What does Oxygen Therapy involve?
Oxygen therapy involves administering oxygen at a concentration which is higher than that found in air, in order to treat or prevent symptoms and onset of arterial hypoxemia. This form of treatment can be applied in acute onset situations, for the amount of time needed to overcome the acute event, or in the longer term when the patient has a serious, stabilised form of chronic hypoxemia.
In detail, long-term oxygen therapy is given to patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as it has been proven to significantly increase survival rates, quality of life and neuropsychic performance, whilst at the same time reducing the number of days of in-patient care and associated hospitalisation costs. Its use has also been suggested for treating diseases other than COPD, such as interstitial lung disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension, cystic fibrosis and even for palliative purposes.
Oxygen delivery systems
Technically speaking, oxygen is delivered by means of apposite Medical Products. Depending on the patient’s characteristics, the Pneumology specialist establishes doses in terms of flow/minute and hours/day, as well as the most appropriate delivery system.
Vivisol offers all the different types of technological solutions available and requested by specialists.
Liquid medical oxygen containers: these are the solution of choice for patients with any level of mobility and therapy flow rate, thanks also to the storage of large amounts of medical oxygen in liquid state, and the possibility to use practical, high-capacity portable units.
Fixed and portable concentrators: these are the perfect solution for patients with average-to-low mobility and/or specific therapy flow rate, as they require an electricity supply to activate the process which separates the air and delivers the oxygen.
Compressed medicinal oxygen tanks: useful for short-term therapy, these tanks are ideal for patients who need therapeutic oxygen to be administered for short periods of time.
Additional medical products: along with oxygen supply devices, patients are also given materials commonly prescribed with the device, including cannulas, masks, transtracheal catheters and humidifiers.