth and fingers, cold sweats and confusion. In this way, the main types of oxygen therapy can be:
This type of oxygen therapy is recommended for people who do not need a large amount of oxygen. Thanks to this system, it is possible to supply oxygen to the respiratory tract at a flow rate of up to 8 liters per minute with 60% FiO2 (fraction of inspired oxygen). This means that 60% of the total amount that the person will inhale will be oxygen.
The most used devices of this type are
In addition, for oxygen to be properly absorbed by the lungs, it is important that the person does not have obstructions in the nose, and in addition, to prevent the mucus from drying out of the respiratory tract, it is necessary to use humidification during use. The flow of oxygen is greater than 4 liters per minute.
High flow systems are capable of delivering a high concentration of oxygen, compared to what a person is capable of breathing, indicated in more severe cases, in situations of hypoxia caused by respiratory failure, pulmonary emphysema, acute lung edema or pneumonia.
The Venturi mask is the most common in this type of oxygen therapy, it has different adapters that serve to deliver exact and different oxygen levels, depending on the color. For example, the pink adapter delivers 40% oxygen in a 15 liter per minute wedge. This mask has holes that allow the evacuation of exhaled air, which contains carbon dioxide, and requires humidification to avoid drying out the respiratory tract.
Noninvasive ventilation, also known as NIV, is a means of ventilation that uses positive pressure to help oxygen enter the airways. This technique is indicated by the pulmonologist and can be performed by a nurse or a physical therapist in adults with respiratory difficulties and with a respiratory rate greater than 25 breaths per minute and an oxygen saturation of 90%.
Unlike other types, this technique is not used to provide supplemental oxygen, but is used to facilitate breathing by reopening the lung alveoli, improving gas exchange, and reducing respiratory failure. It is recommended for people with apnea of the person and for those who suffer from cardiorespiratory diseases.
There are even several types of NIV masks that can be used at home and depending on the size of the face and the shape of each person, according to CPAP and the most common type.
One doctor recommends oxygen therapy to increase the availability of oxygen to the lungs and skin tissue, thereby reducing the negative effects of hypoxia. It should be done when the person has 90% oxygen saturation, partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) less than 60 mmHg when certain conditions are present, such as:
This type of therapy is also indicated for acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris, since the supply of oxygen can reduce the signs of hypoxia caused by the interruption of blood flow, increasing blood levels. oxygen in the blood, ultimately, in the lungs.
In some cases, people with a chronic respiratory disease, such as COPD, must use the oxygen supply 24 hours a day; for this reason, oxygen therapy can be used at home. This therapy is performed through a nasal catheter that is placed in the nostrils, supplied with oxygen by a cylinder, which is a metal container where oxygen is stored; because it should only be administered as prescribed by the doctor.
The oxygen cylinders can be rented from medical products companies and can also be transported via a rack with wheels, so that they can be transported to different places. However, in addition to using oxygen cylinders, certain precautions are necessary, such as when smoking oxygen, using oxygen, keeping the cylinder flush with any flame, and out of direct sunlight.
Likewise, the person using home oxygen must have access to pulse oximetry machines to verify saturation and, if the person presents signs such as lips and fingers, brown and weaning, they must go immediately. in a hospital, you may have low oxygen in your blood.